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Are the Arabs descendants of Ishmael or Edom?*

Gramps,

I thought that Arabs were descendants of Ishmael, not Edom. Which is it? I have a personal interest in this as I’m half Arab.Â

Susan, from Winfield, Kansas

Dear Susan,

Abrahamâ€™s wife, Sarah, who was barren, gave her handmaiden, Hagar, to Abraham as a wife. Hagar was the mother of Ishmael. Ishmael had twelve sons: Nebajoth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Duman, Massa, Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. These are the ancestors of the Arabs, or Saracens.

Abraham later married Keturah, who was the mother of six sons: Zimram, Jokshan, Medon, Midian, Ishbak and Shua (Gen. 25:1-2). These sons also wereÂ ancestors of many of the Arabian tribes.

As you know, Sarah later gave birth to Isaac, the father of Jacob and his twin brother, Esau. Esauâ€™s name was changed to Edom (Gen. 25:30), and he became the ancestor of the Edomites (Gen. 36:9).

Gramps

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