This question is for Bible knowledgeable people. No smart aleck remarks please. Who did Esau marry?

Question

According to Gen 26:34, Esau married Judith, a Hittite; and Basemath, also a Hitite. Since they were a source of grief to Isaac & Rebekah, he took a 3rd wife, Mahalath an Israelite (see Gen 28:9).

However, when reading Gen 36:2 & 3, Esau married Adah, a Hittite; Oholibamah, a Hivite; and then Basemath the Israelite. What am I missing? Thanks for helping me.

Bill-- Then why does Chp 36:3 say Basemath dau of Ismael, Sister of Nebaioth? Are her & Mahalath the same because 28:9 says Mahalath is dau of Ismael? Is there 2 Basemaths? One the same as Adah & one the same as Mahalath?

Answer 1

You are right, He had more than one wife.

BASEMATH

A wife of Esau. She was a daughter of Elon the Hittite, therefore either the same person as Adah or her sister. Basemath was “a source of bitterness” to Isaac and Rebekah.

JUDITH

A wife of Esau; daughter of Beeri the Hittite and a constant source of bitterness to Isaac and Rebekah.

MAHALATH

Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth and one of the women Esau took as a wife.

OHOLIBAMAH

A Canaanite wife of Esau. She bore him three sons, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah, all of whom became sheiks of Edom. Oholibamah was a daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Hivite Zibeon.

Answer 2

According to Genesis 36 Esau had wives

Answer 3

Not at all uncommon for people to have more than one name in the Bible. Just one example, Gideon is also called Jerubbaal. (Judges 7:1)

Answer 4

Just one of many, many inconsistancies in the absolutely infallible and literally true word of the Lord God. It was obviously put there to test peoples faith.

Answer 5

men of that era often had multiple wife's and concubine's also, so each verse are true even if mentioning different wife's.

Answer 6

He had several wives.