Aholibamah

Aholibamah (Hebrew אָהֳלִיבָמָה, Standard Hebrew Oholivama, Tiberian Hebrew ʼOhŏlîḇāmā; "My tabernacle of/is height/exaltation" or "Tent of the High Place"), is an eight time referenced matriarch in the biblical record. Book of Genesis[( Genesis 36:2,5,14,18,25,41,& 1CH 1:52 )].

Aholibamah was the daughter of Anah of Zibeon the Hivite. Her maternal grandfather was Zibeon the Hivite son of Seir the Horite. She was one of two Canaanite women who married Esau, the son of Isaac, when he was in his forties. However, her In-Laws were greatly opposed to this union. So as to pacify them, Esau changed her name to the Hebraic name "Judith".

Aholibamah bore three children to Esau who would become Dukes of three Edomite tribes. Her Hittite name was also used to name a mountainous district in Edom, probably near Mount Hor.

Children:

1. Jeush
2. Jaalam
3. Korah

Anah in Genesis 36:2,14,18,25 mentioned above is the same as the Anah, the son of Zibeon in verse 24. In verse 2 and 14 it says, "Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite;." Some are confused with this wording and believe that it is saying that Anah is a daughter of Zibeon. In verse 24 it clearly says that Zibeon's two sons were Ajah and Anah. Since the original text does not have a literal word for "grand daughter" the word "bath" was used in both cases. But this sentence is stating that Aholibamah is the daughter of Anah and the "granddaughter" of Zibeon, not that Anah is the daughter of Zibeon.

Popular culture

In the fantasy novel Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle, Oholibamah was the daughter of a nephil (fallen angel). She married into the family of Noah.

In The Red Tent, Oholibamah is mentioned as having died in childbirth, leaving only Adath and Basemath, both bitter rivals for Esau's affections.

References

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