Footnotes

1. Genesis 25:12 sn This is the account of Ishmael. The Book of Genesis tends to tidy up the family records at every turning point. Here, before proceeding with the story of Isaac’s family, the narrative traces Ishmael’s family line. Later, before discussing Jacob’s family, the narrative traces Esau’s family line (see Gen 36).
2. Genesis 25:13 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.”
3. Genesis 25:16 tn Or “tribal chieftains.”
4. Genesis 25:17 tn Heb “And these are the days of the years of Ishmael.”
5. Genesis 25:17 tn Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.
6. Genesis 25:18 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Ishmael’s descendants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7. Genesis 25:18 tn Heb “which is by the face of,” or near the border. The territory ran along the border of Egypt.
8. Genesis 25:18 tn Heb “as you go.”
9. Genesis 25:18 sn The name Asshur refers here to a tribal area in the Sinai.
10. Genesis 25:18 tn Heb “he fell.”
11. Genesis 25:18 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.