Mahalath

In Bible versions:

Mahalath: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV

daughter of Ishmael; wife of her cousin Esau
grand-daughter of David; wife of Rehoboam
a musical term (perhaps 'a sad tone' NASB marg.)

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sickness; a company of dancers; a harp ( --> same as Mahalah)

Hebrew

Strongs #04258: tlxm Machalath

Mahalath = "stringed instrument"

1) daughter of Jerimoth son of king David and wife, evidently the
1st, of king Rehoboam the grandson of king David
2) daughter of Ishmael and wife of Esau

4258 Machalath makh-al-ath'

the same as 4257; sickness; Machalath, the name of an
Ishmaelitess and of an Israelitess:-Mahalath.
see HEBREW for 04257

Strongs #04257: tlxm machalath

1) Mahalath
1a) found in headings of Ps 53:1 and Ps 81:1
1a1) meaning dubious, probably a catchword in a song giving
name to tune

4257 machalath makh-al-ath'

from 2470; sickness; Machalath, probably the title (initial
word) of a popular song:-Mahalath.
see HEBREW for 02470

Mahalath [EBD]

a lute; lyre. (1.) The daughter of Ishmael, and third wife of Esau (Gen. 28:9); called also Bashemath (Gen. 36:3).

(2.) The daughter of Jerimoth, who was one of David's sons. She was one of Rehoboam's wives (2 Chr. 11:18).

Mahalath [NAVE]

MAHALATH
1. Called also Bashemath. Daughter of Ishmael, Gen. 28:9; 36:3.
2. A granddaughter of David, 2 Chr. 11:18.
3. See: Music.

MAHALATH [SMITH]

(stringed instrument), the daughter of Ishmael, and one of the wives of Esau. (Genesis 28:9)

MAHALATH [SMITH]

(stringed instrument) one of the eighteen wives of King Rehoboam, apparently his first. (2 Chronicles 11:18) only. She was her husband?s cousin, being the daughter of King David?s son Jerimoth.

MAHALATH [SMITH]

the title of p, 53, and Mahalath-leannoth, the title of Ps. 88. The meaning of these words is uncertain. The conjecture is that mahalath is a guitar, and that leannoth has reference to the character of the psalm, and might be rendered "to humble or afflict," in which sense the root occurs in ver. 7.

MAHALATH [ISBE]

MAHALATH - ma'-ha-lath (machalath):

(1) In Gen 28:9 the name of a wife of Esau, daughter of Ishmael, and sister of Nebaioth, called in 36:3, BASEMATH (which see). The Samaritan Pentateuch, however, throughout Genesis 36 retains "Mahalath." On the other hand, in 26:34 Basemath is said to be "the daughter of Elon the Hittite," probably a confusion with Adah, as given in 36:2, or corruption may exist in the lists otherwise.

(2) One of the 18 wives of Rehoboam, a grand-daughter of David (2 Ch 11:18).

(3) The word is found in the titles of Ps 53 (the Revised Version (British and American) "set to Mahalath") and Ps 88 (the Revised Version (British and American) "set to Mahalath Leannoth," margin "for singing"). Probably some song or tune is meant, though the word is taken by many to denote a musical instrument. Hengstenberg and others interpret it as indicating the subject of the Psalms.

See PSALMS.

James Orr