Lexical Definition
עָדָה ʻÂdâh (aw-daw') Adah N:N-F-P
from עָדָה; ornament
Adah.
- § Adah = "ornament"
- Adah, the name of two women
1) the 1st of the 2 wives of Lamech and mother of Jabal and Jubal
2) a Hittitess, 1 of the 3 wives of Esau and mother of Eliphaz
2a) also called 'Bashemath'
Extended Information
- A woman living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.26.34
- daughter of: Elon (אֵילוֹן); married to Esau (עֵשָׂו)
- mother of: Eliphaz (אֱלִיפַז); also called Basemath (KJV: Bashemath) at Gen.26.34
- Also named: bos.mat (בָּֽשְׂמַת "Basemath" בׇּשְׂמַת)
Brown-Driver-Briggs
עָדָה proper name, feminine (ornament; or (Arabic 
, 
) morning) ᵐ5 Αδ(δ)α; — wife,
1. of Lamech Gen 4:19; Gen 4:20; Gen 4:23 (J).
2. of Esau Gen 36:2; Gen 36:4; Gen 36:10; Gen 36:12; Gen 36:16 (PR).
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Genesis | 4:19 · 4:20 · 4:23 · 36:2 · 36:4 · 36:10 · 36:12 · 36:16 |
Profile
Female • Daughter of Elon • Hittite wife of Esau; mother of Eliphaz
Woman living at the time before the Flood
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.
- A woman living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.26.34;
- referred to as Adah עָדָה, or Basemath (KJV= Bashemath) בׇּשְׂמַת;
- a daughter of Elon אֵילוֹן;
- wife of Esau עֵשָׂו;
- mother of Eliphaz אֱלִיפַז.
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 (Genesis 36:2; 26:34). Esau's marriage to Hittite women was a source of grief for his parents (Genesis 26:34-35).
Adah gave birth to Eliphaz, who became one of the chiefs in the land of Edom (Genesis 36:4,10). Eliphaz had several sons, including Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz, who also became chiefs in Edom (Genesis 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 (Genesis 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 (Genesis 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').
All entries for Adah or Basemath: עָדָה ☩ בׇּשְׂמַת