§ 8. THE GENERATIONS OF lsHMAEL (ea. XXV. 12-18). EXPOSITION. Ver. 12.-Now these are the generations Arabia, on the edge or the Syrian ,lo!ert of Ishmael,-the opening of a new section (Gesenius); mentioned in Isa. xxi. 11-and (cf. eh, ii. 4), in which the fortunes of .A.bra- Massa,-" Burtlen ; " north-enst of Dunut l1nm's oldest son nro briefly traced before nre the MassaTWi. proceeding "ith the main current of the Ver. 15. -HRdar, - "Chamber" (Gesc- history in the line of Isaac (cf. 1 Chron. i. 29 nius) ; Hndnd (1 Chron. i. 30, LXX., -31)-Abraham'a son, - because of his Snmnritnn, and most MSS.) ; though Gesc- relntion to Abraham it wns th11t Ishmnel nius regards Hndnr ns probably the true Rttained subsequent historical development rending in both plnces; identui.etl. with o. nud importance (vide eh. xxi. 13)-whom tribe in Yemen (Gisenius) ; between Oman Hagar the Egyptian, Saro.h's handmaid, and Bnhrein, a district renowned for iu bare unto Abraham (vide eh. xvi. 1, 15). l1mcers (Keil)-and Tema,-" Desert" (Ge- Ver. 13.-And these are the names of the senius) ; 0a,µav (LXX.) ; the 0lµoi, on the sons of Ishmael, by their names, accord- Persian Gulf, or the tribe Bann Teim, in ing to their generations : the firstborn Hnmnsa (Knobel); a trntl.ing people (Jail of Ishmael, Nebajoth ; - 11 Heights;" the vi. 19; Isa. xxi. 14; Jor. xxv. 23)-.Jetnr, Nabathreans, a people of Northern Arabia, -"Enclosure" (Gosenius) ; the Itmeuns possessed of abundant flocks (Iso.. Ix. 7), nnd, (Gesonius, Kalisch, Keil) - Naphish, - o.ccording to Diodorus, Ii ving by merchandise " Breathing" (Murphy) ; " Refreshment " and rapine (Gesenius ). From Potrreo. they (Gesenius); not yet identified-and Kedemah subsequently extended ns far ns Babylon -"Eastward" (Gesenius) ; unknown. (Keil)-and Kedar,-" Black Skin;" the Ver. 16.-Theae 11ro the sons of Ishmael, Cedrei of Pliny (Gesenius, Keil, Rosen- and these are their names, by their towns, miiller) ; cho.racterised as good bowmen (Isa. -unwnlled encampments, from hatzar, to :xxi. 17), and dwelling between Arnbi11 surrountl; used of the movllble villages or Petrrea antl Bnbylon-and Adbeel,-" Miracle nomadic tribes (cf. Isa. xiii. 11)-Rnd by of Gou" (Gesenius) ; of whom nothing is their oastles; -fortifietl keeps (Murphy) ; known - and Mibsam, - 11 Sweet Odour" tont villages (Keil); nomadic camps (Kalisch). (Gesenius) ; eq1mlly uncertain. Cf. Num. xxxi. 10; 1 Chron. vi. 39; Ps. Ver. 14. - And Mishma, - " Hearing" lxix. 26; Ezek. xxv. 4)-twelve princes- (Gesenius); Masma (LXX., Vnlgnto); con- this docs uot imply that Ishmael had only uectecl with tho ./Ifaisaimeneis, north-cast of twelve sons, liko Israel-a very suspicions Medina (Knobel)-nnd Dumah,-"Silcncc ;" rircurnstanco (De Wctte) ; but only that s:i.me as Stony Dttmrrh, 01· Syrian Durnnh, in these twelve bccnmo 11l1ylarchs (lfavornick). 1'tIE noot~ OF GENESIS. [<II. xxr. 12-18.
'rhe E&nitian <lodecarchy rcstc(l on a like influence of piety 1-r.nd he gave up the <>arlier division of names. Homer mentions ghost and died; and was gnthered unto his a similar case among the Phcenicians (' Odyss.,' people (vide on ver. 8). And they dwelt viii. 390) ; Thucydides another in ancient from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, Attica (ii. 15); vi,/.e Havcrnick's 'Introd.,' as thou goest toward Assyria (vide eh. x. § 18-aecording to their nations (or tribe 29; xvi. 7): aud he died-litorall.1', .fell •Ii visions). down,· not expired. (Vulgate, a Lapi,le, Aben Vers. 17, 18.-And these aro the years of Ezra, et atii), but settled. down, had his lot the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty cast (Calvin, Keil, Kalisch); ,car~"'I"' (LX X.) and seven years :-a life shorter by nearly -i.n the presence of all his brethren (a fol- half a century than that of Isaac (eh. xxxv. filment of eh. xvi. 12). . 21); docs this prove the life-prolonging