Gen 25:18 | NETfull | STEP | His descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, which runs next to Egypt all the way to Asshur. They settled away from all their relatives.

Genesis 25:18

18 His descendants ^{▼▼ Heb “they”; the referent (Ishmael’s descendants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} settled from Havilah to Shur, which runs next ^{▼▼ Heb “which is by the face of,” or near the border. The territory ran along the border of Egypt.} to Egypt all the way ^{▼▼ Heb “as you go.”} to Asshur. ^{▼▼ The name Asshur refers here to a tribal area in the Sinai.} They settled ^{▼▼ Heb “he fell.”} away from all their relatives. ^{▼▼ Heb “upon the face of all his brothers.” This last expression, obviously alluding to the earlier oracle about Ishmael (Gen 16:12), could mean that the descendants of Ishmael lived in hostility to others or that they lived in a territory that was opposite the lands of their relatives. While there is some ambiguity about the meaning, the line probably does give a hint of the Ishmaelite-Israelite conflicts to come.}