What Do We Know about the Ishmaelites?
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What is the name of the protagonist in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick? If you are only vaguely familiar with the work, you likely answered with “Ishmael.” The famed opening line of the novel is, “Call me Ishmael.” However, an English lit student might point out that the narrator never actually reveals his name. He only tells us to call him Ishmael.
Melville chose the name Ishmael intentionally. Some say that he says “call me Ishmael” because he is being ambiguous and deceptive — much like the novel itself. Others point to the biblical character of Ishmael as the inspiration. Ishmael, and the Ishmaelites, were known as wanderers and outcasts.
Who were the Ishmaelites? How do they fit into the storyline of the Bible? And where are they now?
Who Was Ishmael?
Ishmael is a significant figure in the Abrahamic faiths, particularly in the Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions. According to the Bible, Ishmael was the firstborn son of the patriarch Abraham, born to him through his Egyptian maidservant, Hagar. God had promised Abraham and Sarah that a son would be born to them. But they became impatient and Sarah suggested Abraham father a child with Hagar — to fulfill God’s promise of having a multitude of descendants. Abraham, always the dutiful husband, agreed to this plan. Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.
Ishmael’s birth created a complex familial situation, as tensions arose within Abraham's household. Ishmael was not to be the promised son. The promise would come through Sarah — just as God had said. But God did promise to bless Hagar and Ishmael as well — just not in the same way. When Isaac was born, Sarah requested that Hagar and Ishmael be sent away.
In accordance with God's guidance, Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness. The Bible recounts that God, in His mercy, provided for Ishmael and promised to make a great nation from his descendants. In Islamic tradition, Ishmael is recognized as a prophet, and it is believed that he played a pivotal role in the construction of the Kaaba in Mecca. The Judeo-Christian tradition holds Isaac to be the prominent son, and he plays a pivotal role in moving along the storyline of the Bible.
Did God Bless Ishmael?
God's covenant with Abraham was meant to come to fruition through Abraham and Sarah. Abraham couldn't take a “shortcut” or go the less miraculous way. It had to come through the womb of the barren Sarah. In Genesis 16, when Ishmael was born, it created issues within the family. Sarah, still unable to conceive, cast Hagar into the wilderness.
It is here that we read of the Angel of the Lord that appeared to her and promised that Ishmael would be a great nation. No, he wouldn't be the one through whom the Messiah would come. It wasn't through Ishmael or his offspring that the head of the serpent would be crushed. Nevertheless, God did bless Ishmael.
Ishmael's descendants are mentioned throughout the Bible, often in connection with trade and commerce. They, it appears, were able to thrive throughout the biblical narrative. It's a reminder that God's blessing takes various forms, and his plan encompasses all nations and peoples. The blessing of Ishmael points to God's redemptive purposes for humanity.
Who Exactly Were the Ishmaelites?
Unsurprisingly, the Ishmaelites are the descendants of Ishmael. Not only did God give Ishmael a promise of blessing, but he also predicted some difficulty between Ishmael and “his brothers.” Genesis 16:12 reads, “He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.” Whether or not this “hostility” extends to his descendants is a point of some debate.
Genesis 25:12-18 provides a list of Ishmael's descendants, and mentions that they dwelled in the area from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt as you go toward Assyria. And here we also read “they lived in hostility toward all the tribes related to them.” Perhaps that prediction about Ishmael does extend to his descendants as well.
Ishmaelites come on the scene again in Genesis 37. They are the ones who buy Joseph from his brothers and take him to Egypt. They were described as traders carrying spices, balm, and myrrh. This involvement in trade aligns with the broader historical context of the Ishmaelites being associated with commercial activities.
This passage in Genesis 37 also leads to some confusion. Genesis 37:36 tells us that “Midianites” sold Joseph in Egypt. But in Genesis 39:1 credit is given to the Ishmaelites as the ones who sold Joseph to Potiphar. Are these two different groups of people or are these terms used interchangeably? Judges 8:22-28 seems to use these two names interchangeably.
Ishmael descended from Abraham through Hagar. Midian was born of Keturah — Abraham’s concubine after the death of Sarah. Both, then, share Abrahamic descent. However, they are not exactly the same. They are technically two different peoples — but the Ishmaelites often resided in Moab, alongside the Midianites. When this happened, they were known as Midianites.
I live in Missouri. I also live in America. Am I a Missourian or an American? Well, when I live in Missouri — I’m both. It’s similar to how the Ishmaelites were both. When the Ishmaelites resided with the Midianites they were considered as both. But we should not read these in the Scriptures as two interchangeable groups. Midianites are mentioned in places where it is not a reference to the Ishmaelites. Old Testament scholars Keil and Delitzch give a good summary:
“The different names given to the traders…do not show that the account has been drawn from different legends, but that these tribes were often confounded, from the fact that they resembled one another so closely, not only in their common descent from Abraham (Gen. 16:15 and 25:2), but also in the similarity of their mode of life and their constant change of abode, that strangers could hardly distinguish them, especially when they appeared not as tribes but as Arabian merchants, such as they are here described as being.”
What Happened to the Ishmaelites?
Answering this question depends upon who you ask. A common theory among Muslims is that Muhammad himself was a descendant of Ishmael. Many believe that all Arabs have descended from Ishmael. Others believe that today, “Arabized Arabs” of central, western, and North Arabia are those descended from Ishmael. Modern-day tribes like Otaibah and Mutayr are believed to be in this line.
Many Christians, and certainly many groups of Muslims, believe that all Arabs are descended from Ishmael. They then connect this with the words of Genesis 16:12 and 25:18, and note that the sons of Isaac and Ishmael will always be in conflict. The difficulty, though, is that the Bible never explicitly says this. In fact, the historical (and biblical) account doesn’t have the Ishmaelites being a major enemy of Israel.
The Bible speaks of both Ishmaelites and other Arabic groups. They are not used interchangeably. The last biblical mention of the Ishmaelites is found in the Old Testament in the book of 1 Chronicles. In 1 Chronicles 1:29-31, the descendants of Ishmael are listed, tracing their lineage. We can trace the lineage of some of these tribes but it appears that, like many ancient tribes, they likely merged with or were absorbed by other groups over time.
We do know that by the end of the 8th century BC, many of the tribes of Ishmael had settled along the incense route. They controlled the incense trade. According to Assyrian records, the Ishmaelites also moved from monotheism to polytheism.
One final note of interest concerns the Ishmaelite’s connection to the gospel of Christ. According to the Lexham Bible Dictionary:
“Studies suggest that the magi who sought the Messiah came from the Ishmaelite region in fulfillment of Old Testament expectations (compare Isa 60: 5–7; see Maalouf, Arabs, 183–218). Stemming theologically from Abrahamic roots, the Ishmaelites were highlighted first among the Gentiles in Paul’s outreach program (Maalouf, Arabs, 183–218). Oracles speaking of the eventual return of a remnant of Israel also highlight the children of Ishmael, predicting a divine visitation among them associated with the second coming of the Messiah (compare Isa 42:1–11; 60:1–7).”
While we might debate whether or not all Arabs are descended from Ishmael, and who exactly are the Ishmaelites today, one thing is certain — they all fall under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Whether a tribe can directly trace their roots back to Ishmael or not has no bearing on whether or not the gospel is meant to be taken to them. There will be people from every tribe in heaven — and this includes the Ishmaelites.
Sources
Keil, C.F. and F. Delitzsch (1996), Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Tony Maalouf, “Ishmaelites,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).
Photo credit: Unsplash/Kyle Cottrell