Interesting Facts

• Elon was the father of Bashemath, who became one of the wives of Esau.
• Elon is identified as a Hittite.

Genealogy

• Elon’s lineage prior to his mention as the father of Bashemath is not provided in the sources.
• He was the father of Bashemath, who married Esau.
• The sources do not mention any other children of Elon.

Historical Context

Elon lived in the land where the Hittites resided during the time when Isaac and his son Esau were also present. The marriage of Elon’s daughter, Bashemath, to Esau is noted in Genesis and Jasher. This event is significant within the broader narrative as Esau’s marriages to Hittite women, including Bashemath and Jehudith, are explicitly stated to have caused “a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah”. This reaction highlights a cultural and possibly religious divide between the patriarchal lineage of Abraham and the indigenous Hittite population. Elon, as the father of one of Esau’s Hittite wives, exists within this context of intermarriage and the ensuing familial discord it generated within Isaac’s household. The presence of Hittites in the land and the marriages Esau contracted with their daughters underscore the interactions between the expanding family of Abraham and the established peoples of Canaan.

Narrative

Elon himself does not feature directly in the narrative with any personal actions or dialogues within the provided excerpts. His significance is purely genealogical, as he is identified as the father of Bashemath, one of Esau’s wives. His role in the narrative is to establish Bashemath’s ethnic identity as a Hittite, which is crucial for understanding the context of Esau’s marital choices and the subsequent reaction of his parents, Isaac and Rebekah. While Elon remains a background figure, his mention provides important details regarding the cultural landscape and familial dynamics during the time of Isaac and his sons. His existence contributes to the understanding of Esau’s integration into the local Canaanite society through marriage, a detail that contrasts with the expectations and desires of Isaac and Rebekah for their son’s marital alliances.