Elon אֵלוֹן
A Hittite, father-in-law of Esau.
Who is Elon in the Bible?
Elon was a Hittite man mentioned in Genesis as the father of Basemath, one of Esau's wives (Genesis 26:34, 36:2). When Esau married Basemath and another Hittite woman named Judith, it caused significant distress to his parents, Isaac and Rebekah, who desired their son to marry within their own family line rather than among the Canaanite peoples. Elon's brief appearance in the biblical narrative serves primarily to identify the lineage of Esau's wives and to illustrate the cultural tensions within the patriarchal family regarding appropriate marriages.
Biography
Elon the Hittite is mentioned in Genesis as the father of Basemath, one of Esau's wives. Esau, the son of Isaac and Rebekah, married two Hittite women, Judith and Basemath, causing grief to his parents (Gen.26.34). Basemath is specifically identified as the daughter of Elon the Hittite. The Hittites were a people group living in Canaan during the time of the patriarchs. Esau's marriage to Hittite women was seen as a departure from the custom of marrying within the family or tribe, as his parents had desired. In Gen.36.2, Basemath is again mentioned as one of Esau's wives, reaffirming her identity as the daughter of Elon the Hittite. No further information is provided about Elon's life, occupation, or role in the Hittite community. His mention in the text serves primarily to identify the background of one of Esau's wives and to highlight the cultural and familial tensions surrounding Esau's marriages.
Family
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentGenesis 2 verses
- Genesis 26:34
"When Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 36:2
"Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite,"
Study Genesis →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אֵלוֹן |