(The Lord speaking is red text)
And Bashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth.
and Basmat Yishma'el's daughter, sister of N'vayot.
and Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.
and Basemath Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebaioth.
And Bashemath{H1315} Ishmael's{H3458} daughter{H1323}, sister{H269} of Nebajoth{H5032}.
Genesis 36:3 is part of a genealogical passage in the Bible that outlines the descendants of Esau, who is also known as Edom. Esau was the twin brother of Jacob (later named Israel) and the son of Isaac and Rebekah. The verse specifically mentions Bashemath, who is noted as the daughter of Ishmael and the sister of Nebajoth.
**Themes:**
1. **Family Lineage:** The primary theme of this verse is the importance of genealogy in the ancient Near Eastern context. It traces the lineage of Esau's family, which is significant for understanding tribal connections, inheritance rights, and the historical development of the Edomite people.
2. **Intermarriage:** The mention of Bashemath, Ishmael's daughter, indicates intermarriage between the descendants of Abraham. Ishmael was the son of Abraham and Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian handmaid. This intermarriage would have had cultural and political implications, solidifying alliances between different branches of Abraham's descendants.
3. **Blessing and Promises:** While not explicitly stated in this verse, the broader context of Esau's lineage is connected to the themes of blessing and divine promise. Esau's descendants, the Edomites, established a nation in the region south of the Dead Sea, but they are often contrasted with the Israelites, who are the focus of God's covenantal promises in the book of Genesis.
**Historical Context:**
- **Time Period:** The events described in Genesis, including the genealogy of Esau, are set in the early second millennium BCE, during the Patriarchal age according to biblical chronology.
- **Edomites:** Esau's descendants, the Edomites, were a real historical people who inhabited the region known as Edom, roughly corresponding to the modern-day Negev and the area around the Aravah Valley. They had a complex relationship with the Israelites, ranging from hostility to kinship, as reflected in various biblical narratives.
- **Ishmaelites:** Ishmael's descendants, often referred to as Ishmaelites, were nomadic tribes that roamed the regions to the east and south of Canaan. They were involved in trade and occasionally interacted with the Israelites, as seen in the story of Joseph being sold into slavery by Midianite traders (Genesis 37:28), who were considered Ishmaelites.
In summary, Genesis 36:3 is a part of a larger genealogical record that establishes the lineage of Esau's descendants, highlighting the connections between the families of Abraham's sons, Isaac and Ishmael, and setting the stage for the historical relationship between the Edomites and the Israelites.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)