Ishmael (Book of Mormon)

In the Book of Mormon, Ishmael1 (/ˈɪʃməl, -mɛl/)[1] is the righteous friend of the prophet Lehi in Jerusalem.

(See Archaeology and the Book of Mormon) After their arrival in the Americas, the children of Ishmael side with the Lamanites, except for those daughters who married Sam, Nephi, and Zoram1.

The interesting thing is that Nephi takes Ishmael (unlike Zoram) completely for granted, never explaining who he is or how he fits into the picture--the act of sending for him seems to be the most natural thing in the world, as does the marriage of his daughters with Lehi's sons.

Since it has ever been the custom among the desert people for a man to marry the daughter of his paternal uncle (bint 'ammi), it is hard to avoid the impression that Lehi and Ishmael were related.

The portrayals were highly influenced by Arnold Friberg paintings of the characters.