Ishmaelites

According to the Book of Genesis, Ishmaelites (Arabic: Bani Isma'il, Hebrew: Bnai Yishma'el) are the descendants of Ishmael, the elder son of Abraham and the descendants of the 12 sons/princes of Ishmael.

According to the Book of Genesis, Abraham's first wife was named Sarah and her Egyptian handmaid or slave was named Hagar. However Sarah could not conceive. According to Genesis 16:3 Sarah (then Sarai) gave her maid/slave Hagar in marriage to Abraham, in order that Abraham might have an heir - "And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian...and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife” (King James Version). Hagar conceived Ishmael from Abraham, and the Ishmaelites descend from him.

After Abraham pleaded with God for Ishmael to live under his blessing, Genesis 17:20 states, "But as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: behold I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve rulers shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation." The Samaritan book Asaṭīr says in chapter VIII: "1. And after the death of Abraham, Ishmael reigned twenty seven years; 2. And all the children of Nebaot ruled for one year in the lifetime of Ishmael; 3. And for thirty years after his death from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates; and they built Mecca.; 4. For thus it is said (in Genesis 25:16): 'These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers according th their settlements and camps'" This text has been dated by Gaster to the third century BCE but its Aramaic more resembles the language used by the scholar Ab Hisda in the eleventh century.

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