Genesis 25:17

And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Genesis 25:17. He lived a hundred and thirty-seven years — Which is recorded to show the efficacy of Abraham’s prayer for him, Genesis 17:18, O that Ishmael might live before thee! Then he also was gathered to his people. And he died in the presence of all his brethren — With his friends about him. Who would not wish so to die?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

25:11-18 Ishmael had twelve sons, whose families became distinct tribes. They peopled a very large country that lay between Egypt and Assyria, called Arabia. The number and strength of this family were the fruit of the promise, made to Hagar and to Abraham, concerning Ishmael.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ishmael dies at the age of a hundred and thirty-seven. "From Havilah," on the borders of Arabia Petraea and Felix. "Unto Shur," on the borders of Arabia and Egypt. This was the original seat of the Ishmaelites, from which they wandered far into Arabia. "In the presence of all his brethren" - the descendants of Abraham by Sarah and Keturah, those of Lot, and the Egyptians who were his brethren or near kindred by his mother and wife. "He had fallen" into the lot of his inheritance. Thus was fulfilled the prediction uttered before his birth Genesis 16:12.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Ge 25:12-18. Descendants of Ishmael. Before passing to the line of the promised seed, the historian gives a brief notice of Ishmael, to show that the promises respecting that son of Abraham were fulfilled—first, in the greatness of his posterity (compare Ge 17:20); and, secondly, in their independence.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

1773

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years,.... one hundred and thirty seven years old. So that he lived forty eight years after the death of Abraham, Genesis 25:8; and, though he did not live to be so old as he, yet it was a considerable age he attained unto; see Gill on Genesis 25:7,

and he gave up the ghost and died, and was gathered unto his people; some of the same expressions being used of him as of his father, Genesis 25:8, have led some to conclude that he was a penitent and died a good man, and was gathered to the same people; but these phrases are used both of good and bad men.

Geneva Study Bible

And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his {f} people.

(f) Who dwelt among the Arabians, and were separate from the blessed seed.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. And these are, &c.] The same phrases occur in this verse as in Genesis 25:7-8.

gathered unto his people] See note on Genesis 25:8.

18 (J). from Havilah unto Shur] Cf. 1 Samuel 15:7. See note on “Havilah,” Genesis 10:29. It was apparently a locality in the N.E. of Arabia. On “Shur,” see note on Genesis 16:7. It was on the eastern border of Egypt. It has been conjectured that this summary description of Ishmael’s territory concluded J’s narrative of Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis 16:1-14). It seems to indicate the whole extent of country between N.E. Arabia and the E. Egyptian frontier.

before Egypt] The preposition “before,” i.e. “in front of,” denotes “the eastern side.” See note on Genesis 16:12.

as thou goest … Assyria] The mention of “Assyria” is here evidently quite out of place, and the explanation of Delitzsch that it means “up to, or as far as, the country under the rule of Assyria,” is very forced and improbable. Either, therefore, the Asshur here mentioned is to be connected with the country of the “Asshurim” (Genesis 25:3), or we must suppose that the text has suffered some corruption. Hence Hupfeld conjectured “unto Shur.”

abode] R.V. marg. settled; Heb. fell.

in the presence of] R. V. marg. over against. The same preposition as is rendered “before” in the previous clause. The words are the fulfilment of the angel’s promise to Hagar in Genesis 16:12, where see note.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 17, 18. - And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: - a life shorter by nearly half a century than that of Isaac (Genesis 35:21); does this prove the life-prolonging influence of piety? - and he gave up the ghost and died; and wee gathered unto his people (vide on ver. 8). And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward; Assyria (vide Genesis 10:29; Genesis 16:7): and He died - literally, fell down; not expired (Vulgate, A Lapide, Aben Ezra, et alii), but settled down, had his lot cast (Calvin, Keil, Kalisch); κατῴκησε (LXX.) in the presence of all his brethren (a fulfillment of Genesis 16:12).

Genesis 25:17

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Ishmael died at the age of 137, and his descendants dwelt in Havilah - i.e., according to Genesis 10:29, the country of the Chaulotaeans, on the borders of Arabia Petraea and Felix - as far as Shur (the desert of Jifar, Genesis 16:7) to the east of Egypt, "in the direction of Assyria." Havilah and Shur therefore formed the south-eastern and south-western boundaries of the territories of the Ishmaelites, from which they extended their nomadic excursions towards the N.E. as far as the districts under Assyrian rule, i.e., to the lands of the Euphrates, traversing the whole of the desert of Arabia, or (as Josephus says, Ant. i. 12, 4) dwelling from the Euphrates to the Red Sea. Thus, according to the announcement of the angel, Ishmael "encamped in the presence of all his brethren." נפל, to throw one's self, to settle down, with the subordinate idea of keeping by force the place you have taken (Judges 7:12). Luther wavers between corruit, vel cecidit, vel fixit tabernaculum.