Genesis 25.12-18-The Descendants of Ishmael
Thursday May 4, 2006
Genesis: Genesis 25:12-18-The Descendants of Ishmael
Lesson # 139
Please turn in your Bibles to Genesis 25:12.
This evening we will study the seventh book in Genesis, which appears in Genesis 25:12-16 and presents to us the genealogy of Ishmael’s descendants.
The seventh book contained in Genesis 25:12-18 consists of three parts: (1) Ishmael’s segmented genealogy presenting the twelve tribes (25:13-16) (2) Ishmael’s obituary notice (25:17) (3) Settlements and destiny of Ishmael’s tribes (25:18).
The genealogy contained in Genesis 25:12-18 is a “segmented” genealogy displaying the relations between twelve kinship groups by tracing their lineage back to Ishmael.
This broad segmented genealogy consists entirely of the twelve names of the first generation indicating a very powerful confederation of tribes, which is confirmed by the statement in Genesis 25:16 “and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers.”
The twelve tribes descending from Ishmael correspond in number to the twelve tribes of Nahor (see Genesis 22:20-24), of Edom (see Genesis 36:10-14) and of Israel (See Genesis 35:23-26).
Book seven repeats a segmented genealogy like that of Abraham’s sons by Keturah (25:1-4, 13-16), ending with a notice of their settlement and their relationship with their brothers (25:5-6, 18) and also an obituary notice like that of Abraham (25:7-8, 17).
Each of these scenes ends with a statement about the relationship of the sons.
Abraham sends the sons of Keturah away from Isaac, Isaac and Ishmael bury Abraham together and the sons of Ishmael live in opposition with all their brothers.
Moses devotes an entire book to the genealogy of a concubine, which was unusual since this genealogy demonstrates that the Lord fulfilled His promises to Abraham (and to Hagar concerning Ishmael (See Genesis 16:10, 12; 17:20) and to Abraham that he would be “the father of a multitude of nations” (See Genesis 17:4).
Genesis 25:12-15, “Now these are the records of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's maid, bore to Abraham; and these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael, and Kedar and Adbeel and Mibsam and Mishma and Dumah and Massa, Hadad and Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah.”
“These are the records of the generations of Ishmael” refers to the record of the descendants of Ishmael, which follows in Genesis 25:12-18 as indicated by the noun toledhoth (toh-led-aw) (tw{dl@w{T), “the records of the generations” which is always used as an introduction to what follows.
The statement “Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, bore to Abraham” recalls the incidents recorded in Genesis 16 and Genesis 21:9-21.
The names of the twelve princes descending from Ishmael are applied not only to tribal divisions but also to geographical localities.
These twelve sons of Ishmael and were grandsons of Abraham formed Arab nation in fulfillment of the Lord’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 21:13 and populated the Arabian Peninsula.
The first son of Ishmael was “Nebaioth” (ty)b*n+) (Hebrew: nevayoth pronounced neb-aw-yoth) whose name means, “heights” and whose descendants were the “Nabayati” an Arab tribe that was conquered by Ashurbanipal in the seventh century (668-633 B.C.) and are mentioned in Isaiah 60:7.
The second son of Ishmael was “Kedar” (rd*q@) (Hebrew: qedhar pronounced kay-dawr) whose name means, “dark skin” and whose descendants were nomadic tribe of the Syrian-Arabian desert (Ps. 120:5; Song. 1:5; Jer. 49:28f), specifically, in the region between Egypt and Dedan-Edom.
Despite their nomadic habits, they seem to have had some stability because they are said to have dwelled in villages (Isa. 42:11) and helped supply Tyre with lambs, rams and goats (Ezek. 27:21).
Not only were they owners of flocks (Isa. 60:7) but also they were great archers and mighty warriors (Isa. 21:16f.) before the Lord diminished them.
The third son of Ishmael was “Adbeel” (la@B+d+a) (Hebrew: `adhbe’el pronounced ad-beh-ale) whose name means, “chastened of God” and whose descendants subjugated by Tiglath Pileser III and as a result lived on the border of Egypt and thus were located in northwest Arabia.
The fourth son of Ishmael was “Mibsam” (sc*b+m!) (Hebrew: mivsam) whose name means, “sweet smell” and whose descendants were later absorbed into the Israelite tribe of Simeon since he and his brother “Mishma” appear in the genealogy of Simeon, which is recorded in 1 Chronicles 4:24f.
The fifth son of Ishmael was “Mishma” (um*v+m!) (Hebrew: mishma) whose name means, “a hearing” and whose descendants like “Mibsam” were later absorbed into the Israelite tribe of Simeon when they extended southward (1 Chronicles 4:38-43) since the two brothers appear together in the genealogy of Simeon, which is recorded in 1 Chronicles 4:24f.
The sixth son of Ishmael was “Dumah” (hm*WD) (Hebrew: dumah) whose name means, “silence” and whose descendants are referred to in Isaiah 21:11 making it a part of Edom.
The place where Dumah’s descendants settled is described in the inscriptions of Esarhaddon (680-669 B.C.) as “Adumati the stronghold of the Arabs.”
The later Arabs called the place “Dumah of the stones” and its modern name is “el-Jof,” which means, “the cavity” and lies in the northern sector of the Arabian Desert due east of the Gulf of Akaba.
The seventh son of Ishmael was “Massa” (ac*m^) (Hebrew: massa pronounced mas-saw) whose name means, “burden” and whose descendants settled in Tayma and who were subjugated by Tiglath-Pileser III (744-727 B.C.) who extracted gold, silver, male and female camels all kinds of spices from them.
The eighth son of Ishmael was “Hadad” (dd^j&) (Hebrew: chadhadh) whose name means, “honor” and the location of where his descendants settled is as of yet, unidentified.
The ninth son of Ishmael was “Tema” (am*yT@) (Hebrew: tema pronounced tay-maw) whose name means, “desert” and whose descendants settled in an area now known as “Teyma,” which was situated in northern Arabia, about 180 miles from the Dead Sea, adjacent to the Syrian desert.
Three trade routes once converged at the town Teyma connecting it to southern Arabia, Syria and the Mediterranean, with branches accessing Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf.
Like the descendants of his brothers, Adbeel and Massa, the descendants of Tema were subjugated by Tiglath Pileser III.
The tenth son of Ishmael was “Jetur” (rWfy+) (Hebrew: yetur pronounced yet-oor) whose name means, “enclosed” and whose descendants were called the “Ituraeans” who fought against the Israelite tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh according to 1 Chronicles 5:19.
The “Ituraeans” at one time lived in the Trans-jordan area but moved northeast of Galilee to the Biqa Valley of Lebanon when they were defeated by the Israelites.
They were infamous in the Middle East since they were known for involved in robbery, extortion and had a reputation as barbarians and were also skilled archers taking after their father Ishmael.
In New Testament era, they lived in a region controlled by the Romans and were assigned successively to Herod the Great, his son Philip and Herod Agrippa I according to Luke 3:1.
The eleventh son of Ishmael was “Naphish” (vyp!n*) (Hebrew: Naphish pronounced naw-feesh) whose name means, “refreshment” and whose descendants like “Jetur” were defeated by the Israelite tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh according to 1 Chronicles 5:19 and therefore, were displaced from the Trans-jordan area, and moved northeast of Galilee to the Biqa Valley of Lebanon.
According to 1 Chronicles 5:21, this victory by the Israelite tribes over Naphish and Jetur gained them a tremendous spoil including 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys and 100,000 captives and the territory of the descendants of Naphish and Jetur.
The twelfth and final son of Ishmael was “Kedemah” (hm*d+q@) (Hebrew: qedhemah pronounced kady-maw) whose name means, “eastward” and is unattested.
Genesis 25:16, “These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages, and by their camps; twelve princes according to their tribes.”
Genesis 25:16 indicates that the names of Ishmael’s 12 sons designate eponymous (An historical person whose name is the source of the name of a city) ancestors who have given their names to both their tribes and places of settlement.
“Villages” is the noun chatser (rx@j*) (khaw-tsare), which refers to a settlement without walls and therefore without protection and yet contained enclosures for animals, thus pointing to the settlement of pastoral nomads.
“Encampments” is the noun tirah (hr*yf@) (tee-raw), which refers to simply to a “habitation” and therefore the “tents” of the Ishmaelites.
The fact that twelve princes originated from Ishmael is a fulfillment of the Lord’s prophecy to Abraham that is recorded in Genesis 17:20.
Genesis 17:20, “As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.”
Genesis 25:17, “These are the years of the life of Ishmael, one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.”
Abraham outlived his son Ishmael by thirty-eight years since Abraham died at one hundred seventy-five years of age according to Genesis 25:7 and Isaac outlived Ishmael by forty-three years since Isaac died at one hundred eighty years of age according to Genesis 35:28.
“Breathed his last” is the verb gawa (uw^G*) (gaw-vaw), which pictures the act of drawing one’s last breath.
“Died” is the verb muth (tWm) (mooth), which denotes the general act of dying.
Like Abraham, Ishmael is said to be “gathered to his people.”
The question arises therefore as to whether or not Ishmael was saved and when it says “his people” is the writer referring to the unsaved in Torments or the saved who were residing in Paradise prior to the ascension of Jesus Christ?
The expression gathered to his people” is always used with reference to believers (Abraham in Genesis 25:8; Isaac in Genesis 35:29; Jacob in Genesis 49:33; Aaron in Numbers 20:24, 26; Deuteronomy 35:20).
Further indicating that he was saved is that it would seem highly likely that Abraham spent a good deal of time speaking of the Lord to Ishmael and that Ishmael would have accepted the Lord as his Savior.
Ishmael lived under Abraham’s authority until he was seventeen and then he was expelled.
Also, according to Genesis 17:25, Ishmael entered into the Abrahamic covenant by being circumcised at thirteen years of age indicating that he had accepted the Lord as his Savior.
Furthermore, as we saw in Genesis 16, Hagar, Ishmael’s mother was saved and undoubtedly told Ishmael of the Lord who delivered her in the wilderness of Shur.
Although, the Lord in Genesis 16:12 prophesied that Ishmael would be a “wild donkey of man” does “not” imply that he was not saved but only serves as a description of his character and that of his descendants.
Also, Paul teaches in Galatians 4:29 that Ishmael was born of the flesh and Isaac of the Spirit but this does not indicate that Ishmael was saved and Isaac was not.
But rather it refers to the fact that Isaac was born miraculously by the power of the Spirit like all believers through regeneration and that Ishmael was not born miraculously like Isaac.
The fact that the Lord informs Abraham that He will make His covenant with Isaac does “not” mean that Ishmael was not saved and Isaac was not but rather it means that Isaac would be in the line of the human nature of Jesus Christ and Ishmael would not.
Therefore, when Genesis 25:18 states that Ishmael was “gathered to his people” it means that like his father Abraham, he went to a compartment of Hades or Sheol called, “Paradise” that was the abode of the saved prior to the ascension of Jesus Christ.
“Paradise” was the place of the departed souls of believers before the resurrection of Christ (Lk. 23:39-43; Eph. 4:8-9) who were transferred to heaven after the resurrection and ascension of Christ (Eph. 4:10).
Ephesians 4:8, “Therefore it says, ‘WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.’”
Genesis 25:18, “They settled from Havilah to Shur which is east of Egypt as one goes toward Assyria; he settled in defiance of all his relatives.”
“They” refers to the twelve sons of Ishmael and their families.
“Havilah” was located in the region East of Egypt in northwest Arabia (see 1 Samuel 15:7).
The name “Shur” means “wall” and was a city on the borders of Egypt and Palestine and a comparison of Genesis 20:1, 25:18, 1 Samuel 15:7 and 27:8 indicates that it clearly lies near the northern border of Egypt in the Sinai peninsula in the modern Suez region.
There are two different Hebrew verbs employed in Genesis 25:18 and yet the New American Standard translates both verbs “settled.”
In Genesis 25:18, the verb shakhan (/k^v*) is translated “they settled” and is used with reference to Ishmael’s twelve sons and means, “to dwell, occupy a place.”
Also, in Genesis 25:18, the verb niphal (lp^n*) is translated “he settled” and is used with reference to Ishmael himself but it does “not” mean, “to settle.”
The verb niphal has a wide range of meanings in the Old Testament, from a simply physical fall to the violence of death in battle, each stemming from the meaning “to fall.”
In Genesis 25:18, the verb niphal means that Ishmael, “died” in opposition to all his relatives, which parallels the statement concerning him in Genesis 16:12 that he “lived” in opposition to all his relatives.
The statement “he (Ishmael) settled in defiance of all his relatives” is a fulfillment of the Lord’s prophecy to his mother Hagar in Genesis 16:12.
Genesis 16:12, “He will be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone, and everyone's hand will be against him; And he will live to the east of all his brothers.”
The Lord prophesied that Ishmael would wander the deserts like a wild donkey and would be a man who loved the freedom of roaming the desert, but would be constantly in conflict with others.
It is implied that he would also be a man of courage but would be an aggressor full of hostility.
The expression “to the east” is incorrectly translated since it is composed of the preposition ‘al (lu^), which means, “against” and the preposition panim (syn!P*) (paw-neem), which means, “in the face of” and therefore, should be translated “he will live in opposition to all his brothers.”
This prophecy indicates that Ishmael and his descendants, who are the Arabs would live in opposition to their blood relatives and in particular the Jews who are related to the Arabs since they share the same father, Abraham.