of Abraham’s son Ishmael
"Ishmael" is a name of Hebrew origin, meaning "God hears." This name is significant as it reflects the circumstances of Ishmael's birth and God's response to Hagar's distress in the wilderness (Genesis 16:11). Ishmael, as Abraham's firstborn, holds a unique position in the biblical narrative. Although not the child of promise, Ishmael is still blessed by God, becoming the father of a great nation. This highlights God's faithfulness and mercy, extending blessings even beyond the chosen line of Isaac.

whom Hagar the Egyptian
"Hagar the Egyptian" identifies Hagar's nationality and status. As an Egyptian, Hagar represents a connection to the broader ancient Near Eastern world. Her account is a reminder of the complex relationships between the Israelites and their neighbors. Hagar's Egyptian identity also foreshadows the later sojourn of the Israelites in Egypt, serving as a narrative link between the patriarchal accounts and the Exodus. Her account is a testament to God's care for the marginalized and oppressed, as He intervenes on her behalf multiple times.

Sarah’s maidservant
The term "maidservant" (Hebrew: "שִׁפְחָה" - shifchah) indicates Hagar's social status as a servant in Sarah's household. This status is crucial to understanding the dynamics of the narrative, as it reflects the customs and social hierarchies of the time. Hagar's role as a maidservant who becomes a surrogate mother at Sarah's behest illustrates the complexities of human relationships and the consequences of taking matters into one's own hands rather than waiting on God's timing.

bore to Abraham
The phrase "bore to Abraham" emphasizes the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham to make him a father of many nations. Despite the unconventional circumstances of Ishmael's birth, this phrase underscores the legitimacy of Ishmael as Abraham's son. It also highlights the theme of God's sovereignty in using human actions, even those that deviate from His ideal plan, to accomplish His purposes. Abraham's fatherhood of Ishmael is a testament to God's grace and the unfolding of His redemptive plan through imperfect human vessels.

(12) These are the generations of Ishmael.--Following the usual rule of this book, Ishmael is not dismissed from the Divine presence without a short record of his history, after which he falls into the background, and the historian proceeds with his main subject, which is the preparation for the forming of that race and nation of whom, according to the flesh, Christ came. These brief notices, moreover, of personages not in the direct line of Christ's ancestry have their value in God's great purpose that the Jewish Messiah should be the Redeemer of the Gentiles also (Romans 10:12); and consequently from the first their history was not alien from God's counsels. (Romans 10:13-15) The sons of Ishmael.--Of the Arabian tribes sprung from Ishmael we read of Nebajoth and Kedar in Isaiah 60:7 as pastoral tribes, rich in flocks. Dumah is deemed worthy of a special prophecy (Isaiah 21:11); while the people of Tema are described there in Genesis 25:14 as generous and hospitable, and in Job 6:19 they appear as active traders. (See also Jeremiah 25:23.) Jetur, Naphish, and other Hagarite tribes, were conquered by Reuben and his allies (1Chronicles 5:19), and Jetur became the Iturea of Luke 3:1. For the occasional references made to these and other sons of Ishmael in classical writers, the reader may consult Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, or similar works. The abode of the twelve tribes sprung from Ishmael was the northern part of Arabia, whence gradually they extended their influence, and apparently soon absorbed the Joktanites (Genesis 10:26-30), themselves a kindred Semitic race. These genealogies would be inexplicable if we did not remember that successive waves of people occupied these lands, and that while the old names remained, the dominant race was new. So the rapid growth of individuals into tribes (as of Midian, Genesis 25:2) was the result of races of higher civilisation and greater energy subduing feeble and less highly-developed tribes. Hence in Genesis 25:16 the sons of Ishmael are called "princes." We gather from this that Ishmael had gathered round him a body of men of the Semitic race, of whom large numbers were constantly on the move towards Egypt (Genesis 12:15), and by their aid had established his rule in Paran, and handed it on to his sons. . . .