The Departure of Hagar and Ishmael: Analyzing Biblical Text and Midrash Interpretations

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Azahari Hassim

According to biblical accounts, Ishmael is described as a teenager at the time he and Hagar depart from Abraham’s household. In contrast, Islamic tradition presents him as an infant or young child whom Hagar nurses as they leave Abraham’s residence.

Was Ishmael placed on Hagar’s shoulder by Abraham in Genesis 21 before their departure? Was Ishmael able to walk when Abraham sent him and his mother away? How does the Midrash explain it?

Midrash is a term used in Jewish tradition to refer to a method of interpreting biblical texts. It involves exploring and expanding upon the stories, laws, and teachings found in the Hebrew Bible through storytelling, commentary, and analysis. Midrashic interpretations often seek to uncover deeper meanings or lessons within the text and can vary widely in style and content.

The Midrash provides an interpretation of the events in Genesis 21. According to the Midrash, Ishmael was indeed placed on Hagar’s shoulders, and this act is seen as a demonstration of Hagar’s devotion to her son. However, the Midrash also acknowledges the inconsistency between Ishmael’s age and his physical abilities, suggesting that the text may have been altered or fabricated to fit the narrative.

According to Rashi’s commentary, Ishmael was unable to walk at the time, potentially due to an evil eye cast upon him by Sarah that caused him to become ill. Rashi suggests Abraham placed the teenage Ishmael on Hagar’s shoulder along with their supplies because he was too feeble to walk on his own.

So in summary, while Rashi argues Ishmael was placed on Hagar’s shoulders because he was too ill to walk, this explanation is debated given Ishmael’s age and other details in the text and Midrash. The passage is ambiguous about how Hagar and Ishmael departed together. Alternative interpretations suggest Ishmael was old enough to walk, even if he required some support from his mother.

A passage from “Hard Sayings of the Bible” states:

A number of commentators have insisted on the fact that Ishmael was placed on the shoulders of Hagar when she left. This would imply that at the time the boy was a mere infant who needed to be carried by his mother. Then in Genesis 21, verse 15, he is spoken of as being cast or placed under a bush.

Now after these interpreters have reached these conclusions about Ishmael being a mere infant, they go on to declare that this assessment is in conflict with Genesis 16, verse 16, 17, verse 25, and 21, verse 5, where the boy seems to be at least thirteen or fourteen years old, and that this is the mark of multiple sources, for the texts were not edited as carefully as they should have been.

What is the explanation for this argument?

The argument you’ve mentioned is centered around the apparent discrepancies in Ishmael’s age in different parts of the Genesis narrative. The confusion arises from the portrayal of Ishmael as both an infant and a teenager in various passages.

According to Genesis 16, verse 16, Abraham was 86 years old when Ishmael was born. By the time Isaac was born, Abraham was 100 years old, making Ishmael approximately 14 years old (Genesis 21, verse 5). The event of Hagar and Ishmael being sent away occurs after the weaning of Isaac, which could imply that Ishmael was between 17 and 19 years old at that time.

The passage you’ve cited suggests that some commentators interpret the text as if Ishmael were an infant during this event, based on the description of him being carried on Hagar’s shoulders and placed under a bush. This interpretation could be seen as conflicting with the earlier texts that indicate Ishmael’s teenage years.

The explanation for this discrepancy is a subject of debate among scholars. Some propose that it might be due to multiple sources or redactions in the text, which were not perfectly harmonized. Others suggest that the narrative is not strictly chronological or that the descriptions are figurative rather than literal. It’s also possible that the term “child” or “boy” used in the text does not necessarily imply infancy but could simply refer to a son.

Abraham lived some thirty-seven years after Sarah’s death and died at the age of 175.
The biblical writer’s comment that Abraham was gathered to his people hints at the Israelites’ early belief in an afterlife.
The patriarch’s two oldest sons Isaac (now seventy-five) and Ishmael (now eighty-nine) took the responsibility of burying their father.

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The Importance of the Hajj in Islam as a reflection of alterations in the Torah and Islam’s role as a revived faith of Abraham

There is an argument among scholars regarding the significance of Hajj in Islam as a restored religion tracing back to Abraham. It is posited that Ishmael was exiled as a young child well before the birth of Isaac, and that Ishmael, rather than Isaac, was the intended sacrifice. How is this argument articulated?

The argument regarding the significance of Hajj in Islam as a restored religion tracing back to Abraham, and the associated narrative involving Ishmael and Isaac, is articulated through several key points:

1. Lineage and Prophetic Tradition: 

In Islamic tradition, Hajj is deeply connected to the figure of Abraham (Ibrahim). Muslims believe that Abraham, along with his son Ishmael (Ismail), played a foundational role in establishing the rites of Hajj. The Kaaba, the central structure around which Hajj is performed, is believed to have been built by Abraham and Ishmael.

2. The Story of Ishmael and Isaac:

  Exile of Ishmael: According to Islamic narratives, long before Isaac was born, Ishmael and his mother Hagar were settled by Abraham in the desert of Mecca, which is where the Zamzam well miraculously appeared to sustain both of Hagar and her infant son Ishmael. This event is commemorated during the Hajj.

  The Sacrifice: Islamic tradition holds that it was Ishmael, not Isaac, who was the intended sacrifice. This is based on interpretations of the Quran, specifically Surah 37, verses 100 to 113, where it is generally understood that the son who was to be sacrificed was Ishmael. According to the sequence of events in the Quran, the promise of Isaac’s birth comes after the story of sacrifice, indicating that Ishmael is the son in question.

This contrasts with the Judeo-Christian tradition, which identifies Isaac as the intended sacrifice.

3. Symbolic Acts of Hajj:

The rites of Hajj include reenactments and commemorations of events from the lives of Abraham, Hagar, and Ishmael. For instance:

The Sa’i, which involves walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah, commemorates Hagar’s desperate search for water for her infant son Ishmael.

The stoning of the Jamarat represents Abraham’s rejection of Satan’s temptation, which is believed to have occurred when he was about to sacrifice Ishmael.

4. Restoration of Abrahamic Monotheism: 

Islam views itself as a continuation and restoration of the pure monotheistic faith of Abraham. The Hajj serves as a means to reconnect with the Abrahamic legacy, emphasizing monotheism, obedience to God, and the unity of the Muslim community.

In summary, the argument hinges on the belief that Ishmael, rather than Isaac, was central to the narrative of sacrifice and that the rites of Hajj are rooted in the events of Abraham’s life as they unfolded in Mecca with Ishmael. This perspective underscores the significance of Hajj in Islam and its connection to Abraham as a pivotal prophet in the monotheistic tradition.

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