“He laughs.” That’s the name God gave to Abraham’s son, even before he was born. Both his father and his mother had laughed at the thought of a ninety year old woman giving birth (Genesis 17:17; Genesis 18:12). Was it laughter of disbelief or of pure joy? Or is that distinction even meaningful? It was incredible news for a childless couple, unbelievable news. How could they not laugh?
God named their son Yitschaq (יִצְחָק), which means “he laughs.” His mother delighted in the joyful, playful name at the time of his birth:
Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
Genesis 21:6-7
Abraham had another son, who was about fourteen years old when Isaac was born. His mother, Hagar, was Sarah’s maidservant, whom Sarah had given to Abraham as his second wife. Before the birth of her son, Hagar ran away, but an angel sent her back with a promise:
Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. …
I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
Genesis 16:9-10
The angel instructed her to name her son Yishmael (יִשְׁמָעֵאל), which means “God hears,” “because the Lord hath heard thy affliction” (Genesis 16:11).
God referenced Ishmael’s name when he subsequently reiterated these promises to Abraham: “As for Ishmael, I have heard thee … and I will make him a great nation” (Genesis 17:20, italics added).
After Isaac’s birth, Sarah sent Hagar and Ishmael away, because she saw Ishmael mocking her son—the same Hebrew word as Isaac’s name (Genesis 21:9). Abraham was troubled, but God counseled him to listen to his wife—the same Hebrew word as Ishmael’s name. God again reiterated to Abraham His promises to both Isaac and Ishmael (Genesis 21:12). An angel miraculously saved Hagar and Ishmael in the desert and again assured Hagar of God’s promise, “I will make him a great nation” (Genesis 21:18).
What happened to Isaac and Ishmael after that? They both grew to adulthood, married, and raised families. At the time of their father’s death, they buried him together. The text gives no indication of animosity between them. The child whose parents had laughed, and the child whose parents God had heard stood side by side, remembering their father together.
Centuries later, a descendant of Isaac sent for a man named Ishmael to join him in a journey to a new promised land. After studying the brass plates, which included a record of Abraham’s family, Lehi received a commandment from God that his sons should marry, so that they could “raise up seed unto the Lord in the land of promise” (1 Nephi 7:1). He sent them back to Jerusalem to invite another family to join them in their migration. It’s meaningful that the father in this family was named “Ishmael” — “God hears.” Once again, God heard a family in the wilderness and sent a man named Ishmael to help them build a new nation.
The names of Abraham’s sons teach us about the inclusiveness of the God of Abraham. One child was named for the laughter and joy of the blessed, while the other was named for God’s attentiveness to the forgotten. God hears and loves all of His children, however included or marginalized they may be.
Today, I will be grateful for both laughter and listening. I will find joy when I feel included like Isaac, and I will trust that God hears me when I feel marginalized like Ishmael. I will remember that God can bless me in both circumstances and help me accomplish great things.
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