Person
Ishmael
Abraham's son by Hagar — blessed and made a great nation, but not the covenant heir; Paul's figure of the flesh (Gal 4:21–31).
Biography
Key Data
- Era
- Patriarchs
Ishmael in Scripture
46 verses use this name, in 6 books. Open a book to read its mentions here. Text: Berean Standard Bible. Names repeat in Scripture — some of these verses may speak of another person called Ishmael.
First namedGenesis 16:11The angel of the LORD proceeded: “Behold, you have conceived and will bear a son. And you shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard your cry of affliction.Last namedJeremiah 41:18to escape the Chaldeans. For they were afraid of the Chaldeans because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.
Old Testament6 books · 46 mentions
Genesis17 mentions
- Genesis 16:11The angel of the LORD proceeded: “Behold, you have conceived and will bear a son. And you shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard your cry of affliction.
- Genesis 16:15And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne.
- Genesis 16:16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.
- Genesis 17:18And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live under Your blessing!”
- Genesis 17:20As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.
12 further mentions in Genesis — read them in the book.
2 Kings2 mentions
- 2 Kings 25:23When all the commanders of the armies and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite, as well as their men.
- 2 Kings 25:25In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down and killed Gedaliah, along with the Judeans and Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.
1 Chronicles5 mentions
- 1 Chronicles 1:28The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael.
- 1 Chronicles 1:30Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema,
- 1 Chronicles 1:31Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.
- 1 Chronicles 8:38Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.
- 1 Chronicles 9:44And Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.
2 Chronicles2 mentions
- 2 Chronicles 19:11Note that Amariah, the chief priest, will be over you in all that pertains to the LORD, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all that pertains to the king. And the Levites will serve as officers before you. Act resolutely; may the LORD be with the upright!”
- 2 Chronicles 23:1Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada strengthened himself and made a covenant with the commanders of hundreds—with Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.
Ezra1 mention
Jeremiah19 mentions
- Jeremiah 40:8they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite—they and their men.
- Jeremiah 40:14and said to him, “Are you aware that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.
- Jeremiah 40:15Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah. “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah,” he said. “No one will know it. Why should he take your life and scatter all the people of Judah who have gathered to you, so that the remnant of Judah would perish?”
- Jeremiah 40:16But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Do not do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is a lie.”
- Jeremiah 41:1In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family and one of the king’s chief officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and they ate a meal together there.
14 further mentions in Jeremiah — read them in the book.
Named alongside
Other people MannaFest has a page for whose name the text uses in Genesis 16, Genesis 17, Genesis 21, Genesis 25, 2 Kings 25, 1 Chronicles 1, Jeremiah 40 and Jeremiah 41 (the chapters where this name lands most often). Each card shows the verse it came from. Scripture reuses names freely, so a page behind a name here may belong to another person who shares it.
AbrahamCalled out of Ur, the father of all who believe, justified by faith, and the friend of God through whose seed all natio…Genesis 17:5No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.
IsaacThe son of promise and of laughter — bound on Moriah, the quiet inheritor of the covenant.Genesis 17:19But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
HagarSarah's Egyptian servant and mother of Ishmael; the first person to name God — “Thou God seest me” (El Roi, 16:13).Genesis 16:1Now Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.
SarahAbraham's wife — barren, then bearing Isaac by promise “past age” through faith; Paul's allegory of the covenant of pro…Genesis 17:15Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name is to be Sarah.
EsauIsaac's elder son who despised his birthright (Heb 12:16); father of Edom, Israel's perennial neighbor and adversary.Genesis 25:25The first one came out red, covered with hair like a fur coat; so they named him Esau.
JacobThe heel-grasping supplanter reshaped at Peniel into 'Israel, he who strives with God' — father of the twelve tribes.Genesis 25:26After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.
JudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line…2 Kings 25:21There at Riblah in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death. So Judah was taken into exile, away from its own land.
JehoiachinCarried to Babylon after three months' reign; the captive king lifted from prison to the king's table in the book's fin…2 Kings 25:27On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Judah’s King Jehoiachin, in the year Evil-merodach became king of Babylon, he released King Jehoiachin of Judah from prison.
Studies that meet Ishmael
These studies quote a verse that names Ishmael.
The CovenantsGenesis 17:18Genealogies of Christ1 Chronicles 1:281 Chronicles — the Study Guide1 Chronicles 1:282 Kings — the Study Guide2 Kings 25:23
Studies working in the same chapters4
These do not quote a verse naming Ishmael; they open other passages in the same chapters.