Original Word: אָהֱלִיבָמָה
Part of Speech: Noun
Transliteration: Oholiybamah
Pronunciation: o-ho-lee-BAH-mah
Phonetic Spelling: (o''-hol-ee-baw-maw')
KJV: Aholibamah
NASB: Oholibamah
Word Origin: [from H168 (אוֹהֶל - tent) and H1116 (בָּמָה - high places)]

1. tent of (the) height
2. Oholibamah, a wife of Esau

Aholibamah

From 'ohel and bamah; tent of (the) height; Oholibamah, a wife of Esau -- Aholibamah.

see HEBREW 'ohel

see HEBREW bamah

Word Origin
from ohel and bamah
Definition
"tent of the high place," wife of Esau, also an Edomite leader
NASB Translation
Oholibamah (8).

אָהֳלִיבָמָה proper name Oholibama (tent of the high place)

1. feminine wife of Esau Genesis 36:2,5,14,18,25.

2. masculine an Edomite chief Genesis 36:41; 1 Chronicles 1:52.

Scriptural Occurrences

Oholibamah appears eight times in the Hebrew Scriptures (Genesis 36:2, 5, 14, 18 [twice by Hebrew verse division], 25, 41; 1 Chronicles 1:52). The first reference sets her within the Canaanite milieu:

“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” (Genesis 36:2).

Family and Lineage

• Granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite—an indigenous Canaanite people (Genesis 36:2).
• Daughter of Anah, noted for discovering hot springs or mules in the wilderness (Genesis 36:24-25).
• Wife of Esau, elder son of Isaac and twin of Jacob (Genesis 36:2).

The text preserves a dual identity: she is both an individual woman and, later, the eponym of an Edomite clan (Genesis 36:41; 1 Chronicles 1:52).

Marital Alliance with Esau

Esau’s marriages outside the covenant line introduced spiritual tension into Isaac’s household (compare Genesis 26:34-35). Oholibamah embodies that union: her Hivite origin underscores Esau’s disregard for Abrahamic marital parameters. The alliance foreshadows the long-standing friction between Israel and Edom while illustrating that divine election proceeds sovereignly despite human choices (Malachi 1:2-3; Romans 9:10-13).

Children and Descending Chiefs

Oholibamah bore three sons—Jeush, Jalam, and Korah (Genesis 36:5, 14). All three become “chiefs” (Hebrew, אלוף, aluph) in Edom (Genesis 36:18). Her name is thus carried forward in tribal government, culminating in a clan directly called “Oholibamah” (Genesis 36:41; 1 Chronicles 1:52). This genealogical progression demonstrates how one household decision can shape national history.

Historical Setting

Genesis situates Oholibamah during the patriarchal era (second millennium BC). By the time of Moses, the Edomites inhabited the mountainous region southeast of the Dead Sea (Numbers 20:14-21). The clan of Oholibamah would have occupied part of that territory, contributing to Edom’s confederated structure of chiefs who answered to a central monarch only later (Genesis 36:31-39).

Theological Emphasis

1. Covenant Distinctiveness

Oholibamah’s inclusion in Genesis 36 contrasts sharply with the covenant line traced through Jacob in Genesis 35-37. Her presence reinforces God’s pattern of distinguishing spiritual promise from natural lineage.

2. God’s Providence Over Nations

The Edomite chiefs listed in Genesis 36 and 1 Chronicles 1 demonstrate that the Lord “fixed the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel” (Deuteronomy 32:8). Oholibamah’s clan, though outside the covenant, still unfolds under divine oversight.

3. Warning Against Spiritual Compromise

Esau’s marriages, including that to Oholibamah, “made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah” (Genesis 26:35). Their example stands as a caution regarding alliances that disregard God’s revealed will.

Prophetic and Messianic Connections

While Oholibamah herself is not cited in later prophecy, Edom becomes a frequent prophetic target (for example, Obadiah 1:1-18). The survival of her clan into the monarchy period (1 Chronicles 1:52) demonstrates continuity of Edomite identity, setting the stage for those oracles and ultimately for fulfillment in the Messiah who reconciles divided peoples (Ephesians 2:14-16).

Ministry Reflections

• Family choices reverberate through generations; spiritual compatibility in marriage guards legacy.
• God records even peripheral figures, affirming that no life is insignificant in His redemptive narrative.
• The lists of Genesis 36 encourage believers to trust divine promises despite apparent detours, for God’s purposes advance through and beyond human decisions, whether faithful or faithless.

Summary

Oholibamah is simultaneously a Canaanite woman, a matriarch of three Edomite chiefs, and the namesake of an enduring clan. Her account underscores covenant distinctiveness, the sovereignty of God over nations, and the far-reaching impact of personal choices upon future generations.

אָֽהֳלִיבָמָ֛ה אָהֳלִֽיבָמָה֙ אָהֳלִיבָמָ֛ה אָהֳלִיבָמָ֧ה אהליבמה וְאָהֳלִֽיבָמָה֙ וְאָהֳלִיבָמָ֖ה ואהליבמה ’ā·ho·lî·ḇā·māh ’āholîḇāmāh oholivaMah veoholivaMah wə’āholîḇāmāh wə·’ā·ho·lî·ḇā·māhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts