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I.BeforetheConquest
initsethnicaldimension,whereasthelatterusuallyrefertoindividualsofapar-
ticularlifestyle20.
Stillanotherdifcultyiscausedbythefactthattheterminologyusedin
thetimescoveredbythismonograph(sixthtoeighthcentury)ofenrefersto
theBible.ItseemsjustifiedthentobeginourdiscussionfromtheScriptures.
2010IshmaelitesandArabsintheBible
AccordingtotheBookofGenesisIshmaelwasthesonofAbrahamandEgyp-
tianhandmaidenHagar21.Telifeofthatwomanwasfullofdramaticevents.With
theconsentofSara,Abraham’swife,HagargavebirthtohischildthatSarahwas
toooldtohave.ButwhenHagarwasexpecting,Sarahkepthumiliatingher.Dis-
regarded,thewomandecidedtofleetothedesert.Tereshemetanangel,God’s
messenger,whoorderedhertocomebacktohermistressandguaranteedthat
Godwouldmultiplyherprogeny
22.Hagarheardtheprophecysayingthatherson
wouldbeawilddonkeyofaman;hishandwillbeagainsteveryoneandeveryone’s
handagainsthim,andhewillliveinhostilitytowardallhisbrothers23.Weshould
keepthisinmind,asitwasthestartingpointfornegativeopinionsaboutArabs.
WhenIshmaelwasborn,itseemedthatboththemotherandsonwould
besafe.Butwhenlater,withthedivineinterventionSarahgavebirthtoIsaac
24,
thesituationofthefirstbornandhismotherbecamedifcult,indeed.Expelled
bySarah,shefoundherselfonthedesertagain,thistimewithherson,heading
towardsEgypt,andagaintheyweresavedbyanangel25.WhenIshmaelgrewolder
helivedonthedesertofPharanwherehetaughthimselftouseabow26.Following
thepromisegiventoHagarbyGodhehadtwelvesons,eachofwhombecame
theprogenitorofhiskin
27.InthiswayIshmaelbecametheancestorofthetwelve
nomadictribes,livinginthedesertsbetweenPalestine,EgyptandArabia28.
20U.Scharrer,TeProblemofNomadicAlliesintheRomanEast,[in:]Kingdomsand
PrincipalitiesintheRomanNearEast,eds.T.Kaiser,M.Fecella,Stuttgart2010,p.265.
21Gen.16,15.
22Gen.16,6.
23Gen.16,12.
24Gen.21,2.
25JosephFlavius(I,XII,2)explainsSarah’sconductbythefactthatshewascared
forherson,whomtheelderbrothercoulddoaharm.
26Gen.21,20-21.
27Ishmael’ssonswere:Nebajoth,Kedar,Adbeel,Mibsam,Mishma,Dumah,Massa,Hadar,
Tema,Jetur,Naphish,andKedemah(Gen.25,13-15).
28Gen.25,18.IshmaelitesarementionedmanyothertimesintheBible:Gen.28,9;36,3;
37,27-28;39,1;Judg.8,24;2Sam.17,25;1Chron.1,29-31;Bar.3,23.I.Eph’al,“Ishmael”and