¹⁰ The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”^(A)

²⁰ And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers.^(A) He will be the father of twelve rulers,^(B) and I will make him into a great nation.^(C)

Ishmael’s Sons^(A)

¹² This is the account^(B) of the family line of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Sarah’s slave, Hagar^(C) the Egyptian, bore to Abraham.^(D)

¹³ These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth^(E) the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar,^(F) Adbeel, Mibsam, ¹⁴ Mishma, Dumah,^(G) Massa, ¹⁵ Hadad, Tema,^(H) Jetur,^(I) Naphish and Kedemah. ¹⁶ These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers^(J) according to their settlements and camps.^{(K) 17} Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people.^{(L) 18} His descendants^(M) settled in the area from Havilah to Shur,^(N) near the eastern border of Egypt, as you go toward Ashur. And they lived in hostility toward^[a] all the tribes related to them.^(O)

¹⁵ The angel of the Lord^(A) called to Abraham from heaven^(B) a second time ¹⁶ and said, “I swear by myself,^(C) declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,^{(D) 17} I will surely bless you^(E) and make your descendants^(F) as numerous as the stars in the sky^(G) and as the sand on the seashore.^(H) Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,^{(I) 18} and through your offspring^[a] all nations on earth will be blessed,^[b](J) because you have obeyed me.”^(K)

¹⁸ Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.^(A)”

¹³ I will make the son of the slave into a nation^(A) also, because he is your offspring.”

³⁰ “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. ³¹ When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to get a closer look, he heard the Lord say:^{(A) 32} ‘I am the God of your fathers,^(B) the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’^[a] Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.^(C)

³³ “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.^{(D) 34} I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’^[b](E)

³⁵ “This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’^(F) He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. ³⁶ He led them out of Egypt^(G) and performed wonders and signs^(H) in Egypt, at the Red Sea^(I) and for forty years in the wilderness.^(J)

³⁷ “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’^{[c](K) 38} He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel^(L) who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors;^(M) and he received living words^(N) to pass on to us.^(O)

¹⁸ No one has ever seen God,^(A) but the one and only Son, who is himself God and^[a](B) is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.