The Death of Ishmael (Genesis 25:13-19.a).
This section ends with ‘this is the family history of Isaac' (Genesis 25:19), and its purpose is to record the death of Ishmael and outline his connections and the twelve sub-tribes that came from him. It is only the second record (the first was Genesis 11:10-27 a) not to be connected to a covenant and like that passage demonstrates descent, which would be seen as sufficient reason for its preservation.
‘And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their family histories.'
The purpose of the narrative is to record Ishmael's descendants and their tribal connections.
‘The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, and Kedar, and Abdeel, and Mibsam, and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa. Hadad and Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their nations.'
It is immediately clear that the twelve tribe grouping here is much more closely connected than that of the sons of Keturah and appears to be on a similar basis to the twelve tribes of Israel. Each son is ‘prince' of his sub-tribe. This title ‘prince' (nasi' (plural nesi'im) is that used also of the tribal leaders of Israel (Exodus 22:27; Numbers 1:16; Numbers 1:44; Numbers 7:2-84; Numbers 34:18-28; compare 10:14-26; 13:4-15), each the head of his tribe on the amphictyonic council.
An amphictyony is an inter-tribal grouping of associated tribes for common welfare, often united around a central sanctuary. This would appear to be the pattern of the Ishmaelite tribes, although whether they had a central sanctuary we do not know.
Esau married the sister of Nebaioth (Genesis 28:9). The rams of Nebaioth are mentioned in Isaiah 60:7 along with the flocks of Kedar, and both tribes are named together in Assyrian inscriptions. Kedar are also seen as the guardians of the land route from Palestine to Egypt by the Persians.
Kedar and Tema are connected in Arabia in Isaiah 21:13-17, where Tema brought food and water to travelling Dedanites. Tema and Dedan are mentioned together in Jeremiah 25:23, and the caravans of Tema are mentioned along with Sheba in Job 6:19. Massa may be mentioned with Tema (as Mas'a) as paying tribute to Tiglath Pileser III.
Thus we have confirmation of long term interrelationship between Ishmaelites and the sons of Keturah, and of their close connection with Arabia and the desert.
‘And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, a hundred and thirty seven year. And he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people. And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur, which is before Egypt as you go towards Assyria. And he fell in the presence of (or in front of) all his brothers.'
Like Sarah, a woman, and Jacob who died outside the land of promise, Ishmael's age ends in seven. He too died outside the land of promise. The significance of this numbering now escapes us, but he was clearly of good age.
Like Abraham he ‘breathed his last' and was ‘gathered to his people'. He died and was buried and went into the grave where his ancestors were.
“They dwelt from Havilah (probably in North West Arabia) to Shur.” Desert tribes, ever on the move, they inhabited the very extensive desert land south of Canaan and in North West Arabia, possibly with connections with Southern Arabia. Havilah is connected with the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:7) and is elsewhere connected with Northern and Southern Arabia (see Genesis 10:7; Genesis 10:29) but it simply mean ‘district' and may therefore refer to a number of places. This would confirm Ishmael's close connections with the sons of Keturah. Shur is on the direct road to Egypt from Southern Palestine (1 Samuel 15:7; 1 Samuel 27:8 compare Genesis 16:7).
“And he fell in the presence of all his brothers.” This possibly refers to his death in warfare, or while engaging in some other activity with his brothers, but certainly indicates further his close association with his brothers. If Isaac was now also on good terms with his brother we can see why he moved his own family tribe to an area where he had contact with him and did not fear the bedouin tribes in the desert.