How did the births of Ishmael and Isaac relate to God’s promise to Abraham?
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Abraham
The March of Abraham, painting by József Molnár, 19th century; in the Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest.
In the biblical narrative, the births of Ishmael and Isaac represent different responses to God’s promise to Abraham that he would become the father of a mighty nation.1
- Ishmael: Born to Abraham and Hagar, Sarah’s maidservant, Ishmael was conceived after Sarah attempted to realize the promise through her own initiative due to her barrenness. While he is considered a prophet in Islam and viewed by some traditions as a fulfillment of God's promise, in the Old Testament, he is not the son with whom the primary covenant is established.1234
- Isaac: Born to Sarah in her old age, Isaac is the fulfillment of God’s specific promise to Abraham and Sarah. God established his covenant through Isaac, who became Abraham’s sole heir in the Jewish and Christian traditions.1542
While the two sons represent different theological lineages, God promised that both would be the progenitors of great nations.32