Basemath
Encyclopedia
Basemath, Bashemath, or Basmath is a character in the Book of Genesis. She was the daughter of Ishmael
and the third wife of Esau
.
Before Esau married his third wife, he had named one of his Canaanite
wives after Basemath, probably because he knew of her since they were cousins. The wife whom Esau named as Basemath, was Adah the Hittite
, his first wife. So after he married his third wife, Esau changed Basemath the Ishmaelite
's name to Mahalath
. Esau sought this union with a non Canaanite, in an effort to reconcile his relationship with his parents, namely with his father Isaac
whom he sought his blessings. However, there is no record of his parents approval for the union of Esau and Basemath (Mahalath). She bore a son, Reuel, to Esau.
Ishmael
Ishmael is a figure in the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, and was Abraham's first born child according to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Ishmael was born of Abraham's marriage to Sarah's handmaiden Hagar...
and the third wife of Esau
Esau
Esau , in the Hebrew Bible, is the oldest son of Isaac. He is mentioned in the Book of Genesis, and by the minor prophets, Obadiah and Malachi. The New Testament later references him in the Book of Romans and the Book of Hebrews....
.
Before Esau married his third wife, he had named one of his Canaanite
Canaan
Canaan is a historical region roughly corresponding to modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and the western parts of Jordan...
wives after Basemath, probably because he knew of her since they were cousins. The wife whom Esau named as Basemath, was Adah the Hittite
Hittites
The Hittites were a Bronze Age people of Anatolia.They established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c...
, his first wife. So after he married his third wife, Esau changed Basemath the Ishmaelite
Ishmaelites
According to the Book of Genesis, Ishmaelites are the descendants of Ishmael, the elder son of Abraham.-Traditional Origins:According to the Book of Genesis, Abraham's first wife was named Sarah and his second wife Hagar. However Sarah was old and barren, and could not conceive...
's name to Mahalath
Mahalath
Mahalath was the third mentioned wife of Esau, a daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebajoth. Esau took Mahalath from the house of Ishmael to be his wife, after seeing that his Canaanite wives displeased his father, Isaac...
. Esau sought this union with a non Canaanite, in an effort to reconcile his relationship with his parents, namely with his father Isaac
Isaac
Isaac as described in the Hebrew Bible, was the only son Abraham had with his wife Sarah, and was the father of Jacob and Esau. Isaac was one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites...
whom he sought his blessings. However, there is no record of his parents approval for the union of Esau and Basemath (Mahalath). She bore a son, Reuel, to Esau.