daughter of Ishmael
Basemath being the daughter of Ishmael connects Esau to the lineage of Ishmael, Abraham's son through Hagar. This connection is significant because it ties Esau to the broader Abrahamic family, despite his separation from the covenant line through Isaac and Jacob. Ishmael's descendants were known to be nomadic tribes, and this marriage may have been strategic for Esau, aligning himself with a powerful and established family. This connection also fulfills God's promise to make Ishmael a great nation (Genesis 17:20).

and sister of Nebaioth
Nebaioth is the firstborn son of Ishmael, mentioned in Genesis 25:13. His name means "heights" or "high places," and he is considered the progenitor of the Nabateans, a significant Arab tribe. The mention of Nebaioth emphasizes the importance of familial ties and alliances in the ancient Near East. This relationship further solidifies Esau's integration into the broader network of Abraham's descendants, even as he diverges from the line of promise through Jacob. The Nabateans later became known for their advanced civilization and control of trade routes, including the famous city of Petra.

• The little conjunction quietly stitches Genesis 36:2 and 3 together, signaling that Esau’s list of wives is continuing.

• It reminds us that Scripture often strings details together to paint a full, literal genealogy (see Genesis 5:1–32; 10:1–32).

• In Esau’s story the word “and” keeps adding names, underscoring how quickly his house multiplies (cf. Genesis 36:6–8).

• Her name appears earlier as “Mahalath” when Esau first marries her (Genesis 28:9), showing that a single individual can be known by more than one name—common in patriarchal records (compare Genesis 17:5; 32:28).

• She is listed second here, after Adah and Oholibamah (Genesis 36:2). That order hints at the tension between Canaanite wives and this additional, non-Canaanite wife.

• The text establishes Basemath as part of Esau’s deliberate attempt to align more closely with Abraham’s broader family line rather than the despised Canaanites (Genesis 26:34–35; 27:46).

• Identifying her father instantly links Esau to Abraham’s other branch, the Ishmaelites (Genesis 25:12–18), rather than the promised Isaac-line.

• Esau’s choice shows a measure of respect for his parents’ displeasure with Canaanite unions (Genesis 28:6–8) while still charting his own independent path.

• The marriage literally fulfills Isaac’s prophecy that Esau would live away from his brother’s blessing yet remain within Abraham’s physical family (Genesis 27:39–40).

• By naming Ishmael, the text underlines that God has kept His word to bless Ishmael with twelve princes (Genesis 17:20) and that these lines remain historically intertwined.

• Nebaioth is Ishmael’s firstborn (Genesis 25:13). Mentioning him gives an extra layer of verification—Scripture roots itself in verifiable family ties.

• The phrase signals that Basemath comes from Ishmael’s leading household, not a minor branch, lending status to Esau’s union.

• Later prophets recall Nebaioth’s descendants as pastoral people bringing flocks to Zion (Isaiah 60:7), hinting that Ishmael’s line would eventually bless nations, including Israel.

• By pinning Basemath to Nebaioth, Moses shows the reader that the Edomites (Esau’s line) and Ishmaelites start with shared blood, accounting for future alliances and conflicts (Genesis 37:25–28; Psalm 83:6).

Genesis 36:3 records, “and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter and sister of Nebaioth.” Each phrase piles up concrete, literal facts: Esau adds another wife; her name is Basemath; she is Abraham’s granddaughter through Ishmael; she belongs to the house of Ishmael’s firstborn, Nebaioth. Together these details demonstrate the accuracy of Scripture’s genealogies, explain Esau’s attempt to appease his parents while still going his own way, and lay groundwork for the intertwined histories of Edom, Ishmael, and Israel that unfold throughout the rest of the Bible.

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