Ishmael was the oldest son of Abraham, born ten years after Abraham left Haran to travel to the land of Canaan. Before Abraham left for Canaan, God promised him that He would give Abraham a son and, ultimately, many descendants. God also promised to bring great blessing to the entire world through the son He would give Abraham. Abraham believed and obeyed God. The years passed, but Abraham had no child.

Two major obstacles made it unlikely Abraham would father a child. His wife Sarah was unable to have children. At the time God made His promise to Abraham she was in her mid-60’s. After ten years of waiting for a child, Sarah suggested Abraham take her servant Hagar and father a child with her. Ishmael was the child born of the union between Abraham and Hagar.

Hagar’s pregnancy produced tensions between her and Sarah. Hagar’s mistress mistreated her so severely that she ran away. God came to Hagar, told her to return to Sarah and promised to give her many descendants through Ishmael. (Genesis 16:10-12) Though God promised blessings to Ishmael, He did not make Ishmael the recipient of the promise He had made with Abraham. Isaac, the son God gave Abraham through his wife Sarah was the promised son. (Genesis 17:19)

Ishmael plays a secondary role in the Bible and is only mentioned once outside the book of Genesis. He is much more important in Islam. Muslims believe Ishmael was the son Abraham took to offer as a sacrifice to God, not Isaac as Genesis 22 teaches. The Quran regards Ishmael as a prophet, and Muhammed is believed by Muslims to be a descendant from Ishmael.

After the birth of Isaac, the problems between Hagar and Sarah became so severe Abraham had to send Hagar and Ishmael away. The two eventually settled in an isolated region north of the Gulf of Aqaba. There Ishmael married an Egyptian and fathered twelve sons. Each of his sons became founders of nations and rulers of people. God made Ishmael the father of multitudes, just as He had promised. (Genesis 16:10; 21:18) Some Arab peoples living in the Middle East today trace their lineage back to Ishmael.