Genesis 25:13

25:13 These are the names of Ishmael’s sons, by their names according to their records: ¹  Nebaioth (Ishmael’s firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

Genesis 25:18

25:18 His descendants ²  settled from Havilah to Shur, which runs next ³  to Egypt all the way ⁴  to Asshur. ⁵  They settled ⁶  away from all their relatives. ⁷ 

[25:13]  ¹ tn The meaning of this line is not easily understood. The sons of Ishmael are listed here “by their names” and “according to their descendants.”

[25:18]  ² tn Heb “they”; the referent (Ishmael’s descendants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:18]  ³ tn Heb “which is by the face of,” or near the border. The territory ran along the border of Egypt.

[25:18]  ⁴ tn Heb “as you go.”

[25:18]  ⁵ sn The name Asshur refers here to a tribal area in the Sinai.

[25:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “he fell.”

[25:18]  ⁷ tn Heb “upon the face of all his brothers.” This last expression, obviously alluding to the earlier oracle about Ishmael (Gen 16:12), could mean that the descendants of Ishmael lived in hostility to others or that they lived in a territory that was opposite the lands of their relatives. While there is some ambiguity about the meaning, the line probably does give a hint of the Ishmaelite-Israelite conflicts to come.