Who was Elon the Hittite in the Bible?

Elon the Hittite was the father of Basemath, who became one of the wives of Esau, the son of Isaac and Rebekah. He is mentioned only in the context of this family relationship in the book of Genesis (Genesis 26:34; 36:2).

Why is Elon the Hittite significant?

His significance lies in his daughter's marriage to Esau, which created a familial alliance between the patriarch Isaac's line and the Hittite people. This marriage was a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah, as Esau married outside their clan (Genesis 26:34-35).

What does the Bible say about Elon's life?

The Bible provides no details about Elon's personal life or key events. He is identified solely as 'Elon the Hittite,' indicating his ethnic background, and as the father of Basemath (Genesis 36:2).

Elon

Old TestamentPatriarchsMaleFather

Elon the Hittite was the father of Basemath, one of Esau's wives (Gen.26.34; 36.2).

Elon

Biography

Elon the Hittite was a Canaanite man who lived during the patriarchal period and whose daughter Basemath (also called Adah in Genesis 36:2) became one of Esau's wives. Genesis 26:34 records that Esau married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite when he was forty years old, and that these marriages were a source of bitterness to his parents Isaac and Rebekah. The union with a Hittite woman represented a departure from the family's deliberate practice of endogamy, marrying within the clan, which Abraham had established and which Isaac and Rebekah maintained for Jacob. Elon thus appears in Scripture at a moment of familial and theological tension, his daughter's marriage symbolizing Esau's disregard for the covenantal heritage of his family.

Significance

Elon the Hittite's significance in the biblical narrative lies not in his own actions but in the covenant implications of his daughter's marriage to Esau. The patriarchal family's insistence on marrying within the covenant community was more than cultural preference; it reflected the theological conviction that the line of promise must remain distinct from the surrounding Canaanite peoples. Esau's marriages to Hittite women, including Elon's daughter, are presented in Genesis as evidence of his spiritual carelessness toward the covenant blessings he had already despised by selling his birthright. Elon thus stands at the intersection of ethnic identity and covenantal fidelity, his family's connection to Esau marking the path not chosen for the line of promise.

Verse Appearances (2)

Genesis

Genesis 26:34 Genesis 36:2

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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