Adah, also known as Basemath, was one of Esau's Hittite wives and the mother of Eliphaz, who became a chief in the land of Edom.
wife of Lamech (GEN 4:19)
Lineage: Elon › Adah
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en
Adah
an assembly
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en
Bashemath
· Also called perfumed; confusion of death; in desolation
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en
Adah
· Also called · H5711 none · GEN 4:19 adornment
- en Basemath · Also called
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he
עָדָה
adah · H5711 · GEN 4:19 adornment
- he בָּֽשְׂמַת · H1315H
- el Αδα Ada · none · GEN 4:19
- bg Ада
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Adah, also referred to as Basemath, was one of the wives of Esau, the son of Isaac and Rebekah. She was a Hittite, the daughter of Elon (Gen.36.2; 26.34). Esau's marriage to Hittite women was a source of grief for his parents (Gen 26:34-35).
Adah gave birth to Eliphaz, who became one of the chiefs in the land of Edom (Gen.36.4,10). Eliphaz had several sons, including Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz, who also became chiefs in Edom (Gen.36.11-12,15-16).
In the genealogy of Esau, Adah is mentioned alongside Esau's other wives, Oholibamah and Basemath, the daughter of Ishmael (Gen 36:2-3). However, there is some confusion regarding the names of Esau's wives, as Basemath is also referred to as the daughter of Elon the Hittite (Gen 26:34), suggesting that Adah and Basemath may be two names for the same person.
Adah's role in the narrative is primarily as the mother of Eliphaz and an ancestor of the Edomites. Her Hittite origin underscores Esau's willingness to marry outside of the family lineage, in contrast to the endogamous marriages of Isaac and Israel (or 'Jacob').
Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Adah_1) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Adah@Gen.26.34-) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, adah_414)