Nzingha
Thanks for helping out, admitadly half of that just flew over my head but I got the jest of it.
I have a follow up question about this last part of the verse, I got some very different translations. Like "live to the east" or "live among" his brethern. Not indicating hostility. here are some of the translations
New American Standard
"He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone's hand will be against him; And he will live to the east of all his brothers."
KJV
And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
RSV
He shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against every man and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.
Darby
And he will be a wild-ass of a man, his hand against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell before the face of all his brethren.
I'm assuming you have a preference for the translation you gave, so what of those other translations? Looking into a very basic online hebre lexicon it doesn't seem that the term used denotes hostility in itself am I wrong in that? or is it certain gramatical usages that change the meaning? There are similiar things in arabic so I would understand that.
I'm not even touching some of the commentaries on this verse. Some are very racist and crude. others a bit more balanced so I understand what one gets from such a verse would be more of an indication of their own feelings.. no use really getting into all that.
But on the subject of Ishmael pbuh in general.. how much is really known about him and his decendents in the bible?