His Hand Against Every Man

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When Abram was seventy-five years old, God promised him that through his “seed” the nations of the earth would be blessed. But as yet, the patriarch had no offspring. A decade rolled by and still no child blessed the home of Abram and Sarai.

Finally, Sarai suggested that a child be produced by a union between Abram and Hagar, Sarai’s Egyptian handmaid, for such was an accepted custom in those days, as reflected in the Code of Hammurabi (146).

When Hagar conceived, she flaunted her proud condition before the barren Sarai; infuriated, Abram’s wife drove the slave out of the camp. As Hagar travelled toward her homeland, she was visited by the “Messenger of Jehovah,” himself a divine being (Genesis 16:7,13). The Messenger informed Hagar that she would bear a son and his name would be Ishmael (“God hears”).

Within this general context, a number of remarkable prophecies were made regarding Ishmael and his descendants. Some consideration of these matters should be of interest to Bible students in these days of political conflict.

It was foretold that lshmael would be “a wild ass among men; his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell over against all his brethren” (Genesis 16:12). Later, it was said of Ishmael that God would “multiply him exceedingly,” and that he would be the father of “twelve princes” and a “great nation would proceed from him” (17:20). These prophecies have been stunningly fulfilled.

Note the following historical facts.

Ishmael grew up, married an Egyptian woman, and begat twelve sons who became princes over their respective tribes (Genesis 25:12ff) — exactly as prophesied (17:20). These people inhabited the territory between Havilah (probably in NW Arabia) and Shur (near the Egyptian border), and were one of the several peoples who were the ancestors of the Arabians (cf Genesis 10:7,25-30; 25:1-4,13-16). Today, Arab-dominated territories are much more extensive even than in Bible times.

Ishmael was characterized as a “wild ass.” What is the significance of that expression? Several ideas have been suggested. Hamilton contends that the habitat of the wild ass is in the waste places (cf. Job 39:5-8), hence, the idea is that of a life of nomadic existence (p. 454).

Anderson/Freedman thought that the figure hints of a “forlorn and friendless” existence (p. 505; cf. Genesis 21:20). Baur/Harrison suggested that the wild ass was a creature proverbially skilled at escape — only a hunter of “obvious prowess” could capture him (Bromiley, p. 905). All of these descriptives are traits of the bedouin tribes of the Arabian peninsula.

Of special interest, though, is the foreboding indication that the descendants of Ishmael would be a fierce people — “his hand against every man, every man’s hand against him” (Genesis 16:12).

Moses wrote that the Ishmaelite “abode over against all his brethren” (Genesis 25:18; cf. 16:12b). Many scholars believe that this language reflects a hostile disposition (cf. NIV). William Beck’s, _An American Translation!

Sources/Footnotes

• Anderson, F.I. & Freedman, D.N. (1980), Anchor Bible — Hosea (Garden City, NY: Doubleday).
• Bromiley, G.W. (1982), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia — Revised (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans), Vol. II.
• Duin, Julia (2001), “Christians face dismal plight in Islamic nations,” Washington Times, November 6.
• Hamilton, Victor (1990), Genesis 1-17 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans).
• McClintock, John & Strong, James (1969), Cyclopedia of Theological Literature (Grand Rapids: Baker), Vol. VI.
• Newton, Thomas (1831), Dissertations on the Prophecies (London: Blake, Bell-Yard, Temple-Bar).
• Speiser, E.A. (1978), Anchor Bible – Genesis (Garden City, NY: Doubleday).

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