(Heb. Machcalath', מִהֲלִת, a lute, otherwise the title of a song) the name of two women. See below.
1. (Sept. Μαελέθ,Vulg. Maheleth.) The daughter of Ishmael, and third wife of Esau (Genesis 28:9); elsewhere called BASHEMATH (Genesis 36:3); but the Samar. Pent. has Mahalath in both passages. (See ESAU).
2. (Septuag. Μολάθ v. r. Μοολάθ, Vulg. Malhalath.) The daughter of Jerimoth. granddaughter of David. and wife of Kehoboam (2 Chronicles xi. 18). B.C. 973. "She was thus her husband's cousin, being the daughter of king David's son. who was probably the child of a concubine, and not one of his regular family. Josephus, without naming Mahalath, speaks of her as ‘ a kinswoman' (συγγενῆ τινα, A nt. 8:10, 1). No children are attributed to the marriage. nor is she again named. The ancient Hebrew text (K-ethib) in this passage has ‘ son' instead of daughter.' The latter, however, is the correction of the Keri, and is adopted by the Sept., Vulg, and Targum, as well as by the A. V."