Genesis 21:12
“And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.”
KJV
Read in Genesis 21Meaning
Isaac is identified as the line through which Abraham's named offspring will be traced in the covenant story.
Read carefully
Covenant distinction does not mean Ishmael is hated, cursed, or without blessing, and it does not settle modern ethnic, religious, or territorial disputes.
Reflection
Different narrative roles do not imply different human worth; the following verses explicitly preserve God's concern for Ishmael.