Genesis 25:16
New International Version
These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers according to their settlements and camps.

New Living Translation
These twelve sons of Ishmael became the founders of twelve tribes named after them, listed according to the places they settled and camped.

English Standard Version
These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes.

Berean Standard Bible
These were the sons of Ishmael, and these were their names by their villages and encampments—twelve princes of their tribes.

King James Bible
These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.

New King James Version
These were the sons of Ishmael and these were their names, by their towns and their settlements, twelve princes according to their nations.

New American Standard Bible
These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages, and by their camps; twelve princes according to their tribes.

NASB 1995
These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages, and by their camps; twelve princes according to their tribes.

NASB 1977
These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages, and by their camps; twelve princes according to their tribes.

Legacy Standard Bible
These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages, and by their camps; twelve princes according to their tribes.

Amplified Bible
These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their settlements, and by their encampments (sheepfolds); twelve princes (sheiks) according to their tribes.

Christian Standard Bible
These are Ishmael’s sons, and these are their names by their settlements and encampments: twelve leaders of their clans.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
These are Ishmael’s sons, and these are their names by their villages and encampments: 12 leaders of their clans.

American Standard Version
these are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments; twelve princes according to their nations.

Contemporary English Version
Each of Ishmael's sons was a tribal chief, and a village was named after each of them.

English Revised Version
these are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments; twelve princes according to their nations.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
These are the sons of Ishmael and their names listed by their settlements and camps-12 leaders of their tribes.

Good News Translation
They were the ancestors of twelve tribes, and their names were given to their villages and camping places.

International Standard Version
These were Ishmael's children, listed by their names according to their villages and their camps. There were a total of twelve tribal chiefs, according to their clans.

Majority Standard Bible
These were the sons of Ishmael, and these were their names by their villages and encampments—twelve princes of their tribes.

NET Bible
These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their settlements and their camps--twelve princes according to their clans.

New Heart English Bible
These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes, according to their clans.

Webster's Bible Translation
These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.

World English Bible
These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes, according to their nations.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
these are sons of Ishmael, and these [are] their names, by their villages, and by their towers; twelve princes according to their peoples.

Young's Literal Translation
these are sons of Ishmael, and these their names, by their villages, and by their towers; twelve princes according to their peoples.

Smith's Literal Translation
These the sons of Ishmael, and these their names, in their villages, and in their fortresses; twelve princes, according to their nation.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
These are the sons of Ismael: and these are their names by their castles and towns, twelve princes of their tribes.

Catholic Public Domain Version
These are the sons of Ishmael. And these are their names throughout their fortresses and towns: the twelve princes of their tribes.

New American Bible
These are the sons of Ishmael, their names by their villages and encampments; twelve chieftains of as many tribal groups.

New Revised Standard Version
These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their villages and by their sheepfolds, twelve princes according to their nations.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
These are the sons of Ishmayl, and these are their names in their habitations and in their sheepfolds, twelve Princes to their people.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
these are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments; twelve princes according to their nations.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
These are the sons of Ismael, and these are their names in their tents and in their dwellings, twelve princes according to their nations.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Descendants of Ishmael
15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16These were the sons of Ishmael, and these were their names by their villages and encampments— twelve princes of their tribes. 17Ishmael lived a total of 137 years. Then he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.…

Cross References
Genesis 17:20
As 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.

Genesis 21:13
But I will also make a nation of the slave woman’s son, because he is your offspring.”

Genesis 28:9
Esau went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, in addition to the wives he already had.

Genesis 36:3
and Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.

Genesis 37:25-28
And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to Egypt. / Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? / Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him; for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And they agreed. ...

Exodus 15:15
Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; trembling will seize the leaders of Moab; those who dwell in Canaan will melt away,

Numbers 1:1-16
On the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai. He said: / “Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. / You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army. ...

Numbers 2:1-34
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron: / “The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family. / On the east side, toward the sunrise, the divisions of Judah are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Judahites is Nahshon son of Amminadab, ...

Numbers 25:14-18
The name of the Israelite who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family. / And the name of the slain Midianite woman was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family. / And the LORD said to Moses, ...

Deuteronomy 2:4-5
and command the people: ‘You will pass through the territory of your brothers, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, so you must be very careful. / Do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, not even a footprint, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as his possession.

1 Chronicles 1:29-31
These are their genealogies: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, / Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, / Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.

Isaiah 21:13-17
This is the burden against Arabia: In the thickets of Arabia you must lodge, O caravans of Dedanites. / Bring water for the thirsty, O dwellers of Tema; meet the refugees with food. / For they flee from the sword—the sword that is drawn—from the bow that is bent, and from the stress of battle. ...

Jeremiah 25:23-24
Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who cut the corners of their hair; / all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mixed tribes who dwell in the desert;

Ezekiel 25:13-14
therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will stretch out My hand against Edom and cut off from it both man and beast. I will make it a wasteland, and from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword. / I will take My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to My anger and wrath. Then they will know My vengeance, declares the Lord GOD.’

Obadiah 1:6-9
But how Esau will be pillaged, his hidden treasures sought out! / All the men allied with you will drive you to the border; the men at peace with you will deceive and overpower you. Those who eat your bread will set a trap for you without your awareness of it. / In that day, declares the LORD, will I not destroy the wise men of Edom and the men of understanding in the mountains of Esau? ...


Treasury of Scripture

These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.

castles.

twelve.

Genesis 17:20,23
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation…

Jump to Previous
Camps Castles Chiefs Encampments Hamlets Ishmael Ish'mael Names Nations Peoples Princes Rulers Settlements Tent-Circles Towers Towns Tribal Tribes Twelve Villages
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Camps Castles Chiefs Encampments Hamlets Ishmael Ish'mael Names Nations Peoples Princes Rulers Settlements Tent-Circles Towers Towns Tribal Tribes Twelve Villages
Genesis 25
1. The sons of Abraham by Keturah.
5. The division of his goods.
7. His age, death, and burial.
11. God blesses Isaac.
12. The generations of Ishmael.
17. His age and death.
19. Isaac prays for Rebekah, being barren.
22. The children strive in her womb.
24. The birth of Esau and Jacob.
27. Their different characters and pursuits.
29. Esau sells his birthright.














These were the sons of Ishmael
This phrase introduces the descendants of Ishmael, the firstborn son of Abraham through Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian maidservant. Ishmael's lineage is significant as it fulfills God's promise to Abraham that Ishmael would become a great nation (Genesis 17:20). The Hebrew root for "sons" (בָּנִים, banim) emphasizes the continuation of a family line, highlighting the importance of Ishmael's descendants in the broader narrative of God's covenantal promises.

and these are their names
Names in the biblical context often carry deep significance, reflecting character, destiny, or divine purpose. The listing of names here serves to authenticate the historical reality of Ishmael's descendants and their role in the unfolding biblical story. Each name represents a distinct individual and tribe, contributing to the fulfillment of God's promise to make Ishmael fruitful and multiply him exceedingly.

by their villages and encampments
This phrase indicates the settled and semi-nomadic lifestyle of Ishmael's descendants. The Hebrew word for "villages" (חֲצֵרִים, chatserim) suggests permanent settlements, while "encampments" (טִירוֹת, tiroth) implies temporary dwellings or tents. This duality reflects the historical context of the ancient Near East, where people often moved between settled and nomadic life. It underscores the adaptability and resilience of Ishmael's lineage, thriving in diverse environments.

twelve princes of their tribes
The mention of "twelve princes" is significant, as it parallels the twelve tribes of Israel, Jacob's descendants. The Hebrew word for "princes" (נְשִׂיאִים, nesi'im) denotes leaders or chiefs, indicating that each of Ishmael's sons became a leader of a distinct tribe. This fulfillment of God's promise to Ishmael (Genesis 17:20) highlights the divine orchestration in the establishment of nations and the importance of leadership in maintaining tribal identity and cohesion.

(16) By their towns, and by their castles.--Towns and castles in the wilderness of Paran there were none, but we know for certain that the first of these words signified an unwalled village. (See Leviticus 25:31, where it is exactly described; also Psalm 10:8�, Isaiah 42:11.) It was, however, a settled and permanent place of dwelling. The other word rendered here castle, but used as the equivalent of tent in Psalm 69:25, is really a cluster of tents, the encampment of a tribe, and movable. It occurs in Numbers 31:10; 1Chronicles 6:54; Ezekiel 25:4. As is well known, the Arabs are divided into two classes--the dwellers in tents, who are ever moving from station to station, within certain limits, nevertheless, which they seldom pass over; and the agricultural class, who have fixed habitations, are looked upon as inferiors, and probably are the remains of a conquered race. To this day they pay a sort of rent, or black-mail, to the nobler Arabs. We find, then, this distinction already existing when this Toldoth was drawn up; the agricultural Arabs dwelling in unwalled villages, while the nomad tribes pitched now here, and now there, their clusters of black camels'-hair tents. And thus we have in these words proof that Ishmael and his subjects were not all upon the same level; for while he, his sons, and his noblest retainers would dwell in tents, the inhabitants of the villages would be men of inferior origin, compelled to submit themselves to him. . . . Verse 16. - These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, - unwalled encampments, from hatzar, to surround; used of the movable villages of nomadic tribes (cf. Isaiah 42:11) - and by their castles; - fortified keeps (Murphy); tent villages (Keil); nomadic camps (Kalisch). Cf. Numbers 31:10; 1 Chronicles 6:39; Psalm 69:26; Ezekiel 25:4) - twelve princes - this does not imply that Ishmael had only twelve sons, like Israel - a very suspicious circumstance (De Wette); but only that these twelve became phylarchs (Havernick). The Egyptian dedecarchy rested on a like earlier division of names. Homer mentions a similar case among the Phoenicians (Odyss., 8. 390); Thucydides another in ancient Attica (2. 15); vide Havernick's 'Introch,' § 18 - according to their nations (or tribe divisions).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
These
אֵ֣לֶּה (êl·leh)
Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

were
הֵ֞ם (hêm)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

the sons
בְּנֵ֤י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Ishmael,
יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ (yiš·mā·‘êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3458: Ishmael -- 'God hears', the name of several Israelites

and these
וְאֵ֣לֶּה (wə·’êl·leh)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

were their names
שְׁמֹתָ֔ם (šə·mō·ṯām)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8034: A name

by their villages
בְּחַצְרֵיהֶ֖ם (bə·ḥaṣ·rê·hem)
Preposition-b | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2691: A yard, a hamlet

and encampments—
וּבְטִֽירֹתָ֑ם (ū·ḇə·ṭî·rō·ṯām)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2918: A wall, a fortress, a hamlet

twelve
שְׁנֵים־ (šə·nêm-)
Number - md
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

princes
נְשִׂיאִ֖ם (nə·śî·’im)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5387: An exalted one, a king, sheik, a rising mist

of their tribes.
לְאֻמֹּתָֽם׃ (lə·’um·mō·ṯām)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 523: A collection, community of persons


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OT Law: Genesis 25:16 These are the sons of Ishmael (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 25:15
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