And indeed they so called him, because Sarah laughed when God
(25) said that she should bear a son, she not expecting such a
thing, as being past the age of child-bearing, for she was ninety
years old, and Abraham a hundred; so that this son was born to
them both in the last year of each of those decimal numbers. And
they circumcised him upon the eighth day and from that time the
Jews continue the custom of circumcising their sons within that
number of days. But as for the Arabians, they circumcise after
the thirteenth year, because Ismael, the founder of their nation,
who was born to Abraham of the concubine, was circumcised at that
age; concerning whom I will presently give a particular account,
with great exactness.

3. As for Sarah, she at first loved Ismael, who was born of her
own handmaid Hagar, with an affection not inferior to that of her
own son, for he was brought up in order to succeed in the
government; but when she herself had borne Isaac, she was not
willing that Ismael should be brought up with him, as being too
old for him, and able to do him injuries when their father should
be dead; she therefore persuaded Abraham to send him and his
mother to some distant country. Now, at the first, he did not
agree to what Sarah was so zealous for, and thought it an
instance of the greatest barbarity, to send away a young child
(26) and a woman unprovided of necessaries; but at length he
agreed to it, because God was pleased with what Sarah had
determined: so he delivered Ismael to his mother, as not yet able
to go by himself; and commanded her to take a bottle of water,
and a loaf of bread, and so to depart, and to take Necessity for
her guide. But as soon as her necessary provisions failed, she
found herself in an evil case; and when the water was almost