When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse reveals a subtle but significant detail: Esau, at the same age Isaac was when he married Rebekah, deliberately chose wives from the Hittites. This choice, seemingly minor, directly defied the specific instruction Isaac received from God to not intermarry with the Canaanites, setting Esau on a path that would alienate him from God's promises.
When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage immediately follows Isaac's successful dealings with the Philistines and God's reaffirmation of His covenant promises to Isaac at Beersheba. Esau, now forty years old, makes choices that directly contradict his father Isaac's own life lesson, marrying two Hittite women who were not part of God's chosen line. These unions serve as a stark contrast to Isaac and Rebekah's spiritual heritage and foreshadow future heartache for the family.
Esau was at a pivotal age when he made a choice that would have profound consequences. What did his choice of wives reveal about his heart?
At forty years old, Esau married Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite. These women were Hittites, a Canaanite people. This stands in stark contrast to the divine command given to Abraham and passed down to Isaac: to marry within their own lineage and faith, not among the peoples of Canaan.
This wasn't just about cultural differences; it was about spiritual alignment. The Canaanites were known for their corrupt practices and were under divine judgment. By marrying them, Esau was actively choosing a path that severed him from the covenant promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and their descendants. His choices here foreshadow his later rejection by God, as he 'despised his birthright' (Genesis 25:34) and now, by his marriages, was further distancing himself from the heritage of faith.
Esau's decisions had immediate relational consequences. How did his marriages impact his parents, and what does this tell us about familial wisdom?
The text doesn't just state Esau's marriages; it reveals the emotional impact: 'which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah' (Genesis 26:35).
This phrase 'grief of mind' speaks to a deep sorrow and distress. For Isaac and Rebekah, these marriages were not merely disappointing; they were a source of profound sadness. They understood the spiritual implications of Esau marrying outside the covenant people. They likely saw it as Esau rejecting the very heritage and spiritual path they had been entrusted with. This wasn't just parental disapproval; it was a spiritual mourning for a son who was turning away from God's promises and into a direction that would alienate him from the family's divine calling.
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Understand the original words
chitti · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
An inhabitant of the land of Heth (Canaan). In the patriarchal narratives, the Hittites represent the surrounding pagan culture with which God’s people were forbidden to intermarry to preserve their spiritual and covenantal distinctness.
Esau's decision to marry Canaanite women, specifically Hittites, directly defied his grandfather Abraham's explicit command and his parents' desire to keep the family line pure, highlighting the tension between family tradition and individual choice, and foreshadowing Esau's eventual rejection from the covenantal line.
c. 2000 BC
Abraham sojourns in Canaan
Abraham and his descendants are promised the land of Canaan by God, but are treated as foreigners and sometimes face conflict with local inhabitants like the Philistines.
c. 1800 BC
Isaac's father Abraham's encounter with Abimelech
Abraham temporarily sojourned in Gerar and faced similar challenges with local rulers and water rights, mirroring the experiences Isaac would later have.
c. 1700 BC
Isaac's father Abraham's command about wives
Abraham instructed his servant to find a wife for Isaac from his own relatives, not from the Canaanites, highlighting the importance of maintaining the covenant lineage.
c. 1670 BC
Isaac lives in Gerar during famine
During a famine, Isaac sojourns in Gerar and is blessed by God with great prosperity, but faces disputes over wells with the local Philistines.
c. 1670 BC— this verse
Esau marries Hittite women
Esau, at forty years old, marries two Hittite women, Judith and Basemath, which deeply distresses his parents Isaac and Rebekah.
c. 1650 BC
Esau's later marriages and genealogy recorded
Later accounts detail Esau's marriages, including to Mahalath, daughter of Ishmael, and confirm the lineage of his other wives, noting the confusion in names across different records.
This passage directly contrasts Esau's choice of Canaanite wives with Rebekah's desire for Jacob to marry a woman from their own family, highlighting the tension and sorrow Esau's marriages caused.
Deuteronomy 7:3-4This passage reflects the divine command against intermarrying with the surrounding nations, providing the theological context for why Esau's marriages were deeply displeasing to God and his parents.
Genesis 36:2This verse provides an alternative naming for Esau's wives, suggesting a complexity or variation in historical records, but crucially confirms his marriage to women from within Canaan.
Romans 9:10-13Paul uses the example of Jacob and Esau to illustrate God's sovereign choice, contrasting Jacob's selection with Esau's actions, including his marriages, as indicative of his rejection.
clarkeGenesis 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:"
He took to wife - the daughter, etc. - It is very likely that the wives taken by Esau were daughters of chiefs among the Hittites, and by this union he sought to increase and strengthen his secular power and influence.
ellicottGenesis 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:"
ESAU’S MARRIAGE WITH CANAANITISH WOMEN.
This verse reveals a subtle but significant detail: Esau, at the same age Isaac was when he married Rebekah, deliberately chose wives from the Hittites. This choice, seemingly minor, directly defied the specific instruction Isaac received from God to not intermarry with the Canaanites, setting Esau on a path that would alienate him from God's promises.
This passage immediately follows Isaac's successful dealings with the Philistines and God's reaffirmation of His covenant promises to Isaac at Beersheba. Esau, now forty years old, makes choices that directly contradict his father Isaac's own life lesson, marrying two Hittite women who were not part of God's chosen line. These unions serve as a stark contrast to Isaac and Rebekah's spiritual heritage and foreshadow future heartache for the family.
This passage immediately follows Isaac's successful dealings with the Philistines and God's reaffirmation of His covenant promises to Isaac at Beersheba. Esau, now forty years old, makes choices that directly contradict his father Isaac's own life lesson, marrying two Hittite women who were not part of God's chosen line. These unions serve as a stark contrast to Isaac and Rebekah's spiritual heritage and foreshadow future heartache for the family.
"When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite," — This verse reveals a subtle but significant detail: Esau, at the same age Isaac was when he married Rebekah, deliberately chose wives from the Hittites. This choice, seemingly minor, directly defied…
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Last reviewed October 2026