Portal:Bible/Featured article/March, 2009

Ishmael is a figure in the Torah, Bible, and Qur'an, Abraham's eldest son. Chapters 16-25 of the Book of Genesis contain the stories of Ishmael. Sarah (Abraham's wife) offers her maidservant Hagar to Abraham as a surrogate. Hagar becomes pregnant and is proud of herself, which results in harsh treatment of her by Sarah. Hagar flees and an angel of the Lord tells her to return, adding that God will increase her descendants through a son whose name will be Ishmael. Hagar returns to Abraham's house, and has a son whom she names Ishmael. Sarah, angered by seeing Ishmael mocking Isaac, asks Abraham to expel him and his mother. Hagar, with her son, wander in the wilderness until they run out of water. When they are reduced to great distress, an angel appears and shows Hagar a spring of water saying "Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation." They live in the wilderness of Paran, where he becomes an expert in archery. His mother marries him to an Egyptian woman. He has 12 sons who become twelve tribal chiefs and settle everywhere from Havilah to Shur, i.e. from Assyria to the border of Egypt. Ishmael also has a daughter named Mahalath or Bashemath who marries Esau. Ishmael also appears with Isaac at the burial of Abraham. Ishmael died at the age of 137. Read full article