Discovery BoxGenesis 25:13 
Context25:13 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
Context25:18 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
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.”
2 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Ishmael’s descendants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 tn Heb “which is by the face of,” or near the border. The territory ran along the border of Egypt.
4 tn Heb “as you go.”
5 sn The name Asshur refers here to a tribal area in the Sinai.
6 tn Heb “he fell.”
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.
