These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages, and by their camps; twelve princes according to their tribes.
Parallel translations
- WEB These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes, according to their nations.
- KJV These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.
- BSB These were the sons of Ishmael, and these were their names by their villages and encampments—twelve princes of their tribes.
- NKJV These were the sons of Ishmael and these were their names, by their towns and their settlements, twelve princes according to their nations.
- NLT These twelve sons of Ishmael became the founders of twelve tribes named after them, listed according to the places they settled and camped.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Ishmael's twelve sons became princes over their tribal settlements.
Overview
The summary confirms that God's promise to make Ishmael a great nation of twelve princes was fulfilled. Their dwellings and encampments describe a nomadic people spread across the desert regions. God's truthfulness toward Ishmael displays his wider faithfulness even outside the covenant line.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Gen 17:20As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
- Gen 17:23Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money; every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the same day, as God had said to him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 25:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.