WHAT I LEARNED WHEN I READ THE BIBLE
Genesis 16:10-12: The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.” The angel of the Lord also said to her: “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”
Sarai sinned by not trusting God to provide the promised heir, and as a result Hagar became pregnant by Abram. Yet, God in His mercy, blessed Hagar and promised her son’s offspring would be multiplied. Although Hagar’s son was not the promised heir (Genesis 17:19), God’s promise to Hagar was fulfilled. He made her son into a great nation.
So, who were Ishmael’s descendants that would fill the earth? The Ishmaelites (Arabs). Their name means nomad. Genesis 25:18 tells us they were a warlike people and Genesis 16:12 says “He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”