Genesis 28:9 kjv

Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.

Genesis 28:9 nkjv

So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.

Genesis 28:9 niv

so he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.

Genesis 28:9 esv

Esau went to Ishmael and took as his wife, besides the wives he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebaioth.

Genesis 28:9 nlt

So Esau visited his uncle Ishmael's family and married one of Ishmael's daughters, in addition to the wives he already had. His new wife's name was Mahalath. She was the sister of Nebaioth and the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son.

Genesis 28 verses

Genesis 28 9 Meaning

Genesis 28:9 records Esau's decision to marry Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, adding her to his existing wives. This action follows Jacob's departure, specifically after Isaac commanded Jacob not to marry Canaanite women, and Jacob obeyed. Esau's choice reveals a pragmatic attempt to gain his parents' favor by taking a wife from a lineage related to Abraham, though outside the divinely designated covenant line through Isaac, displaying his continued spiritual misunderstanding.

Genesis 28 9 Context

Genesis 28:9 is strategically placed in the narrative following a series of pivotal events concerning Jacob and Esau. Prior to this, Jacob had received Isaac's primary blessing through a deception (Gen 27). Fearing Esau's wrath, Rebekah urged Jacob to flee to Haran (Gen 27:42-45). Crucially, Isaac then formally sent Jacob away with a blessing and a specific command: "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan" (Gen 28:1-2). Jacob promptly obeys this instruction, setting off for Padan Aram (Gen 28:5). Esau, observing Jacob's obedience and recalling his parents' profound grief over his own two Hittite wives (Gen 26:34-35), misinterprets the depth of his parents' concern. He seemingly deduces that the issue was merely marrying a Canaanite. In a misguided attempt to rectify his standing with his parents, and presumably gain some favor or blessing, Esau then acts in Genesis 28:9, choosing a wife from another branch of Abraham's family—Ishmael's lineage—which, while related, was not the covenant line of promise that God had established through Isaac.

Genesis 28 9 Word analysis

• Then went Esau (וַיֵּלֶךְ עֵשָׂו - vayyelekh Esaw): The phrase "Then went" indicates Esau's immediate, reactive movement following Jacob's departure and Isaac's commands. His name, "Esau," means "hairy" or "complete," often connoting his natural, unrefined, and flesh-oriented character in contrast to Jacob's journey of spiritual transformation.
• unto Ishmael (אֶל יִשְׁמָעֵאל - el Yishma'el): Esau journeys "to Ishmael" (whose name means "God hears"), signifying his decision to seek a familial connection from a collateral branch of Abraham's family rather than the intended covenant lineage through Isaac and Rebekah's kindred.
• and took (וַיִּקַּח - vayyiqqach): The simple verb "took" denotes a deliberate act of choosing and formalizing a marriage, akin to acquisition.
• unto the wives which he had (עַל־נָשָׁיו אֲשֶׁר לוֹ - al nashav asher lo): This phrase explicitly states that Mahalath is an addition to Esau's existing polygamous household. This highlights his continued pattern of living according to his desires rather than conforming to an ideal marital state, and that his attempt to please his parents was primarily external without fundamental character change.
• Mahalath (מָחֲלַת - Machalath): Her name means "sickness" or "lyre/music." She is specifically identified as the new wife. Notably, this same person is referred to as Basemath, daughter of Ishmael, in Gen 36:3, which suggests alternative names for the same individual or scribal variants common in ancient texts.
• the daughter of Ishmael (בַּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל - bat Yishma'el): Clearly defines her paternal lineage, indicating she is Esau's cousin through his father's half-brother. Esau sought an Abrahamic connection for his wife, but chose outside the specific covenant line ordained for blessing.
• Abraham's son (בֶּן אַבְרָהָם - ben Avraham): This specification underlines Ishmael's direct descent from Abraham. Esau's logic here was that marrying a grandchild of Abraham, like Jacob, would satisfy his parents. However, he failed to discern the crucial distinction between general Abrahamic descent and the specific covenant line that God had established and reserved through Isaac. Esau prioritized kinship by blood over covenantal obedience.
• the sister of Nebajoth (אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת - achot Nevayoth): Further precise identification. Nebajoth is known from Genesis 25:13 as Ishmael's firstborn son. This detailed familial link grounds Mahalath within the prominent Ishmaelite family structure.
• to be his wife (לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה - lo le'ishah): This concluding phrase affirms the marital purpose of Esau's action, confirming a legally recognized union.

Genesis 28 9 Bonus section

The Genesis narrative subtly uses family and marriage choices to differentiate between lines of promise and those set aside. Esau's marriage to Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, stands in stark contrast to Jacob's journey to Padan Aram to marry from his mother's family, Rebekah's kindred. While both men ultimately marry distant relatives of Abraham, their motivations and the spiritual implications differ significantly. Esau's marriage was a self-initiated act to compensate for his past errors, lacking the divine guidance and covenant intent that marked Jacob's arranged marriage. This underlines a broader biblical principle: obedience rooted in genuine spiritual discernment, aligning with God's specific commands, is superior to self-derived solutions, even if they appear outwardly righteous. This recurring theme teaches that human effort and expediency cannot replace God's sovereign leading in establishing His covenant people and carrying out His plans.

Genesis 28 9 Commentary

Genesis 28:9 encapsulates Esau's consistent spiritual blindness and pragmatic, fleshly approach to life. Having witnessed Jacob's compliance with Isaac's instruction not to marry Canaanite women, Esau, driven by a desire to rectify his perceived standing with his grieving parents (Gen 26:34-35), chose a new wife. His choice of Mahalath, a daughter of Ishmael, appears, on the surface, to be a sensible attempt to marry within Abraham's wider family, fulfilling the "not Canaanite" criteria. This action demonstrates a reactive attempt to please his parents by observing the outward appearance of the law without grasping its deeper spiritual significance.

However, Esau's attempt at reconciliation was profoundly flawed because he continued to rely on his own understanding rather than divine revelation. He failed to distinguish between the general descendants of Abraham (Ishmael) and the specifically chosen covenant line through Isaac, a distinction central to God's redemptive plan (Gen 17:19-21). Isaac's desire was for Jacob to marry kin from a lineage associated with the promises, not merely a distant relative who shared only Abrahamic blood. Esau's past action of selling his birthright for food (Gen 25:29-34) and his present action in marrying Mahalath highlight his consistent tendency to prioritize carnal comfort and superficial conformity over genuine spiritual discernment and covenant faithfulness. His choice symbolizes a path disconnected from the precise will of God for His covenant people.