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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0;"/><title>Topical Bible: Polygamy: Esau</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/topical/naves/p/polygamy--esau.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newtopical.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/topical/vmenus/genesis/26-34.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmcde/p/polygamy.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/topical/">Topical</a> > Polygamy</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--elkanah.htm" title="Polygamy: Elkanah">◄</a> Polygamy: Esau <a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--forbidden.htm" title="Polygamy: Forbidden">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">Jump to: <a href="#nav" title="Nave's Topical Index">Nave's</a> • <a href="#lib" title="Library">Library</a> • <a href="#sub" title="Subtopics">Subtopics</a> • <a href="#rel" title="Related Terms">Terms</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><a name="te" id="te"></a><div class="vheading2">Topical Encyclopedia</div>Esau, the elder son of Isaac and Rebekah, is a significant figure in the biblical narrative, particularly in the context of polygamy. His life and marital choices are documented in the Book of Genesis, providing insight into the practice of polygamy during the patriarchal period.<br><br><b>Background</b><br><br>Esau, also known as Edom, was the twin brother of Jacob. As the firstborn, Esau was entitled to the birthright, which he famously sold to Jacob for a meal of bread and lentil stew (<a href="/genesis/25-29.htm">Genesis 25:29-34</a>). This transaction set the stage for future tensions between the brothers and had lasting implications for their descendants.<br><br><b>Marriages of Esau</b><br><br>Esau's marital decisions are recorded in Genesis and are noteworthy for their deviation from the practices of his forefathers, Abraham and Isaac, who were monogamous. Esau's choice of wives is seen as a source of grief to his parents, particularly to Rebekah.<br><br>1. <b>Hittite Wives</b>: Esau's first marriages were to two Hittite women, Judith the daughter of Beeri and Basemath the daughter of Elon. <a href="/genesis/26-34.htm">Genesis 26:34-35</a> states, "When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. And they brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah." These marriages were contrary to the desires of his parents, who preferred that their sons marry within their own kin, as Abraham had arranged for Isaac.<br><br>2. <b>Ishmaelite Wife</b>: In an attempt to please his father, Esau took a third wife, Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son. <a href="/genesis/28-8.htm">Genesis 28:8-9</a> records, "So Esau realized that the daughters of Canaan were displeasing to his father Isaac, and he 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." This marriage to a relative of his grandfather Abraham was an effort to align more closely with his family's expectations, though it did not negate the earlier choices that had caused familial discord.<br><br><b>Cultural and Theological Implications</b><br><br>Esau's polygamous marriages reflect the broader cultural practices of the time, where polygamy was not uncommon among the surrounding nations. However, his choices are portrayed negatively within the biblical narrative, primarily due to the grief they caused his parents and the alliances they represented with the Canaanite peoples, who were often at odds with the descendants of Abraham.<br><br>From a theological perspective, Esau's marriages are often contrasted with the monogamous unions of his forebears, highlighting a departure from the covenantal ideals established by God with Abraham and Isaac. The narrative suggests that Esau's disregard for these ideals contributed to his diminished role in the biblical account, as the covenantal promises were carried forward through Jacob.<br><br><b>Legacy</b><br><br>Esau's descendants, the Edomites, became a significant nation, often in conflict with Israel. The polygamous nature of Esau's family life is seen as a precursor to the complex and often adversarial relationships between the Edomites and the Israelites. The biblical account of Esau serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of marital choices that deviate from divine expectations and familial guidance.<a name="nav" id="nav"></a><div class="vheading2">Nave's Topical Index</div><span class="rtext"><a href="/genesis/26-34.htm">Genesis 26:34</a></span><br>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:<br><span class="source">Nave's Topical Index</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/genesis/28-9.htm">Genesis 28:9</a></span><br>Then went Esau to Ishmael, and took to the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.<br><span class="source">Nave's Topical Index</span><p><a name="lib" id="lib"></a><div class="vheading2">Library</div><p><a href="/library/sayce/early_israel_and_the_surrounding_nations/chapter_i_the_israelites.htm"><span class="l">The Israelites</span></a> <br><b>...</b> Had the name of <b>Esau</b> not been preserved we should not have known the true <b>...</b> David were<br> troubled by revolts which had their origin partly in the <b>polygamy</b> in which <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm</font><p><a href="/library/augustine/anti-pelagian_writings/index_of_subjects_abel_124.htm"><span class="l">Index of Subjects. Abel, 124, 136, 193, 414.</span></a> <br><b>...</b> Isaac, [875]403. Israel, the spiritual, [876]99, [877]102, [878]103. Jacob and <b>Esau</b>,<br> [879]398, [880]423. James, St., misinterpreted by the Pelagians, [881]126. <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/index of subjects abel 124.htm</font><p><a href="/library/augustine/writings_in_connection_with_the_manichaean_controversy_/faustus_states_his_objections_to.htm"><span class="l">Faustus States his Objections to the Morality of the Law and the <b>...</b></span></a> <br>writings in connection with the Manich??an controversy. <. <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../faustus states his objections to.htm</font><a name="res" id="res"></a><div class="vheading2">Resources</div><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/polygamy.html">Why did God allow polygamy / bigamy in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/multiple-wives.html">If a man has multiple wives and becomes a Christian, what is he supposed to do? | GotQuestions.org</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Fundamentalist-Church-Latter-Day-Saints-FLDS.html">What is the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS)? | GotQuestions.org</a><br /><br /><a href="https://clyx.com/term/polygamy.htm">Polygamy: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com</a><br /><br /><a href="/concordance/">Bible Concordance</a> • <a href="/dictionary/">Bible Dictionary</a> • <a href="/encyclopedia/">Bible Encyclopedia</a> • <a href="/topical/">Topical Bible</a> • <a href="/thesaurus/">Bible Thesuarus</a></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="sub" id="sub"></a><div class="vheading2">Subtopics</div><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/b/bigamy.htm">Bigamy</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/m/multiple_wives.htm">Multiple Wives</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/p/polygamy.htm">Polygamy</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy_with_solomon.htm">Polygamy with Solomon</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--abijah.htm">Polygamy: Abijah</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--abraham.htm">Polygamy: Abraham</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--ahab.htm">Polygamy: Ahab</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--ashur.htm">Polygamy: Ashur</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--authorized.htm">Polygamy: Authorized</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--belshazzar.htm">Polygamy: Belshazzar</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--david.htm">Polygamy: David</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--domestic_unhappiness_in_abraham's_family.htm">Polygamy: Domestic Unhappiness in Abraham's Family</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--domestic_unhappiness_in_elkanah's_family.htm">Polygamy: Domestic Unhappiness in Elkanah's Family</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--domestic_unhappiness_in_jacob's_family.htm">Polygamy: Domestic Unhappiness in Jacob's Family</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--elkanah.htm">Polygamy: Elkanah</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--esau.htm">Polygamy: Esau</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--forbidden.htm">Polygamy: Forbidden</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--gideon.htm">Polygamy: Gideon</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--hosea.htm">Polygamy: Hosea</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--jacob.htm">Polygamy: Jacob</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--jehoiachin.htm">Polygamy: Jehoiachin</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--jehoram.htm">Polygamy: Jehoram</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--joash.htm">Polygamy: Joash</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--lamech.htm">Polygamy: Lamech</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--mosaic_law_respecting_the_firstborn_in.htm">Polygamy: Mosaic Law Respecting the Firstborn In</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--practiced_by.htm">Polygamy: Practiced By</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--rehoboam.htm">Polygamy: Rehoboam</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--see.htm">Polygamy: See</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--solomon.htm">Polygamy: Solomon</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--sought_by_women.htm">Polygamy: Sought by Women</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--the_evil_effects_of_elkanah's.htm">Polygamy: The Evil Effects of Elkanah's</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--the_evil_effects_of_husband's_favoritism_in.htm">Polygamy: The Evil Effects of Husband's Favoritism In</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--the_evil_effects_of_jacob's.htm">Polygamy: The Evil Effects of Jacob's</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--the_evil_effects_of_rehoboam's.htm">Polygamy: The Evil Effects of Rehoboam's</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--tolerated.htm">Polygamy: Tolerated</a></p><a name="rel" id="rel"></a><div class="vheading2">Related Terms</div><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/l/lamech.htm">Lamech (11 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/w/wife.htm">Wife (437 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/m/marriage.htm">Marriage (74 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/f/family.htm">Family (438 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/p/pomegranate.htm">Pomegranate (11 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/d/divorce.htm">Divorce (18 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/r/relationships.htm">Relationships (1 Occurrence)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/t/taste.htm">Taste (46 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/r/rachel.htm">Rachel (42 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/p/pollux.htm">Pollux (1 Occurrence)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/a/ahinoam.htm">Ahinoam (7 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/p/persians.htm">Persians (6 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/solomon.htm">Solomon (277 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/sheba.htm">Sheba (36 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/p/punishments.htm">Punishments (31 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/w/woman.htm">Woman (4043 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/p/purity.htm">Purity (16 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/c/code.htm">Code (6 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/h/husband.htm">Husband (154 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/sin.htm">Sin (782 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/j/jacob.htm">Jacob (361 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/h/hammurabi.htm">Hammurabi</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/n/new.htm">New (1850 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/o/old.htm">Old (3966 Occurrences)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--elkanah.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Polygamy: Elkanah"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Polygamy: Elkanah" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/topical/naves/p/polygamy--forbidden.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Polygamy: Forbidden"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Polygamy: Forbidden" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' 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