the descendants of Ishmael, the son of Abraham by Hagar,
his Egyptian bond-maid. Ishmael was born B. C. 1910, and his name,
founded on a circumstance which afforded relief to his mother, when she
was wandering from her master’s house toward Egypt, her native country,
is derived from the Hebrew ישמעאל, formed of שמע, _to hear_, and אל,
_God_, and denoting, “the Lord hath hearkened.” The heavenly messenger
who appeared to Hagar in the wilderness, and instructed her by what name
to call her future son, predicted also that he and his posterity would
prove fierce and warlike, engaged in repeated hostilities, and yet able
to maintain their independence. Hagar, deriving encouragement from this
circumstance, returned to the house of Abraham, and was soon delivered
of her promised son. The father regarded Ishmael as the heir of his
wealth, till Sarah had the promise of her son Isaac. After the birth of
Isaac, Abraham was persuaded by his wife to dismiss Hagar and her son;
and the patriarch probably provided for their subsistence in some
distant situation, where they could not encroach on the patrimony of
Isaac. Having wandered for some time in the wilderness of Beersheba,
they proceeded farther to the wilderness of Paran, which bordered on
Arabia; and here Ishmael arrived at maturity, and became an expert
archer, or a hunter and warrior. In process of time his mother procured
for him a wife out of Egypt, by whom he had twelve sons, who eventually
established themselves as the heads of so many distinct Arabian tribes.
Accordingly, the descendants of Ishmael are mentioned in history under
the general name of Arabians and Ishmaelites. Of Ishmael’s personal
history, we merely learn from the sacred writings, that he joined with
his brother Isaac in paying the last tribute of respect to the remains
of their father; and that he died at the age of a hundred and
thirty-seven years, B. C. 1773, Gen. xxv, 9, 18. His descendants,
according to the Scripture account, spread themselves “from Havilah to
Shur, that is, before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria.” From this
brief statement, we may conjecture how far their territory extended; for
Havilah, according to the generality of writers, was situated near the
confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates, and Shur, on the isthmus which
separates Arabia from Egypt, now called the Isthmus of Suez. From thence
we may well imagine, that they spread themselves on both sides so far as
to have taken possession of the greatest part of Arabia; and, indeed,
Josephus does not scruple to style their progenitor the founder of the
Arabian nation. See ARABIA.
his Egyptian bond-maid. Ishmael was born B. C. 1910, and his name,
founded on a circumstance which afforded relief to his mother, when she
was wandering from her master’s house toward Egypt, her native country,
is derived from the Hebrew ישמעאל, formed of שמע, _to hear_, and אל,
_God_, and denoting, “the Lord hath hearkened.” The heavenly messenger
who appeared to Hagar in the wilderness, and instructed her by what name
to call her future son, predicted also that he and his posterity would
prove fierce and warlike, engaged in repeated hostilities, and yet able
to maintain their independence. Hagar, deriving encouragement from this
circumstance, returned to the house of Abraham, and was soon delivered
of her promised son. The father regarded Ishmael as the heir of his
wealth, till Sarah had the promise of her son Isaac. After the birth of
Isaac, Abraham was persuaded by his wife to dismiss Hagar and her son;
and the patriarch probably provided for their subsistence in some
distant situation, where they could not encroach on the patrimony of
Isaac. Having wandered for some time in the wilderness of Beersheba,
they proceeded farther to the wilderness of Paran, which bordered on
Arabia; and here Ishmael arrived at maturity, and became an expert
archer, or a hunter and warrior. In process of time his mother procured
for him a wife out of Egypt, by whom he had twelve sons, who eventually
established themselves as the heads of so many distinct Arabian tribes.
Accordingly, the descendants of Ishmael are mentioned in history under
the general name of Arabians and Ishmaelites. Of Ishmael’s personal
history, we merely learn from the sacred writings, that he joined with
his brother Isaac in paying the last tribute of respect to the remains
of their father; and that he died at the age of a hundred and
thirty-seven years, B. C. 1773, Gen. xxv, 9, 18. His descendants,
according to the Scripture account, spread themselves “from Havilah to
Shur, that is, before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria.” From this
brief statement, we may conjecture how far their territory extended; for
Havilah, according to the generality of writers, was situated near the
confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates, and Shur, on the isthmus which
separates Arabia from Egypt, now called the Isthmus of Suez. From thence
we may well imagine, that they spread themselves on both sides so far as
to have taken possession of the greatest part of Arabia; and, indeed,
Josephus does not scruple to style their progenitor the founder of the
Arabian nation. See ARABIA.