Protos

Who was Ishmael in the Bible?

Abraham's son, in the age of the patriarchs

Ishmael was the first son of Abraham, born to him through Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian maidservant (Gen.16.15). Ishmael appears in 34 verses across 4 books of the Bible.

The Bible uses the name Ishmael for 2 different people. All 2 are below, each with its own passages.

Expulsion of Ishmael and His Mother
Expulsion of Ishmael and His Mother · Gustave Doré, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Ishmael, son of Abraham

Ishmael was the first son of Abraham, born to him through Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian maidservant (Gen.16.15). His birth came after Sarah, who was barren, had given Hagar to Abraham to bear a child on her behalf. God spoke to Hagar, telling her to name the child Ishmael, meaning "God hears" (Gen.16.11). As he grew, Ishmael became a skilled archer (Gen.21.20). When Isaac was born to Sarah, she insisted that Abraham send Hagar and Ishmael away (Gen.21.10). God confirmed this action but promised to make Ishmael a great nation (Gen.21.13,18). Ishmael settled in the wilderness of Paran and married an Egyptian woman (Gen.21.21). Ishmael had twelve sons who became tribal rulers (Gen.17.20; 25.13-16). He lived to be 137 years old (Gen.25.17). Ishmael and Isaac together buried their father Abraham (Gen.25.9). Ishmael's descendants, the Ishmaelites, are mentioned as traders who purchased Joseph from his brothers (Gen.37.25-28; 39.1). They are also noted as skilled archers (Isa.21.17) and as enemies of Israel (Psa.83.6). One of David's warriors, Zebadiah, was the son of an Ishmaelite (1Ch.2.17; 27.30). Ishmael represents the ancestors of various Arab tribes. His story illustrates God's faithfulness to His promises, even to those not chosen for the primary covenant line.

Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.

Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.

Ishmael, son of Nethaniah

Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, was a member of the royal family of Judah (2Ki.25.25). After the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and appointed Gedaliah as governor over the remnant, Ishmael and other army officers came to Gedaliah at Mizpah (2Ki.25.23; Jer.40.8). Despite being warned of Ishmael's treacherous intentions (Jer.40.13-16), Gedaliah welcomed him. However, Ishmael, acting under the orders of Baalis, king of the Ammonites, assassinated Gedaliah and his men (2Ki.25.25; Jer.41.1-3). Ishmael then led captives, including the king's daughters, from Mizpah toward Ammon (Jer.41.10). When Johanan and the other leaders heard of Ishmael's actions, they pursued him. Ishmael's captives were rescued, but he escaped to the Ammonites with eight men (Jer.41.11-15). Ishmael's treachery further devastated the remnant of Judah after the Babylonian conquest. His actions led the survivors to flee to Egypt out of fear of Babylonian reprisals (Jer.41.16-18), directly disobeying God's command through Jeremiah (Jer.42-43).

17 verses: 2 Kings 25:25, Jeremiah 40:8, Jeremiah 40:14, Jeremiah 41:1, Jeremiah 41:2, Jeremiah 41:3, Jeremiah 41:6, Jeremiah 41:7, Jeremiah 41:8, Jeremiah 41:9, Jeremiah 41:10, Jeremiah 41:11, and more

Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.

Where does Ishmael appear in the Bible?

Ishmael is referenced in 34 verses across 4 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

Jeremiah 16Genesis 151 Chronicles 22 Kings 1

Showing the first 17 of 34.

Open all 34 references in Protos

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Ishmael.

NethaniahAbrahamGedaliahMizpahJohananNebaioth

Common questions

How many people in the Bible are called Ishmael?

Ishmael refers to 2 different people in the Bible: Ishmael, son of Abraham; Ishmael, son of Nethaniah.

How many times does the Bible mention Ishmael?

Ishmael appears in 34 verses across 4 books, most often in Jeremiah, which accounts for 16 of them.

Which books of the Bible mention Ishmael?

Jeremiah, Genesis, 1 Chronicles, 2 Kings.

Where can I read every verse about Ishmael?

This page lists 17 of them. Protos carries all 34, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.

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Read Jeremiah with Ishmael explained on the verse.

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