Adah

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 (Gen.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').