יְהוּדִית
Jehudith, a Canaanitess
Definition
יְהוּדִית (Yᵉhûwdîyth) is a proper noun referring to a specific individual in the Old Testament: Judith, a Hittite woman. She is mentioned only in Genesis 26:34 as one of the two Hittite wives of Esau, the son of Isaac and Rebekah. The name itself is the feminine form of 'Judah' or 'Jew,' meaning 'Jewess' or 'praised.' In its sole biblical occurrence, it functions solely as a personal name, not as a general ethnic term for a Jewish woman.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Genesis 26:34. It is used strictly as a proper name for a specific person, Esau's Hittite wife. There are no patterns of usage across different books or contexts, as it appears exclusively in this genealogical and narrative account describing Esau's marriages, which grieved his parents (Genesis 26:35).
Etymology
The word יְהוּדִית (Yᵉhûwdîyth) is the feminine form of יְהוּדִי (Yᵉhûwdîy, H3064), meaning 'Jew' or 'Judahite.' It is directly derived from the name יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063), meaning 'Judah' or 'praised.' Thus, the name Judith literally means 'Jewess' or 'woman of Judah,' though in its biblical use, the individual bearing the name is a Hittite, not an ethnic Israelite.
Semantic Range
The mention of Judith, a Hittite, as a wife of Esau is theologically significant as it illustrates Esau's disregard for the covenant lineage. His marriage to Canaanite women (Genesis 26:34-35) directly contravened the patriarchal concern for endogamy (marriage within the family line) established with Abraham (Genesis 24:3-4) and caused grief to Isaac and Rebekah. This act symbolizes Esau's rejection of his birthright and covenant blessings, contrasting sharply with Jacob's obedience in seeking a wife from their own people. Understanding this name enriches the reading of the patriarchal narratives by highlighting the tension between faithfulness to God's covenant and assimilation into Canaanite culture.
In the cultural context of Genesis, Judith being identified as a 'Hittite' places her among the indigenous Canaanite peoples of the land. Her bearing a name meaning 'Jewess' is ironic, as she is not from the line of Judah or Israel. This reflects the ancient practice where names could have meanings appreciated for their sound or sentiment, not strictly indicating ethnicity. Esau's marriage to Hittite women was culturally and religiously problematic for his family, as it represented integration with groups from whom the covenant family was to remain separate, threatening the purity of the chosen lineage.
בַּת־חֵת (bath-Ḥēth, H2845) — A descriptive phrase meaning 'daughter of Heth,' used for Hittite women, including Judith's co-wife in Genesis 26:34. יְהוּדִי (Yᵉhûwdîy, H3064) — The masculine form meaning 'Jew' or 'man of Judah,' from which Judith is derived.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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