Genesis 25:16

_THESE ARE THE SONS OF ISHMAEL, AND THESE ARE THEIR NAMES, BY THEIR TOWNS, AND BY THEIR CASTLES; TWELVE PRINCES ACCORDING TO THEIR NATIONS._ By their towns, х_ BªCHATSREEYHEM_ (H2691); Septuagint, en tais skeenais autoon] - by their enclosures; Bedouin villages, such as are formed of tent-cloths spread over stone walls (Stanley). AND BY THEIR CASTLES, х_ UWBTIYROTAAM_ (H2918); Septuagint, kai en tais epaulesin autoon, and in their AND BY THEIR CASTLES, х_ UWBTIYROTAAM_ (H2918); Septuagint, kai en tais epaulesin autoon, and in their nomadic strongholds] - fortified encampments usually enclosing a space within which the cattle are secured (Gesenius). TWELVE PRINCES ACCORDING TO THEIR NATIONS, [Hebrew, _ Lª'UMOTAAM_ (H523)] - accordi

11-18 Ishmael had twelve sons, whose families became distinct tribes. They peopled a very large country that lay between Egypt and Assyria, called Arabia. The number and strength of this family were the fruit of the promise, made to Hagar and to Abraham, concerning Ishmael....

Verse Genesis 25:16. _THESE ARE THEIR NAMES_] By which their _descendants_ were called. _Their towns _- places of encampment in the wilderness, such as have been used by the Arabs from the remotest times. Their castles, טירתם _tirotham, their towers_, probably mountain tops, fortified rocks, and fastnesses of various kinds in woods and hilly countries....

- Section XI. - Isaac - LII. History of Ishmael 13. נבית _n__e__bāyot_, Nebajoth, “heights.” קדר _qēdār_, Qedar, “black.” אדבאל _'adb__e__'ēl_, Adbeel, “miracle of God?” מבשׂם _mı̂bśām_ Mibsam, “sweet odor.” 14. משׁמע _mı̂shma‛_, Mishma‘, “hearing.” דוּמה _dûmâh_, Dumah, “silence.” משׂא _maśā'_, Massa, “burden.” 15. חדר...

§ 8. THE GENERATIONS OF ISHMAEL (Genesis 25:12-1). EXPOSITION GENESIS 25:12 NOW THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF ISHMAEL,—the opening of a new section (cf. Genesis 2:4), in which the fortunes of Abraham's eldest son are briefly traced before proceeding with the main current of the history in the line of Isaac (cf. 1 Chronicles 1:29-13)—ABRAHAM'S SON,—because of his relation to Abraham it was that Ishmael attained subsequent historical development and importance (_vide _

THESE [ARE] THE SONS OF ISHMAEL,.... The twelve before mentioned, Genesis 25:13: THESE [ARE] THEIR NAMES, BY THEIR TOWNS AND BY THEIR CASTLES; their towns and their castles being called after their names, some of which we are able to trace at this distance, as the above notes show: TWELVE PRINCES ACCORDING TO THEIR NATIONS; these were princes, or heads of tribes, and there were twelve of them, and continued so, see Genesis 17:20; where is the prophecy, and here an accomplishment of it....

VIII. THE GENERATIONS OF ISHMAEL _ 1. Ishmael and his sons (Genesis 25:12)_ 2. The death of Ishmael (Genesis 25:17) In chapter 16:12 we find the prediction that Ishmael should dwell in the presence of his brethren. In Genesis 25:18 we find the fulfilment. The names we find here may be traced in other Scriptures. For instance in Isaiah 60, the great chapter of the millennial kingdom, we have Nebajoth and Kedar mentioned (Isaiah 60:7). The number twelve, twelve princes, links Ishmael closely with Israel. When Israel is blest in the fut

GENESIS 12:1 TO GENESIS 25:18. THE STORY OF ABRAHAM. In this section the three main sources, J. E, P are present. Gunkel has given strong reasons for holding that J is here made up of two main sources, one connecting Abraham with Hebron, the other with Beersheba and the Negeb. The former associates Abraham with Lot. (For details, see ICC.) On the interpretation to be placed on the figures of Abraham and the patriarchs, see the Introduction. The interest, which has hitherto been diffused over the fortunes of mankind in general, is now concentrated on Abraham and his posterity, the principle of election narrowing it down to Isaac, Ishmael being left aside, and then to Jacob, Esau being excluded....

_by their villages, and … encampments_ The distinction is, probably, between settled habitations in open unwalled villages, and circles of black tents in which the Bedouins dwell. This distinction between the permanent and the movable dwellings of the Ishmaelites is not reproduced in the versions. LXX ἐν ταῖς σκηναῖς … ἐν ταῖς ἐπαύλεσιν, Lat. _per castella et oppida_. See, also, for "encampments," the _tîrôth_of the Midianites (Numbers 31:10) and of "the children of the east" (Ezekiel 25:4). _twelve princes_ See note on Genesis 25:2. The fulfilment of Genesis 17:20 (P). The "princes" are "leaders," or Sheikhs

BY THEIR TOWNS— Villages, composed of tents pitched together, Jeremiah 49:31. Some of these people however dwelt in walled towns. See Numbers 31:10. They had also _castles,_ fortified places, erected in the desarts, to which they repaired in time of danger, Isaiah 42:11 such castles are among them to this day. See note on ch. Genesis 17:20....