If Ishmael and Isaac are both sons of Abraham, why is Ishmael regarded as a bad-seed child?

Question

Abraham was the common parent of both sons, and he loved them dearly and equally. Neither Sarah nor Hagar had any say in the matter.

Answer 1

Muslims don't regard Ishmael as the bad-seed child =p

Answer 2

Well actually Sarah encouraged Abraham to have a child by Hagar because at that time Sarah was barren.
But Hagar wasn't Abraham's wife, she was his wife's maid, so Ishmael was illegitimate.
Ishmael also hated Isaac when he was born, because Isaac was the promised child.
Ishmael was a mistake that showed Abraham and Sarah didn't believe God at the time and tried to solve the problem themselves.
Of course Abraham loved Ishmael, but he always was a reminder of the mistake, or the sin, so Sarah ordered Abraham to "cast out the bondwoman and her son."

Answer 3

He was not a "bad-seed" child. God promised to bless him. He simply was not the heir of the divine promises God gave to Abraham. As it is written:


15 God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her."

17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?" 18 And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"

19 Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year."

Genesis 17:15-21

Answer 4

The Bible says about Ishmael: "And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."

Genesis 16:12

Isaac was the covenant child. That is why in the Old Testament God is called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Answer 5

Because he was born as a surrogate child. Abraham wanted a son from Sarah, but lack of faith and impatience led to Ishmael's conception. Ishmael was a lesson to Abraham and Sarah, and Isaac was their reward after they learned to just trust God and let God work his own schedule.

Sarah knew Ishmael was a threat to Isaac, so with God's recommendation, Abraham sent Ishmael and his slave-mom away so that Isaac would be SAFE from the barbaric hands of a wild ***-of-a-man

Answer 6

Ishmail was the son born out of wedlock--so he technically was not a legitimate heir to anything.