Genesis 26:34
in Genesis 26When Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when Esau was forty years old he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:
KJV
And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:
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This verse in Genesis 26
Commentary
7 notes on this verseHe took to wife - the daughter, etc. - It is very likely that the wives taken by Esau were daughters of chiefs among the Hittites, and by this union he sought to increase and strengthen his secular power and influence.
This site's exposition
Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives
on Genesis 26:34-35
Esau marries two Hittite women at forty, daughters of the land his grandfather barred at 24:3. The chapter ends on one line about the cost: they brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah. Rebekah moves in chapter 27 to keep the blessing from Esau.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Removal of Isaac to Gerar. 1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:89%@v1-2
And Esau was forty years old,....
Removal of Isaac to Gerar. 1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
These wives never gained the affections of his parents, and this estrangement was overruled by God for keeping the chosen family aloof from the dangers of heathen influence.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
These wives never gained the affections of his parents, and this estrangement was overruled by God for keeping the chosen family aloof from the dangers of heathen influence.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֤י | vayhi | and he was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עֵשָׂו֙ | ʾesav | Esau | H6215 → | 97 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | a son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אַרְבָּעִ֣ים | ʾarbaim | forty | H705 → | 136 times |
| שָׁנָ֔ה | shanah | year[s] | H8141 → | 877 times |
| וַיִּקַּ֤ח | vaiyikach | and he took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| אִשָּׁה֙ | ʾishah | a wife | H802 → | 781 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוּדִ֔ית | yehudit | Judith | H3067 → | |
| בַּת־ | bat- | [the] daughter of | H1323 → | 588 times |
| בְּאֵרִ֖י | beeri | Beeri | H882 → | |
| הַֽחִתִּ֑י | hachiti | the Hittite | H2850 → | 48 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בָּ֣שְׂמַ֔ת | basemat | Basemath | H1315 → | 7 times |
| בַּת־ | bat- | [the] daughter of | H1323 → | 588 times |
| אֵילֹ֖ן | ʾeilon | Elon | H356 → | 7 times |
| הַֽחִתִּֽי׃ | hachiti | the Hittite | H2850 → | 48 times |
וַיְהִ֤יand he was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
עֵשָׂו֙Esau
ʾesavH6215 →97 times
בֶּן־a son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
אַרְבָּעִ֣יםforty
ʾarbaimH705 →136 times
שָׁנָ֔הyear[s]
shanahH8141 →877 times
וַיִּקַּ֤חand he took
vaiyikachH3947 →966 times
אִשָּׁה֙a wife
ʾishahH802 →781 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוּדִ֔יתJudith
yehuditH3067 →
בַּת־[the] daughter of
bat-H1323 →588 times
בְּאֵרִ֖יBeeri
beeriH882 →
הַֽחִתִּ֑יthe Hittite
hachitiH2850 →48 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
בָּ֣שְׂמַ֔תBasemath
basematH1315 →7 times
בַּת־[the] daughter of
bat-H1323 →588 times
אֵילֹ֖ןElon
ʾeilonH356 →7 times
הַֽחִתִּֽי׃the Hittite
hachitiH2850 →48 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 24:3and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites…
it leads to
- Genesis 26:34–35
When Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 6:14–17
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
- Genesis 26:34–35
Through
Exodus 34:16And when you take some of their daughters as brides for your sons, their daughters will prostitute themselves to their gods and cause your sons to do the same.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 7:3–4
Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Nehemiah 13:25
I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezra 9:2
Indeed, the Israelites have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the people of the land. And the leaders and…
- 1 Kings 11:2–4
These women were from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods.” Yet Solomon clung to…
- Numbers 25:1–2
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- Deuteronomy 7:3–4
Through
Genesis 28:9Esau went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, in addition to the wives he already had.
it leads to
- Genesis 36:3
and Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.
- Genesis 36:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.