Ishmael’s Descendants
Genesis 25:12-18
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Gen.25.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואלה: CONJ+DEM,pl,abs
- תלדת: NOUN,f,sg,const
- ישמעאל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אברהם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשר: PRON,rel
- ילדה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- הגר: NOUN,f,sg,def,prop
- המצרית: ADJ,f,sg,def
- שפחת: NOUN,f,sg,const
- שרה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- לאברהם: PREP+NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Gen.16:15-16 (verbal): Reports Hagar bearing Abram a son (Ishmael); the birth account and wording parallel the identification of Ishmael as Abraham's son.
- Gen.17:20 (thematic): God's promise concerning Ishmael — that he will be made into a nation — provides the theological background for introducing Ishmael's descendants.
- Gen.21:8-21 (thematic): Narrative of Hagar and Ishmael being sent away and God's care for them; explains Ishmael's separation from Isaac's line and his future as a people.
- Gen.25:13-18 (structural): Immediate continuation: lists the sons of Ishmael and their settlements, completing the genealogy introduced in 25:12.
- 1 Chr.1:28-31 (quotation): Parallel genealogy repeating the names of Ishmael's sons found in Genesis 25:13–16, echoing and preserving the same tradition.
Alternative generated candidates
- And these are the generations of Ishmael, son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham.
- And these are the generations of Ishmael, son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s slave-woman, bore to Abraham.
Gen.25.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואלה: CONJ+DEM,pl,abs
- שמות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ישמעאל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בשמתם: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs+3,pl
- לתולדתם: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs+3,pl
- בכר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ישמעאל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נבית: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- וקדר: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואדבאל: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ומבשם: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Genesis 25:12 (structural): Immediate context: the opening of the genealogical section that introduces and organizes the list of Ishmael’s sons of which verse 25:13 forms part.
- Genesis 17:20 (thematic): God’s promise that Ishmael would become a great nation and father ‘twelve princes’ — a thematic background for the listing of Ishmael’s sons.
- 1 Chronicles 1:29-31 (verbal): A parallel genealogical list that repeats the names of Ishmael’s sons (Nebaioth, Kedar, etc.), preserving the same tribal ancestry.
- Isaiah 42:11 (allusion): References the settlements/villages of Kedar, reflecting the later prophetic and geographic identity of Kedar (one of Ishmael’s sons) as an Arabian tribal group.
- Psalm 120:5 (thematic): Mentions the ‘tents of Kedar,’ echoing the association of Kedar (named among Ishmael’s sons) with nomadic tent-dwelling tribes in later biblical imagery.
Alternative generated candidates
- And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; and Kedar and Adbeel and Mibsam;
- And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam;
Gen.25.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ומשמע: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ודומה: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ומשא: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Genesis 25:13 (verbal): Immediate parallel in the same genealogical list — Genesis 25:13–16 contains the full roster of Ishmael’s sons, of which 'Mishma, Dumah, Massa' are members; verse 25:14 is a subset of that list.
- 1 Chronicles 1:29–31 (verbal): Chronicles repeats the genealogy of Ishmael (names and order vary slightly), paralleling Genesis’ list of Ishmael’s twelve sons including Mishma, Dumah, and Massa.
- Genesis 17:20 (thematic): God’s promise that Ishmael will become a great nation and father twelve princes — provides the theological background for the listing of his sons in Genesis 25.
- Isaiah 21:11 (allusion): A prophetic oracle 'concerning Dumah' — uses the tribal/place name Dumah (one of Ishmael’s descendants), showing later biblical texts employ these genealogical names as tribal/territorial designations.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Mishma and Dumah and Massa;
- and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa;
Gen.25.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- חדד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ותימא: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יטור: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נפיש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וקדמה: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Gen.25:13-16 (verbal): The full list of Ishmael’s twelve sons; v.15 contains the final names (Hadad, Tema, Jetur/Yetur, Naphish, Kedemah) in this catalogue.
- 1 Chr.1:29-31 (quotation): A later retelling that repeats the genealogy of Ishmael’s sons, including Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah.
- Gen.25:18 (structural): Follows the genealogy by describing where Ishmael’s descendants settled “in the east,” linking these names to eastern/Arabian tribes.
- Isa.21:14-17 (thematic): Mentions Tema (and related Arabian groups like Kedar) as named peoples of the desert, reflecting the later historical identity of Ishmael’s descendants.
Alternative generated candidates
- Hadad and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
- and Hadad, and Tema, and Jetur, and Naphish, and Kedemah.
Gen.25.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אלה: DEM,pl,abs
- הם: PRON,personal,3,m,pl
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ישמעאל: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ואלה: CONJ+DEM,pl,abs
- שמתם: NOUN,m,pl,abs+3,m,pl
- בחצריהם: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,abs+3,m,pl
- ובטירתם: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs+3,m,pl
- שנים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- עשר: NUM,card,m,sg,cons
- נשיאם: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- לאמתם: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,abs+3,m,pl
Parallels
- Genesis 17:20 (verbal): God's earlier promise that Ishmael will beget 'twelve princes' echoes the exact designation found in Gen 25:16.
- Genesis 25:13-15 (structural): The immediate context listing the names of Ishmael's twelve sons is the direct continuation of the statement in Gen 25:16.
- 1 Chronicles 1:29-31 (verbal): A later genealogical summary repeats the names and tribal-note of Ishmael's twelve sons, reaffirming the same list found in Genesis.
- Galatians 4:22-31 (thematic): Paul uses Ishmael and his son as a typological contrast in an allegory about two covenants and two lineages, drawing on traditions about Ishmael's descendants.
Alternative generated candidates
- These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names in their settlements and in their encampments—twelve princes according to their clans.
- These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their settlements and by their encampments—twelve chiefs according to their peoples.
Gen.25.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואלה: CONJ+DEM,pl,abs
- שני: NUM,m,pl,construct
- חיי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- ישמעאל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מאת: PREP
- שנה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ושלשים: NUM,m,pl,abs
- שנה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ושבע: NUM,m,sg,abs
- שנים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ויגוע: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- וימת: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ויאסף: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- עמיו: NOUN,m,sg,cstr+pr,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Genesis 25:7 (structural): Uses the same patriarchal obituary formula (“these are the days/years of the life of …”) to record a lifetime total.
- Genesis 35:28–29 (verbal): Isaac’s death narrative gives an age and uses the same language of dying and being “gathered unto his people.”
- Genesis 47:28 (structural): Record of Jacob’s lifespan with the same “the days/years of X’s life were …” obituary formula.
- Genesis 49:33 (verbal): Closing of Jacob’s life: the phrase “and he was gathered unto his people” echoes the wording used for Ishmael’s death.
- Genesis 50:26 (verbal): Joseph’s death uses the same concluding formula—death followed by being “gathered to his people”—linking it to the patriarchal death tradition.
Alternative generated candidates
- And these are the years of Ishmael’s life: one hundred and thirty-seven years. And he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.
- And these are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.
Gen.25.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וישכנו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- מחוילה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- עד: PREP
- שור: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשר: PRON,rel
- על: PREP
- פני: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- באכה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- אשורה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- על: PREP
- פני: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- כל: DET
- אחיו: NOUN,3,m,sg,abs
- נפל: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Gen.25.12-17 (structural): Immediate context: lists Ishmael's twelve sons/princes; v.18 follows this genealogy by describing their settlement — same narrative unit.
- Gen.21.21 (thematic): Reports Ishmael settling in the wilderness of Paran and living near kin — parallels the theme of Ishmaelite settlement and geographic dispersion.
- Gen.16.7-10 (verbal): The angel encounters Hagar 'on the way to Shur' (place-name); shares the same geographic marker (Shur) named in Gen 25:18.
- Exod.15.22 (allusion): Mentions the 'wilderness of Shur' in Israel's route after the Red Sea — another biblical reference that helps locate/attest the place named in Gen 25:18.
- 1 Chr.1.29-31 (quotation): Repeats the genealogy of Ishmael's sons and clans found in Genesis, echoing the people groups and their settlement noted in Gen 25:18.
Alternative generated candidates
- And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt, as you go toward Asshur; over against all his brothers he settled.
- And they settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt, as you go toward Assyria; he settled opposite all his brothers.
And these are the generations of Ishmael, son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham. And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam;
and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa;
and Hadad, and Tema, and Jetur, and Naphish, and Kedemah.
These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names in their settlements and in their encampments—twelve princes according to their clans. And 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. And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt as you go toward Asshur; he settled opposite all his brothers.