Ishmael or Isaac:  Which Son Was To Be Sacrificed?

We will begin by looking at proofs that the Bible has been modified with regards to the story of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac (pbut) and the sacrifice.  First, let us begin with what facts we have available from the Bible:

 •Abraham (pbuh) was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born (Genesis 16:16).

 •Abraham (pbuh) was one hundred years old when Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5).

 •This makes Ishmael fourteen years older than Isaac (pbut).

 •Sarah (pbuh) became angry when she felt that Ishmael (pbuh)was mocking her son Isaac (pbuh_ just after Isaac had been weaned (Genesis 21:8), and she had Abraham (pbuh) cast them out into the desert (Genesis 21:21).

Now, let us read the verses that describe what happened to Ishmael and Hagar (pbut) after they were cast out.  Keep in mind, Ishmael (pbuh) was at least sixteen years old when this incident occurred (he was fourteen years older than Isaac + at least two years weaning age):

 Genesis 21:14 “And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.”  (KJV).

Let us look at a Bible version that is less ambiguous.  Keep in mind that the New Revised Standard Version was written using manuscripts more acient than what was available and used at the time of the KJV translation.

 Genesis 21:14 “So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.” (New Revised Standard Version)

Does it make sense for Abraham (pbuh) to place a sixteen (at least) year old on Hagar’s shoulder?  The Qur’an tells us that the Ishmael was only a baby when this event occurred.  Below is a quote from the famous Anchor Bible, Vol. 1 p. 155.

 “…the real problem is Ishmael’s age at the time…his mother would not have carried him… The various emendations that have been proposed merely substitute one set of problems for another.  An acceptable solution has yet to be discovered.”

Moving on to the next verse:

Genesis 21:15 "When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes." (KJV)

Again, Hagar would need to be mighty strong to "cast" a sixteen year old "Child" under the bushes.

Genesis 21:16 "Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, ‘Do not let me look on the death of the child.’ And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept."

This description doesn't give us the impression of a sixteen (at least) year old child, but that of a baby.  Wouldn't a sixteen year old be worried for his mother, especially as she weeps?

Genesis 21:17 "And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, ‘What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. (18) Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.’ "

Again, it would be more logical for a sixteen (at least) year old to lift up his mother then vice versa.  Now consider the following points:

-Ishmael (pbuh) is always referred to as either the "child" or the "lad" (in NRSV).

-The angel only acknowledged Hagar and not Ishmael (pbut), almost as if Ishmael (pbuh) wasn't present or was too young to be involved.

-All throughout this account, while Hagar worried, wept, searched for water and so on, Ishmael (pbuh) sat there still.  Wouldn't someone of at least sixteen years of age have  helped his mother find water, or consoled her as she wept?

Let us read one more verse:

Genesis 21:20 "God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow."

Doesn't this seem more fitting to a baby then a person of at least sixteen years of age?  Isn't sixteen (at least) already grown up?  The above shows clear examples of alterations to the biblical account.  Let us read the Qur'an's version of these events:

According to the Qur’an, the above events unfolded a bit differently.  First off, it is important to note that Muslims have tremendous respect for Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael and Isaac (pbut).  They are viewed as moral and pious people.   The Muslim version of the story is as follows:  Abraham received a revelation from God telling him to take Hagar and their baby Ishmael to the desert of Paran (The site the later became known as Mecca), and leave them there.  Abraham was about to leave them there when Hagar called out “Where are you leaving us?”  After asking this three times, she asked if God had commanded him to do leave them.  Abraham answered “yes.”  Hagar replied, “Then He will not forsake us.”  Hagar and baby Ishmael eventually ran out of water, and Hagar began to run back and forth between the two hills known as “Al-Safa” and “Al-Marwa” in search of water.  God sent an angel that caused water to arise from the earth.  This is now known as the well of "Zamzam" which Muslims drink from today as part of the pilgrimage.  This was also the start of the city of Mecca.  Once water was discovered, Bedouins began to settle and it became the city known as Mecca.  In 570 C.E., the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), a descendant of Ishmael, was born there.

Let us review what some scholars had to say with the biblical account of the above events:

The Anchor Bible says the following Vol. 1, pp. 156-157:

"Except for the first four verses, the narrative is the work of E.  The proof goes deeper than the external evidence from the consistent use of Elohim (6, 12, 17, 19, 20).  The present account duplicates ch. xvi.  More significant, however, is the fact that the reason for Hagar's departure is not at all the same as in the earlier story by J, nor does the personality of Hagar as here duplicated bear any resemblance to that of her namesake in the other story, so complete a dichotomy would be inconceivable in the work of the same author, or in a fixed written tradition...By the time of the writing, however, the material had come to be transmitted through more than one channel, and the individual writers contributed indirectly to the widening gap"

Now for the sacrifice.  Here is the Qur'an's version of this event:

 

Qur'an 37:99 "He said: "I will go to my Lord! He will surely guide me!  (100) "O my Lord! Grant me a righteous (son)!" (101)So We gave him the good news of a boy ready to suffer and forbear. (102) Then, when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him, he said: "O my son! I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: Now see what is thy view!" (The son) said: "O my father! Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me, if Allah so wills one practising Patience and Constancy!" (103) So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah., and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice),  (104) We called out to him "O Abraham! (105) "Thou hast already fulfilled the vision!" - thus indeed do We reward those who do right. (106) For this was obviously a trial- (107) And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice:  (108) And We left (this blessing) for him among generations (to come) in later times:  (109)"Peace and salutation to Abraham!" (110)Thus indeed do We reward those who do right.(111) For he was one of our believing Servants.

(112) And We gave him the good news of Isaac - a prophet,- one of the Righteous. (113) We blessed him and Isaac: but of their progeny are (some) that do right, and (some) that obviously do wrong, to their own souls. (114)

The Qur'an says it was Ishmael (pbuh) who was to be sacrificed, the Bible says Isaac (pbuh).  Genesis 22:2 says "And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. "  We know that Isaac (pbuh) was never Abraham's (pbuh) only son.  Replace the name 'Ishmael' were 'Isaac' is, and that solves the problem.  In this link, there is ample evidence that shows that Ishmael was Abraham's (pbut) legitimate son even until after his death:  Did God's Covenant With Abraham Include Ishmael? 

The following comes from Encyclopedia Judica Jerusalem, Volume 9 below the heading 'Ishmael':

"It is related that a renowned traditionalist of Jewish origin from Qurayza tribe and another Jewish scholar who converted to Islam, told Caliph Omar ibn "abd al-'Aziz (717-20) that the Jews were well informed that Ismail (Ishmael) was the one who was bound, but they concealed this out of jelousy." 

One may ask what the purpose would be to change the names?  Here is what the Interpreter's Bible says:

"Many Israelites did not want a God who would be equally the God of all nations on the Earth.  They did not want on who would be impartial Holiness.  They wanted a God who would be partial to them.  So we read in Deuteronomy of the demands for a complete extermination of all non-Israelite people of Palestine (Deuteronomy 7:2) and as to the carrying out of the injunction read the harsh sentences of Deuteronomy 20:10-17."