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In the previous article we had taken a look at the last years that dealt with the great patriarch Abraham. Within that article we learned that Isaac and Ishmael was able to put aside their differences long enough for them to give their father a proper burial. Normally most teachers and preachers would go directly to the account of Isaac after the passing of Abraham, as if the account of Ishmael did not hold any great significance. But I believe that the account of Ishmael does hold great significance. For we must understand that it was the Ishmaelites that had eventually made their way to Arabia, while eventually making it their homeland. Because of their permanent settlement within that area of the world they would eventually become known as "Arabians". I point this out because I find it very interesting that Ishmael himself also had a foundation of "twelve tribes" or rulers just like his younger brother Isaac would eventually have for the Israelites, that was established through his son Jacob. Nebaioth - He was the eldest son of Ishmael and he's credited with a part of Arabia being called Nabathaea. Kedar - He was the founder of the Cedarenes which were located in Arabian lands. Adbeel - Very little is known about him, but it's presumed that his tribe was the one that resided in Sinai, which was a triangle-shaped land that was located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Mibsam & Mishma - These brothers were perhaps the founders of the villages that made up Jebel Misma which was located in Northern Arabia. Duhmah - He's credited with a place in Arabia called "Dumatha". He's also credited as the father of Idumeans which were the ancestors of the Edomites. Now I want to be very careful here, because Esau (The twin brother of Jacob and the eldest son of Isaac) is credited with the Edomites as being his descendants. But we must keep in mind that Esau had married into the family of Ishmael by marrying one of his daughters that went by the name of Mahalath. So both families should be credited with the founding of the Edomites. Massa - The tribe of Massaa are presumed to have been apart of or had a strong connection with the Masanoi tribe which was located in North Arabia. Hadad - He's perhaps the founder of the Hadad tribes that resided in Arabia. Tema - This was perhaps a place that was located between Tathrib and Dumah, which was also near the Desert of Al-Nefud. This desert was located in the northern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Jetur or lturea - This was a district that was located in ancient Syria that was in between Damascus and the lake of Tiberias. Naphish or Nephish - He was the founder of the Arabian tribe that was defeated by the Israelites, along with the Hagrite clans which were the descendants of Hagar. They resided in the desert regions that were located east of Gilead. Kedemah - He was perhaps the founder of the Kadmonites who were also known as the "the children of the east." They were a Canaanitish tribe that was located in the north-eastern part of the Palestine that was close to the great western river called the Euphrates. Reuben - The Tribe of Reuben was located towards the east of the Dead Sea. Simeon - The Tribe of Simeon was located in the southwest parts of Canaan. Levi - The Tribe of Levi or Levites were awarded cities and not tribal lands like the rest. Instead, they served the Israel nation in the offices that dealt with the areas of religion and politics. Judah - The Tribe of Judah was one of two tribes that remained with the "House of David" (The Southern Kingdom)-- after God had split David's House into two different kingdoms (northern & southern) after the death of Solomon. Benjamin was the other tribe along side Judah, that remained loyal to David's house. Dan - The Tribe of Dan dwelled in the northern parts of Galilee Naphtali - The Tribe of Naphtali was located in the eastern parts of Galilee Gad - The Tribe of Gad was located in the eastern regions near the River Jordan Asher - The tribe of Asher dwelled somewhere in western parts of Galilee Issachar - The Tribe of Issachar was located in the northwestern parts of Manasseh Zebulun - The Tribe of Zebulun was located in the southern parts of Galilee Joseph - He was Jacob's favorite son from out of the twelve. He was betrayed by his brothers (except Benjamin) and was sold into slavery. Joseph has an awesome story that is told in the book of Genesis, between the chapters 37-50. God allowed Joseph to become the governor of the land in which he had become a prisoner of. He would be the human tool that God used to bring the "children of Israel" down into the land of Egypt. This would lead to the setup of one of most famous stories of all time -- The Exodus from Egypt. His sons Ephraim andManasseh would eventually become part of Israel's foundational twelve, taking the place (or representing) of their father Joseph and the Levites. Remember the Levites would serve Israel in the area's of religion and politics -- not in tribal territories. Benjamin - The Tribe of Benjamin was given the areas that were located between the land of Ephraim to the north and to Judah towards the south. They were also one of the two tribes that stayed loyal to the "House of David" after God had split the kingdom into two (northern & southern) after Solomon's death. So now you have the foundations of these two great nations that God had promised to Abraham: "God also said to Abraham, 'As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of people will come from her.' Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, 'Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?' And Abraham said to God, 'If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!' "Then God said, 'Yes, but your wife will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him: I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you this time next year.'" -- (Genesis 17:15-21) Starting with the disobedience of Abraham and Sarah, we'll find that Ishmael would eventually be born. This birth caused a rift and intense competition between Sarah and Hagar, so much so... Hagar would flee Abraham's household. God finds and reassures Hagar that all will be well, so she heads back to be with the house of Abraham. Finally God would bless Abraham and Sarah with the promised seed, that was named Isaac. Soon after, Isaac would be mocked and teased by his older brother Ishmael. It's believed that Hagar had some major influence behind the behavior of her son Ishmael. Sarah would witness the treatment that Hagar and Ishmael were putting Isaac through. So she presented her demands to Abraham, when it came to Hagar and Ishmael being kicked out of the household. Abraham would hesitate on these said demands by his wife Sarah, but God would confirm that he should listen to his wife and do as she says. So Abraham obeyed God and his wife and had Hagar and Ishmael placed outside of his home. Hagar and Ishmael would find themselves wandering the vast wilderness of the desert lands in which Ishmael would become very weak and near death. It's at this time God would reassure Hagar again, about the future of Ishmael. "God heard the boy crying and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, 'What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.'" -- (Genesis 21: 17-18) Now here we are thousands of years later, and the family rift between the two great nations (Arabs and the Jews) are still very much in play to this very day in the twenty-first century, just like God had foretold back when the two were just kids. "The angel of the Lord also said to her (Hagar): 'You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.'" -- (Genesis 16:11-12) Now that we have taken a quick look at The Twelve Rulers of Ishmael, and also a brief glance at The Twelve Tribes of Israel. We will move forward when it comes to our next article. What's this! Isaac and Rebekah are blessed with child, or perhaps it should be stated as "children". **YOUR CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE SERIES WOULD BE HERE** Jacob - The Path of Uncertainty 16) Abimelech Angry with Abraham 18) Hagar & Ishmael - Sent Away 20) Abraham & The Well of Oath 21) Abraham & The Great Sacrifice 25) Rebekah gets Permission to Leave 28) <-CURRENT PAGE->  |
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