Woman living at the time of the Patriarchs
Mahalath, also known as Basemath, was one of Esau's wives, a daughter of Ishmael.
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Also known as Basemath · Bashemath
Mahalath, also referred to as Basemath, was one of the wives of Esau, the son of Isaac and the twin brother of Israel (or 'Jacob') (Gen.28.9; 36.3). She was the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son with Hagar, making her Esau's cousin (Gen.28.9). Esau married Mahalath in addition to his other wives, who were Hittite women (Gen.26.34; 28.8-9). This marriage likely strengthened the ties between Esau's descendants, the Edomites, and the Ishmaelites. Mahalath is mentioned in the genealogies of Esau, which list his wives, children, and descendants (Gen.36.4,10,13,17). These genealogies emphasize the importance of family lineage and the relationships between different people groups in the ancient Near East. The Bible does not provide further details about Mahalath's personal life or her role in the family dynamics of Esau's household. Her inclusion in the biblical record primarily serves to document Esau's marital alliances and the ancestry of the Edomites.
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6 verses in 1 book · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H4258
Esau went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Abrahamʼs son Ishmael, in addition to the wives he already had.
and Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.
And Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath gave birth to Reuel,
These are the names of Esauʼs sons: Eliphaz son of Esauʼs wife Adah, and Reuel son of Esauʼs wife Basemath.
These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. They are the grandsons of Esauʼs wife Basemath.
These are the sons of Esauʼs son Reuel: Chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. They are the chiefs descended from Reuel in the land of Edom, and they are the grandsons of Esauʼs wife Basemath.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.