ISHMAELITES
Descendants of Ishmael, they had Egyptian and Abraham blood. Ishmael gave rise to twelve tribes (Gen. 17:20; 25:12-16).
They lived in northern Arabia, between Havilah, Egypt, and the Euphrates (Gen. 25:18; Ant. 1:12, 4).
Some tribes, such as the Nabataeans, became sedentary, but most of these people maintained their nomadic character, remaining in the desert.
Joseph’s brothers sold him to Ishmaelites who were traveling with their camels between Gilead and Egypt. The text specifies that Joseph was taken out of the cistern by “the Midianite merchants” (Gen. 37:28); undoubtedly, they were part of the caravan. Ps. 83:6 mentions the Ishmaelites along with the Edomites, Moabites, and Hagarenes.
In a broader sense, “Ishmaelites” designates the nomadic tribes of northern Arabia. The Ishmaelite league came to include tribes of other races (Judg. 8:24; cf. Judg. 7:25; 8:22, 26).
All Arabs, following Muhammad, proclaim themselves descendants of Ishmael.