Why did Ishmael marry an Egyptian instead of obeying God?
Ishmael married an Egyptian because he did not have the unction to be obedient to the will of God. His choice was contrary to what God wanted for Abraham's offspring, who were instructed not to marry the Canaanite. This illustrates a lack of spiritual obedience rather than faithful compliance.
Les explains that Ishmael did not have the unction to be obedient to the will of God. Because he lacked that unction, he went and married an Egyptian, which was contrary to what God wanted for Abraham's offspring, since God had instructed them not to marry the Canaanite. Les places Ishmael alongside Esau, who was a fornicator and destitute of faith, and who also married Canaanite women already steeped in immorality and wickedness. This fits Paul's teaching that the works of the old Adamic nature are manifest, with sexual immorality often listed first.
And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
More Questions
How did the lines of Isaac and Ishmael diverge after they separated?
After the split, Isaac continued in the spiritual line and took a wife from his relatives in Syria, while Ishmael married an Egyptian, so the genealogies of the two young men diverged completely.