ישמעאל

Hebrew

Etymology

From יִשְׁמַע (yishmá', yišmaʿ) +‎ אֵל ('él, ʾēl), literally "God will listen".

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(j)iʃmaˈ(ʔ)el/
• (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jiʃ.mɔ.ejl/, [jiʃ.ˈmɔ.ejl]
• (Sephardi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jiʃmaˈʕel/
• (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jiʃmɔˈʕel/
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): [jiʃmɔːˈʕeːl]

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Proper noun

יִשְׁמָעֵאל • (yishma'él) m

1. Ishmael
2. (Medieval Hebrew) the Muslim world, the Muslims
   • 1140, Yehuda HaLevi, “1:6”, in Judah ben Saul ibn Tibbon, transl., Sefer Kuzari:

     אַחַר כָּךְ אָמַר הַכּוּזָרִי בְלִבּוֹ, אֶשְׁאַל אֱדוֹם וְיִשְׁמָעִאל, כִּי אֶחָד מִשְּׁנֵי הַמַּעֲשִׂים הוּא הַנִּרְצֶה מֵאֵין סָפֵק.

     After this the Khazar said to himself, I will ask the Christians and the Muslims, for one of these two is undoubtedly God's will.

     (literally, “After this the Khazar said in his heart, I will ask Edom and Ishmael, for one of these two actions must be that which is wanted, without a doubt.”)