Reconstruction of the Midianite Tent-Shrine
OHOLIBAMAH, OHOLAH, OHOLIBAH. Oholibamah was an Edomite name used for both men and women. It was the name of *ESAU‘s second wife, a Canaanite woman, daughter of Anah and mother of Jeush, Jalam and Korah (Gn. 36:1–28). There was also an Edomite chief of this name (Gn. 36:41; 1 Ch. 1:52) which means ‘tent of the high place’. In Gn. 36:34 and 1 Ch. 1:52 the name appears alongside Timnah and it is interesting to note that a tent shrine has been discovered at Timnah in the Negeb, the region of ancient Edom. The shrine is dated to the Midianite period and is a parallel to the desert *TABERNACLE. The name suggests that some early *‘HIGH PLACES’ may have been tents (cf. Ezk. 16:16).
Oholah and Oholibah (AV Aholah and Aholibah) are allegorical names given to the N and S kingdoms in Ezk. 23. Both names mean ‘tent worship-per’ and were inspired by the term Oholibamah. They imply criticism of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. The two kingdoms are portrayed as sisters married to Yahweh but who have persisted in adultery by their entanglements with other nations. Oholibah is warned against following her sister’s example and judgment is predicted. The sexuality of the imagery (cf. Ezk. 16; Ho. 1–3; Am. 5:1–2) is particularly appropriate as many of the neighboring nations’ religions involved fertility rites.
Reconstruction of the Midianite tent-shrine discovered at Timnah. This was probably similar in concept to the Hebrew tabernacle and furnishes archaeological evidence for Oholibamah, ‘tent of the high place’. Mid-12th cent. BC.
Whitney, J. T. “Oholibamah, Oholah, Oholibah.” Ed. D. R. W. Wood et al. New Bible dictionary 1996 : 843. Print.
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