by Mike James

How many wives did Esau have? This is yet another seeming discrepancy in the Bible. A closer look and research will reveal the Bible is not creating a discrepancy.

First, let’s look at the scriptures that address the various wives of Esau.

Genesis 26:34: 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 (KJV).

Genesis 28:9: Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife (KJV).

Genesis 36:2-3: Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; And Bashemath Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth (KJV).