Ishmael

Technical Profile

• Name Meaning: Hebrew Yišmāʿēl (“God hears”), reflecting God’s attention to Hagar’s distress.
• Period/Era: Patriarchal Period
• Main References: Genesis 16; 17:18–27; 21:8–21; 25:12–18
• Key Connections: Son of Abraham and Hagar; half-brother of Isaac; associated with the promised development of a distinct lineage.

Who was Ishmael?

Ishmael was the first son of Abraham, born to Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian servant (Gen 16:1–4, 15).
His birth followed a family arrangement made amid Sarah’s barrenness and Abraham’s household pressures.
God promised that Ishmael would become a great nation, though the covenant line was identified through Isaac (Gen 17:20–21).
Genesis later traces Ishmael’s descendants as twelve princes, marking his genealogical significance (Gen 25:12–16).

Key Events & Achievements

• Birth and naming: Born to Hagar and named Ishmael in connection with God hearing her affliction (Gen 16:11, 15).
• Separation from Abraham’s household: Sent away with Hagar after conflict in the family, and preserved by God in the wilderness (Gen 21:9–21).
• Formation of a lineage: Fathered twelve sons described as princes, establishing Ishmael’s tribal line (Gen 25:13–16).

Life Lesson & Legacy

Ishmael’s story highlights how Genesis records God’s care for vulnerable people while also distinguishing between lines of promise and broader family blessing.

Key Verse

“And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.” — Genesis 17:20, ESV