Abraham's concern was that Ishmael, the son born after the flesh, might be the one to fulfill God's covenant promises — so he pleaded, "O that Ishmael might live before thee."
After years of waiting, Abraham and Sarah became impatient and produced Ishmael through Hagar. When God promised a son through Sarah, Abraham asked that Ishmael might live before Him, wondering why Ishmael could not fulfill the promises. God answered that Sarah would bear Isaac and that the everlasting covenant would be established with Isaac. God also assured Abraham that He had heard his request concerning Ishmael and would bless him.
Genesis 17:18 — This is Abraham's direct plea about Ishmael, showing his concern that Ishmael might be accepted as the heir.
Genesis 17:19 — God's response clarifies that Sarah, not Hagar, will bear the promised son, Isaac, and the everlasting covenant will be through him.
Genesis 17:20 — God answers Abraham's concern by promising to bless Ishmael and make him a great nation.
After years of childlessness, God told Abraham that Sarai would become a mother. Abraham fell on his face and laughed, saying in his heart, "Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?" (Genesis 17:17). Then Abraham said to God, "O that Ishmael might live before thee!" (Genesis 17:18). God responded, "Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him" (Genesis 17:19). As for Ishmael, God said, "I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation" (Genesis 17:20).
Les Feldick explains that Ishmael was not the son of promise. Abraham and Sarah had no children, and after years of waiting they got impatient. Sarah suggested that Abraham have a child by her slave Hagar, and Abraham quickly agreed, so Ishmael was born after the energy of the flesh (Clips 1, 4). According to Les, when Abraham heard that Sarah would bear a son, he came back to that energy of the flesh and said, "O that Ishmael might live before thee" — meaning, "Why can't Ishmael fulfill your promises?" God refuted him, making it clear that Sarah, not the slave girl, would bear Isaac, and the covenant would be established with him as a promised son (Clip 2). God then dealt with Ishmael, promising to make him fruitful, multiply him exceedingly, give him twelve princes, and make him a great nation (Clip 5). Les also notes that Abraham loved Ishmael, and that in God's purposes Ishmael did not count as a son compared to Isaac, because through Isaac the nation of Israel and the Messiah would come (Clips 3, 6).
Les Feldick says Abraham was coming back to the energy of the flesh. After all the years of waiting, Ishmael was the only son Abraham had, and Abraham asked why Ishmael could not fulfill God's promises. This is the plea recorded in Genesis 17:18: "O that Ishmael might live before thee!"
God told Abraham that Sarah would bear him a son named Isaac and that He would establish His everlasting covenant with Isaac. Then, in response to Abraham's plea about Ishmael, God said He had heard Abraham and promised to bless Ishmael, make him fruitful, multiply him exceedingly, give him twelve princes, and make him a great nation.
Les Feldick emphasizes that Ishmael was after the energy of the flesh. Abraham and Sarai got impatient, so Sarah suggested using Hagar as a surrogate mother. Thus Ishmael was the natural son, while Isaac was the son of promise. God's promise was an "I will" from God, and Isaac became the promised son through whom the nation of Israel and the Messiah would come.
Who is the Angel of the Lord? Genesis 16 Bible Study
so forth, yet it's all coming. Everything in the Middle East is merely setting the stage for when the curtain will rise and God will once again pick up where He left off with His nation of Israel back there in the book of Acts. All right, so now then verse 9, And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant, therefore, thou and thy seed, after thee, in their generations.
Ishmael Born After the Flesh
Les explains that Abraham and Sarah got impatient and used Hagar, so Ishmael was born after the energy of the flesh rather than by promise.
Abraham's Plea for Ishmael
Les directly addresses Abraham's words "O that Ishmael might live before thee," explaining that Abraham wondered why Ishmael could not fulfill God's promises.
Abraham's Love for Ishmael
Les shows how deeply Abraham loved Ishmael, noting that later sending him away was an excruciating experience.
The Fleshly Origin of Ishmael
Les traces Ishmael to Abraham's impatience and the pagan custom of using a surrogate mother, and notes the ongoing Middle East conflict over Abraham's offspring.
God's Promise to Bless Ishmael
Les highlights Genesis 17:20, where God answers Abraham's concern by promising to make Ishmael fruitful, multiply him exceedingly, give him twelve princes, and make him a great nation.
Ishmael Not Counted as the Only Son
Les notes that in God's purposes Ishmael did not count as a son compared to Isaac, because through Isaac the nation of Israel and the Messiah would come.
Abraham, Sarah, and the Allegory of Law vs. Grace | Genesis 20-21
Sure enough, old Abraham wasn't worried for nothing." Verse 3, but God intervenes, because after all, God is intensely interested now in this promised child, Isaac. And so God came to Abimelech, this pagan king, in a dream by night, and said to him, "...behold, thou art but a dead man. For the woman which thou hast taken, she is a man's wife." Now remember, he gets this by way of a dream.
Genesis 17:17: Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
This shows Abraham's human reaction to the promise that Sarah would bear a son.
Genesis 17:18: And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
This is Abraham's direct plea concerning Ishmael that stands at the heart of the question.
Genesis 17:19: And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
This is God's answer that the covenant promise would be fulfilled through Isaac.
Genesis 17:20: And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
This is God's direct response to Abraham's concern for Ishmael.
Abraham had Ishmael as his only son after years of waiting. When God promised a son through Sarah, Abraham returned to the energy of the flesh and asked why Ishmael could not fulfill God's promises. God explained that Sarah would bear Isaac and that the covenant would be established with him.
Yes. In Genesis 17:20 God said, "And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee." He promised to bless Ishmael, make him fruitful, multiply him exceedingly, give him twelve princes, and make him a great nation.
No. Les Feldick teaches that Ishmael was the son after the energy of the flesh, born because Abraham and Sarah got impatient and used Hagar. Isaac was the son of promise, and God said the everlasting covenant would be established with Isaac.
Watch the Teaching: Who is the Angel of the Lord? Genesis 16 Bible Study