Adbeel

Ishmael's third son and tribal prince

Also known as: Adbeel

The patriarchsTribal princePatriarch of a tribec. 1900 BC

Adbe'el was the third of Ishmael's twelve sons and thus a grandson of Abraham through the servant woman Hagar. He is mentioned in the genealogies in Genesis and 1 Chronicles among the twelve Ishmaelite tribal princes who settled in the Arabian region. Together with his brothers, Adbe'el forms a concrete fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham that Ishmael would become the father of twelve princes and grow into a great nation (Gen 17:20). Although the Bible gives no further details about Adbe'el's personal history, scholars have pointed to a possible connection between his descendants and the tribe Idiba'il, known from Assyrian cuneiform texts. His place in the genealogy testifies to God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises even outside the covenant line through Isaac.

Family

FatherIshmael SiblingNebaioth SiblingKedar SiblingMibsam SiblingMishma SiblingDuma SiblingMassa SiblingHadad SiblingTheme SiblingJetur SiblingNaphish SiblingKedma

Key events

The Birth and Lineage of Adbe'el

Adbe'el is listed as the third of Ishmael's twelve sons, all of whom became leaders of their respective tribes.

Gen 25:13 Show in context →

13These are the names of Ishmael's sons, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, Ishmael's firstborn, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמוֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל בִּשְׁמֹתָ֖ם לְתוֹלְדֹתָ֑ם בְּכֹ֤ר יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ נְבָיֹ֔ת וְקֵדָ֥ר וְאַדְבְּאֵ֖ל וּמִבְשָֽׂם׃ ‬

Ishmael's Twelve Sons as Tribal Princes

Ishmael's sons, including Adbe'el, settled in the region from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt, and became twelve tribal princes in fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham.

Gen 25:15 Show in context →

15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

חֲדַ֣ד וְתֵימָ֔א יְט֥וּר נָפִ֖ישׁ וָקֵֽדְמָה׃ ‬

Gen 25:16 Show in context →

16These were the sons of Ishmael, and these were their names according to their settlements and encampments—twelve princes, each with his own tribe.

אֵ֣לֶּה הֵ֞ם בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ וְאֵ֣לֶּה שְׁמֹתָ֔ם בְּחַצְרֵיהֶ֖ם וּבְטִֽירֹתָ֑ם שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר נְשִׂיאִ֖ם לְאֻמֹּתָֽם׃ ‬

God's Promise of Twelve Princes from Ishmael

God promised Abraham that Ishmael would become the father of twelve princes and a great nation. Adbe'el was part of the fulfillment of this promise.

Gen 17:20 Show in context →

20As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.

וּֽלְיִשְׁמָעֵאל֘ שְׁמַעְתִּיךָ֒ הִנֵּ֣ה ׀ בֵּרַ֣כְתִּי אֹת֗וֹ וְהִפְרֵיתִ֥י אֹת֛וֹ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֥י אֹת֖וֹ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֤ר נְשִׂיאִם֙ יוֹלִ֔יד וּנְתַתִּ֖יו לְג֥וֹי גָּדֽוֹל׃ ‬

Adbe'el in the Genealogies of Chronicles

Adbe'el is again mentioned in the genealogy in 1 Chronicles, confirming his place among Ishmael's twelve sons.

1 Chr 1:29 Show in context →

29These are their genealogies: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

אֵ֖לֶּה תֹּלְדוֹתָ֑ם בְּכ֤וֹר יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ נְבָי֔וֹת וְקֵדָ֥ר וְאַדְבְּאֵ֖ל וּמִבְשָֽׂם׃ ‬

Ishmael's Death and Descendants

Ishmael lived 137 years, and his sons, including Adbe'el, established themselves as tribal princes in the Arabian desert.

Gen 25:17 Show in context →

17Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. Then he breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people.

וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל מְאַ֥ת שָׁנָ֛ה וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיִּגְוַ֣ע וַיָּ֔מָת וַיֵּאָ֖סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו׃ ‬

Gen 25:18 Show in context →

18His descendants settled from Havilah as far as Shur, near the border of Egypt, in the direction of Asshur; and they lived in hostility toward all their kindred.

וַיִּשְׁכְּנ֨וּ מֽ͏ֵחֲוִילָ֜ה עַד־שׁ֗וּר אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּאֲכָ֖ה אַשּׁ֑וּרָה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־אֶחָ֖יו נָפָֽל׃ פ ‬

Mentioned in the Bible (2)

Genesis 25:13 1 Chronicles 1:29