Did Issac steal the the birth right from Ishmael . If so why is this deception rewarded?

Question

I asked this question earlier and accidentally put Jacob instead of Issac - Everyone focused on correcting me on that but the question was not answered so I will ask once more -

If Sarah tricked Abraham into giving the first born birth right to Issac instead of Ishmael who deserved the birth right because he was the first born by Hagar - Why would such deception be rewarded? It tells us that Sarah was jealous of Hagar and at one time sent her away. Then she tricked Abraham into giving to wrong child the birth right. If Abraham was not sick or blind - he would of gave the birth right to Ishmael And God still tells Ishmael he will have a strong nation. But the fact remains that Sarah was a lier and a deceiver. I am not Muslim it is just an interesting question and would like to see what people think.

For those who do not know - Mohamed comes from Ishmael and Jesus comes from Issac. Ishmael and Issac were the sons of Abraham.

Several good answers - thanks

Answer 1

Abraham used human means to have a son instead of leaving it to God. God blessed BOTH sons, though the one that was born through divine action was the one through whom God's promises would be fulfilled.

... People are still answering the question you didn't ask.

Answer 2

Because Abraham went ahead and laid with his wife's servant even after he was told that he and his wife would have a child of their own, Isaac is considered(by God) to be the first born of Abraham and his wife because Isaac was the promised child. Sarah had thought that Abraham's child by her servant would be enough for the prophecy, since she was so sure that she couldn't become with child. Sarah didn't "trick" anybody, she couldn't believe that she could actually have a baby at her age and since she has been barren all their marriage until her pregnancy.

After Hagar had Ishmael her whole personality had changed. While Sarah was childless, Hagar was cruel and flaunted her motherhood in front of Sarah.

Ishmael was the child of Sarah's Egyptian servant but because he was Abraham's child God blessed Ishmael to be the father of many descendants, just as He did with Isaac.

Isaac did not "steal" Ishmael's birthright; he was the prophesied child of Abraham and Sarah. This made him the one "chosen" to follow Abraham in his close relationship with God.

Ishmael's birth was not prophesied.

Answer 3

The main point is that Sarah was Abrahams lawful and only wife while Hagar was not married to Abraham. Though she knew and obviously believed that, as God's promise foretold, Abraham would be the father of His chosen people, she had given up hope this would happen through her womb since she thought she was far too old to bare children. Though Sarah showed faith in the prophecy of Gods promise in this respect, she failed to see that nothing is impossible for God and that she could indeed become pregnant even at such an advanced age because of God's omnipotence. That was her only mistake and I see it as a rather unselfish one too.
Infact, she did later (after Ishmaels birth) become pregnant with Abraham's child, and did all she could to mend her mistake and fullfill the prophecy by making sure the birth-right (regarding this, see also the reference to Isaac and Rebekah's twin sons, Esau and Jacob and how a similar episode occured when choosing their birth-right...!)
The prophecy in Genesis 17:18: "After this Abraham said to the true God: 'O that Ishmael might live before you!' " and in 17:19 God replies: "To this God said: 'Sarah your wife is indeed bearing you a son, and you must call his name Isaac. And I will establish my covenant with him for a covenant to time indefinite to his seed after him.' "
So the prophecy HAD to be fullfilled because it was Gods promise and God's word. Infact, it was thanks to Sarah's mistake that muslims today have any birth-right decendency to Abraham at all: Genesis 17:20 goes on to say: " but as regards Ishmael I have heard you. Look! I will bless him and will make him fruitful and will multiply him very, very much. He will certainly produce twelve chieftains, and I will make him become a great nation. However, my covenant I will establish with Isaac whom Sarah will bear to you at this appointed time next year."
And so it has been.

Answer 4

You have part of the truth .... Ishmael was born to Hagar & Abraham because that was the custom when the wife could not conceive .What it came down to was that Abraham & Sarah did not believe God would fulfil his promise to them & give them a child so took it into their own hands & took a worldly view to solve the problem. God honoured his promise to them through the natural birth of Isaac & that is why Isaac received the Blessing , not Ishmael......he was the fulfillment of God's Promise

Answer 5

The Story is Jacob and Esau. The Meaning is spiritual. You will need spiritual understanding to grasp this but heres a hint ...Esau I have hated and Jacob I have loved...The first will be last and the last will be first e-mail or IM me if ya need any help. Abraham's sons were Issac and Ishmael.

Answer 6

at lest three mistakes
1 Essau not Ishmael
2 Jacob not Isaac
3 Abraham had about 8 sons, Ishmael, Isaac and the sons of Keturah according to Moses in Genesis

my explaination....
there was a prophesy before their birth of the twins (Essau and Jacob), when the mother asked of God why they were fighting in her womb

'the older shall serve the younger' said GOD not man... God;s choice would stand and would be worked out through the efforts of very very fallible man like Jacob... later renamed by God to be Isael (you have struggled with God and man and have prevailed!!!)

it was God who made Jacob get the birthright not Isaac... Ishmael is not in this story, Essau was

Isaac was the father
the twins were Essau the older and Jacob
God said his choice was the younger... are you opposing the choice of God?

Answer 7

You have it confused. Both sons of abraham(pbuh) are true prophets. Both sons of one of the greatest. It was jacob(pbuh), son of isaac(pbuh), whom took the birth right from edom(pbuh). When rebecca told him to place the wool on his back because edom (pbuh) had a hairy back. When isaac(pbuh) felt his back, he assumed him to be edom(pbuh) and gave him the inheritance. Now why was that inheritance awarded? Allah knows what all knows not.

Ishmael(pbuh) was and is a true prophet. The only thing I see he was robbed of was growing up without his father. Sarah considered him a half savage because ishmael(pbuh) was half egyption. So she chased hajar away because she bore child to abraham(pbuh).

PEACE!

Answer 8

Jehovah himself answers this question: He said that the nation that was to bear his name would be born from the Free woman, Sarah and not from the slave woman, Hagar.
Genesis 21:8-21

Answer 9

Are you nuts? It is totally apparent that you don't have a clue as to what the Lord God said to Abraham. Go read it, and then come back with your question.

Answer 10

Ishmael was a Mamzer.
mamzer
mam-zare'


from an unused root meaning to alienate; a mongrel, i.e. born of a Jewish father and a heathen mother