Lexical Summary
Yishmael: Ishmael
Original Word:יִשְׁמָעֵאל
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Yishma`e'l
Pronunciation:yish-mah-AYL
Phonetic Spelling:(yish-maw-ale')
KJV: Ishmael
NASB:Ishmael, Ishmael's
Word Origin:[fromH8085 (שָׁמַע - heard) andH410 (אֵל - God)]
1. God will hear
2. Jishmael, the name of Abraham's oldest son, and of five Israelites
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Ishmael
Fromshama' and'el; God will hear; Jishmael, the name of Abraham's oldest son, and of five Israelites -- Ishmael.
see HEBREWshama'
see HEBREW'el
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
shama and
elDefinition"God hears," the name of several Isr.
NASB TranslationIshmael (47), Ishmael's (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
48El heareth; Sabean Hal
187; on from compare Lag
BN 131); —
Genesis 16:11 (name explanation ),Genesis 16:15. 16 11t. Genesis 17..25,Genesis 28:9 (twice in verse);Genesis 36:3;1 Chronicles 1:28,29,31;
usually : murderer of GedaliahJeremiah 41:8;Jeremiah 40:14,15,16 17t.Jeremiah 41;2 Kings 25:23,25 (L !).
1 Chronicles 8:38;1 Chronicles 9:44.
2Chronicles 19:11.
2Chronicles 23:1.
Ezra 10:22, , AL .
Topical Lexicon
Occurrences in Scripture and OverviewThe name יִשְׁמָעֵאל (Ishmael) appears about forty-eight times in the Old Testament, designating several individuals. Nearly all of those references concern two men: Ishmael the son of Abraham and Hagar (Genesis 16–25) and Ishmael son of Nethaniah who murdered Gedaliah after the fall of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25;Jeremiah 40–41). A few additional bearers of the name appear in post-exilic and genealogical lists (1 Chronicles 8:38; 9:44;2 Chronicles 23:1).
Ishmael Son of Abraham and Hagar
Birth and Naming
“Behold, you are with child and will bear a son, and you shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard your affliction” (Genesis 16:11). His name forever testifies that the Lord hears the cries of the oppressed.
Promise and Circumcision
Abraham circumcised Ishmael at thirteen (Genesis 17:23-25). Though not the child of the covenant, he was included in its outward sign and received a distinct promise: “I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will multiply him greatly. He will father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation” (Genesis 17:20).
Conflict and Expulsion
Sarah’s demand that Hagar and Ishmael depart (Genesis 21:9-10) revealed the incompatibility of flesh and promise. Yet the Lord reassured Abraham: “Do not be distressed… through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned. But I will make the son of the slave into a nation as well, because he is your offspring” (Genesis 21:12-13). God sustained mother and son in the wilderness and renewed the pledge of national greatness (Genesis 21:17-20).
Descendants and Territories
Genesis 25:12-18 records twelve sons, precursors to tribes that populated the deserts from Havilah to Shur. Later references to “Ishmaelites” (for example,Genesis 37:25-28;Judges 8:24) bear witness to their expansion and commercial influence.
Death and Burial
“Ishmael lived 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people” (Genesis 25:17). Notably, Isaac and Ishmael together buried Abraham (Genesis 25:9), hinting at potential reconciliation under God’s sovereign plan.
Ishmael Son of Nethaniah
Royal Lineage and Plot
Of “the royal family” (Jeremiah 41:1), this Ishmael resented Babylonian authority. He feigned loyalty to Gedaliah the governor, then murdered him during a meal (2 Kings 25:23-25;Jeremiah 41:2).
Aftermath
Ishmael slew many Jews and Chaldeans, captured surviving residents of Mizpah, and attempted flight to Ammon. Johanan pursued and rescued the captives; Ishmael escaped with eight men (Jeremiah 41:11-18). His treachery deepened the nation’s misery and accelerated the remnant’s panic-driven flight to Egypt.
Other Individuals Named Ishmael
• Ishmael son of Azel, a Benjamite descendant of King Saul (1 Chronicles 8:38; 9:44).
• Ishmael son of Jehohanan, a military captain who aided Jehoiada’s coup against Athaliah (2 Chronicles 23:1).
Covenant and Theological Themes
God Hears and Sees
The narrative ofGenesis 16 displays the tenderness of the Angel of the LORD toward Hagar, underscoring divine compassion for the marginalized. Every mention of Ishmael’s name recalls that God attends to human distress.
Promise versus Flesh
Paul draws a sharp contrast between Ishmael and Isaac: “But what does the Scripture say? ‘Cast out the slave woman and her son’… we are children not of the slave woman, but of the free woman” (Galatians 4:30-31). The historical events provide a typology of law and grace, flesh and Spirit, bondage and freedom.
Blessing beyond Israel
Ishmael’s lineage illustrates that God’s redemptive purposes extend to all nations (Genesis 12:3). The prosperity promised to Ishmael validates the Lord’s faithfulness even outside the covenant line, anticipating the worldwide scope of the gospel.
Human Schemes and Divine Sovereignty
Sarah’s impatience prompted the birth of Ishmael, yet God wove human error into His larger design. The episodes invite trust in providence and caution against engineering spiritual outcomes in the strength of the flesh.
Prophetic and Eschatological Notes
Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel mention nations traceable to Ishmael’s sons (Kedar, Nebaioth, Dumah, etc.), portraying them as both adversaries and objects of salvation. The unbroken survival of these peoples testifies to the durability of the Abrahamic promises.
Practical Ministry Applications
Prayer Confidence
The meaning embedded in Ishmael’s name encourages believers to approach God with assurance that He hears.
Balancing Compassion and Covenant Clarity
Abraham loved Ishmael (Genesis 17:18); nevertheless, he accepted God’s covenantal priorities. Ministry today must combine genuine affection for all people with unwavering fidelity to the divine plan centered in Christ.
Warning against Bitterness
Ishmael son of Nethaniah’s violence stemmed from wounded pride and political grievance. His account cautions leaders against allowing resentment to breed destructive action.
Hope for Reconciliation
Just as Isaac and Ishmael stood together at Abraham’s grave, the gospel holds power to reconcile estranged peoples through the greater Seed of Abraham (Ephesians 2:14).
Summary
The various Ishmaels of Scripture embody both God’s attentive mercy and the tragic outcomes of human self-will. From the deserts of Arabia to the ruins of Judah, their accounts weave into the tapestry of redemption, highlighting that the Lord hears, judges, and ultimately blesses according to His unfailing covenant purposes.
Forms and Transliterations
וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל וְיִשְׁמָעֵֽאל׃ וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ וּֽלְיִשְׁמָעֵאל֮ וּלְיִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל וישמעאל וישמעאל׃ ולישמעאל יִ֠שְׁמָעֵאל יִשְׁמָעֵ֑אל יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל יִשְׁמָעֵ֜אל יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל יִשְׁמָעֵ֤אל יִשְׁמָעֵ֥אל יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל יִשְׁמָעֵֽאל׃ יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ ישמעאל ישמעאל׃ ū·lə·yiš·mā·‘êl uleyishmaeL ūləyišmā‘êl veyishmaEl wə·yiš·mā·‘êl wəyišmā‘êl yiš·mā·‘êl yishmaEl yišmā‘êl
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