When Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. When Esau was forty years oldThe age of forty in biblical times often signifies maturity and readiness for significant life changes. In Hebrew culture, reaching forty could symbolize a period of testing or preparation, as seen with Moses and the Israelites. Esau's decision to marry at this age suggests a readiness to establish his own household, yet it also foreshadows the tension between his choices and his family's expectations. he married
Marriage in the ancient Near East was not merely a personal decision but a familial and communal one. The Hebrew word for marriage here implies a covenantal relationship, which was expected to align with familial and cultural values. Esau's marriages, however, reflect a departure from the covenantal expectations of his family, particularly in terms of maintaining the purity of the Abrahamic lineage. Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite
The Hittites were one of the Canaanite tribes living in the land promised to Abraham's descendants. Marrying a Hittite woman, Judith, indicates Esau's disregard for the covenantal promise to Abraham to keep the lineage distinct from the surrounding nations. The name "Judith" means "praised" or "woman of Judea," which is ironic given the grief she brings to Isaac and Rebekah. and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite
Basemath, meaning "fragrance" or "perfume," is another Hittite woman Esau marries. The repetition of "Hittite" underscores the significance of Esau's choice to align himself with the Canaanite peoples, contrary to the desires of his parents and the covenantal promises. This decision highlights Esau's impulsive nature and foreshadows the spiritual and familial discord it would cause. Persons / Places / Events 1. EsauThe elder son of Isaac and Rebekah, known for selling his birthright to his brother Jacob for a meal. His marriages to Hittite women are significant in the account of his life and the broader account of the patriarchs. 2. JudithDaughter of Beeri the Hittite, one of Esau's wives. Her marriage to Esau is noted as a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah. 3. BasemathDaughter of Elon the Hittite, another wife of Esau. Like Judith, her marriage to Esau is significant in the context of the family's dynamics and the cultural tensions between the Israelites and the Hittites. 4. HittitesA group of people living in Canaan during the time of the patriarchs. Their presence and interactions with the Israelites are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. 5. Isaac and RebekahParents of Esau and Jacob. Their reaction to Esau's marriages highlights the cultural and spiritual tensions present in the account. Teaching Points The Importance of Covenant RelationshipsEsau's choice to marry Hittite women highlights the significance of maintaining covenantal faithfulness in relationships. Believers are encouraged to seek partners who share their faith and values. Cultural and Spiritual TensionsThe marriages of Esau to Hittite women illustrate the potential for cultural and spiritual discord within families. Christians are reminded to prioritize spiritual unity in their homes. Consequences of DisobedienceEsau's actions serve as a cautionary tale about the long-term consequences of decisions that go against God's guidance. Believers are urged to consider the spiritual implications of their choices. Parental Influence and GuidanceIsaac and Rebekah's distress over Esau's marriages underscores the role of parental guidance in the spiritual and relational decisions of their children. Christian parents are encouraged to actively guide their children in making godly choices. Bible Study Questions 1. How do Esau's marriages to Hittite women reflect his attitude towards his family's covenant with God, and what can we learn from this about the importance of spiritual compatibility in relationships? 2. In what ways do Esau's choices impact his relationship with his parents, and how can this inform our understanding of the importance of honoring family values and traditions? 3. How does the account of Esau's marriages connect with the broader biblical theme of God's people being set apart from surrounding nations, and what implications does this have for Christians today? 4. Considering the cultural and spiritual tensions in Esau's family, how can believers today navigate similar challenges in their own families and communities? 5. Reflect on a time when a decision you made had long-term consequences. How can the account of Esau's marriages encourage you to seek God's guidance in future decisions? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 24The chapter where Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for Isaac from his own people, emphasizing the importance of marrying within the covenant community. Genesis 27:46Rebekah expresses her distress over Esau's Hittite wives, which underscores the familial and spiritual discord caused by these marriages. Deuteronomy 7:3-4God's command to the Israelites not to intermarry with the surrounding nations, as it would lead them away from Him, providing a broader context for the concern over Esau's marriages. Hebrews 12:16-17Esau is described as "godless" for selling his birthright, which can be connected to his disregard for the covenantal implications of his marriages. People Abimelech, Ahuzzath, Bashemath, Basmath, Beeri, Elon, Esau, Isaac, Judith, Phichol, RebekahPlaces Beersheba, Egypt, Esek, Gerar, Rehoboth, Shibah, Sitnah, Valley of GerarTopics Basemath, Bas'emath, Bashemath, Basmath, Beeri, Be-e'ri, Daughter, Elon, Esau, Forty, Hittite, Judith, Married, Taketh, Wife, WivesDictionary of Bible Themes Genesis 26:34 5732 polygamy Genesis 26:34-35 5654 betrothal
5711 marriage, restrictions
5970 unhappiness Library The First Apostle of Peace at any Price
'Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold, and the Lord blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth. And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture"Thou Art Now the Blessed of the Lord. "
"Thou art now the blessed of the Lord."--Genesis 26:29. THESE words truly describe the position of many whom I address at this time. There are hundreds here upon whom my eye can rest, and to any one of whom I might point with this finger, or rather, to whom I might extend this hand, to give a hearty shake, and say, "Thou art now the blessed of the Lord." I need not say it in the same spirit, nor for the same reason, that the Philistines did. They had behaved basely towards Isaac, and now that he …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 38: 1892 Tithing
There are few subjects on which the Lord's own people are more astray than on the subject of giving. They profess to take the Bible as their own rule of faith and practice, and yet in the matter of Christian finance, the vast majority have utterly ignored its plain teachings and have tried every substitute the carnal mind could devise; therefore it is no wonder that the majority of Christian enterprises in the world today are handicapped and crippled through the lack of funds. Is our giving to be …
Arthur W. Pink—Tithing Whether Every Lie is a Sin?
Objection 1: It seems that not every lie is a sin. For it is evident that the evangelists did not sin in the writing of the Gospel. Yet they seem to have told something false: since their accounts of the words of Christ and of others often differ from one another: wherefore seemingly one of them must have given an untrue account. Therefore not every lie is a sin. Objection 2: Further, no one is rewarded by God for sin. But the midwives of Egypt were rewarded by God for a lie, for it is stated that …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica Elucidation.
The conduct of Father Abraham, although not approved of by Inspiration, but simply recorded (Gen. xxvi. 7), gave early Christians an opinion that the wicked may be justly foiled, by equivocation and deception, for the preservation of innocence or the life of the innocent. In such case the person deceived, they might argue, is not injured, but benefited (Gen. xxvi. 10), being saved from committing violence and murder. The Corinthian maiden was accustomed to be veiled (as Tertullian intimates), and …
Hippolytus—The Extant Works and Fragments of Hippolytus An Obscured vision
(Preached at the opening of the Winona Lake Bible Conference.) TEXT: "Where there is no vision, the people perish."--Proverbs 29:18. It is not altogether an easy matter to secure a text for such an occasion as this; not because the texts are so few in number but rather because they are so many, for one has only to turn over the pages of the Bible in the most casual way to find them facing him at every reading. Feeling the need of advice for such a time as this, I asked a number of my friends who …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas Iscariot The Plan for the Coming of Jesus.
God's Darling, Psalms 8:5-8.--the plan for the new man--the Hebrew picture by itself--difference between God's plan and actual events--one purpose through breaking plans--the original plan--a starting point--getting inside. Fastening a Tether inside: the longest way around--the pedigree--the start. First Touches on the Canvas: the first touch, Genesis 3:15.--three groups of prediction--first group: to Abraham, Genesis 12:1-3; to Isaac, Genesis 26:1-5; to Jacob, Genesis 28:10-15; through Jacob, …
S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks about Jesus And to Holy David Indeed it Might More Justly be Said...
22. And to holy David indeed it might more justly be said, that he ought not to have been angry; no, not with one however ungrateful and rendering evil for good; yet if, as man, anger did steal over him, he ought not to have let it so prevail, that he should swear to do a thing which either by giving way to his rage he should do, or by breaking his oath leave undone. But to the other, set as he was amid the libidinous frenzy of the Sodomites, who would dare to say, "Although thy guests in thine own …
St. Augustine—Against Lying Covenanting Performed in Former Ages with Approbation from Above.
That the Lord gave special token of his approbation of the exercise of Covenanting, it belongs to this place to show. His approval of the duty was seen when he unfolded the promises of the Everlasting Covenant to his people, while they endeavoured to perform it; and his approval thereof is continually seen in his fulfilment to them of these promises. The special manifestations of his regard, made to them while attending to the service before him, belonged to one or other, or both, of those exhibitions …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting Jesus Sets Out from Judæa for Galilee.
Subdivision B. At Jacob's Well, and at Sychar. ^D John IV. 5-42. ^d 5 So he cometh to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 and Jacob's well was there. [Commentators long made the mistake of supposing that Shechem, now called Nablous, was the town here called Sychar. Sheckem lies a mile and a half west of Jacob's well, while the real Sychar, now called 'Askar, lies scarcely half a mile north of the well. It was a small town, loosely called …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Appendix ii. Philo of Alexandria and Rabbinic Theology.
(Ad. vol. i. p. 42, note 4.) In comparing the allegorical Canons of Philo with those of Jewish traditionalism, we think first of all of the seven exegetical canons which are ascribed to Hillel. These bear chiefly the character of logical deductions, and as such were largely applied in the Halakhah. These seven canons were next expanded by R. Ishmael (in the first century) into thirteen, by the analysis of one of them (the 5th) into six, and the addition of this sound exegetical rule, that where two …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Sundry Sharp Reproofs
This doctrine draws up a charge against several sorts: 1 Those that think themselves good Christians, yet have not learned this art of holy mourning. Luther calls mourning a rare herb'. Men have tears to shed for other things, but have none to spare for their sins. There are many murmurers, but few mourners. Most are like the stony ground which lacked moisture' (Luke 8:6). We have many cry out of hard times, but they are not sensible of hard hearts. Hot and dry is the worst temper of the body. Sure …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Genesis
The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel's origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.--Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for, after a pictorial sketch of …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Genesis 26:34 NIVGenesis 26:34 NLTGenesis 26:34 ESVGenesis 26:34 NASBGenesis 26:34 KJV
Genesis 26:34 Commentaries
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