Contradiction with Genesis 26:34
Genesis 26:34 states Esau took two wives from the Hittites, Judith and Bashemath, not Adah and Aholibamah as mentioned in Genesis 36:2.
Genesis 26:34: And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:
Contradiction with Genesis 28:9
This verse indicates Esau took Mahalath as his wife, who is not mentioned in Genesis 36:2.
Genesis 28:9: Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife. [Mahalath: or, Bashemath]
Paradox #1
Genesis 36:2 might seem inconsistent because it mentions Esau's wife as Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite. However, in other parts of the Bible, Esau's wives have different names and backgrounds. This can create confusion about the identity and number of Esau's wives, leading to questions about accuracy in the genealogy.
Paradox #2
Genesis 36:2 mentions that Esau took wives from the Canaanites, which could contradict earlier guidance in Genesis about not marrying Canaanite women, as instructed to Isaac. Thus, there is a contradiction regarding family preferences for marriage partners in different parts of Genesis.
Paradox #3
Genesis 36:2 might have a contradiction regarding the names and relationships of Esau's wives. In Genesis 26:34, it mentions Esau's wives as Judith and Basemath, but in Genesis 36:2, it lists Adah and Aholibamah instead. This difference in names can cause confusion about Esau's family and lineage.
Paradox #4
The potential contradiction could be related to the names and ancestry of Esau's wives mentioned in Genesis 36:2 compared to other parts of Genesis, like Genesis 26:34. The names and possibly the lineages listed don't match precisely, leading to confusion about how many wives Esau had and their specific backgrounds. This inconsistency might cause questions about the exact historical lineage.