1. Daughter of Elon the Hittite. Basemath was a Canaanite woman whom Esau married against his parents’ wishes (Gn 26:34). Basemath may be the same as Elon’s daughter Adah, or perhaps was her sister (36:2).→ View encyclopedia entry
2. Ishmael’s daughter, who married Esau (Gn 36:3) and bore Reuel to him (vv 4, 10). This Basemath is probably the same as Ishmael’s daughter Mahalath (28:9). Since Ishmael was the son of the patriarch Abraham, this marriage would have been more acceptable to Isaac and Rebekah (36:6–8).→ View encyclopedia entry
Identifications of #1 and #2 above are somewhat confused. Most scholars suspect that Esau married Elon’s daughter Adah (Gn 36:2–4), who was also called Basemath (26:34). Later, Esau married Ishmael’s daughter Mahalath (28:9), who was likewise called Basemath (36:3–4). That two of Esau’s wives should be named Basemath could be because Esau chose to give both the same affectionate name, which means “fragrant.”
3. King Solomon’s daughter who married Ahimaaz, the king’s administrator in Naphtali (1 Kgs 4:15).→ View encyclopedia entry