Mahalath

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).

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

MA'HALATH (stringed instrument, harp, lyre). The daughter of Ishmael, and one of the wives of Esau, Gen 28:9; called Bashemath Gen 36:3-4, 1 Kgs 16:10, etc. The granddaughter of David, and one of the wives of Rehoboam. 2 Chr 11:18.

MA'HALATH, Ps 53 and MAHALATH-LEAN'NOTH, Ps 88, occurring only in the titles of these two Psalms, are by most commentators held to be the names of some musical instrument used in the performance of the Psalm, or to contain some musical instructions with respect to the melody. Others, however, deriving the word from a root meaning "sickness," consider it a condensed or enigmatical indication of the idea of the Psalm.

MA'HALATH, Ps 53 and MAHALATH-LEAN'NOTH, Ps 88, occurring only in the titles of these two Psalms, are by most commentators held to be the names of some musical instrument used in the performance of the Psalm, or to contain some musical instructions with respect to the melody. Others, however, deriving the word from a root meaning "sickness," consider it a condensed or enigmatical indication of the idea of the Psalm.