THEOSISJerome of Stridon
The remaining sons of Ishmael are noted up to the passage stating, ‘They lived from Havilah to Sur, which is before Egypt, as you go to Assyria. In the sight of all his brothers he fell.’ Ishmael had twelve sons, with Nabaioth being the firstborn. This name designates the entire area stretching from the Euphrates to the Red Sea, known as Nabathea, a region within Arabia, as the local families, towns, villages, and small fortifications are commonly recognized by this title. One of Ishmael's sons gave rise to the name Kedar in the wilderness, another Dumah in a different region, a third Fema in the southern territories, and a fourth Kedma to the east.
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It is noteworthy that the conclusion of this verse, as rendered by the Seventy, states ‘in the sight of all his brethren he lived,’ but is more accurately interpreted as ‘in the sight of all his brethren he rested.’ This indicates that Ishmael passed away surrounded by his sons, suggesting that his children outlived their father, with none being taken by death before him. The term brothers can be used interchangeably with sons. This is similarly depicted when Jacob addresses Laban, stating, ‘What is my sin, that thou hast chased me and searched all my belongings? What have you discovered among the possessions of your house? Let it be presented before my brothers and your brothers, and let them decide between us’ (Gen. 31:36-37). We can reasonably conclude that Jacob had no other brothers aside from his offspring, as indicated by Scripture.