Short answer
Kedar was the second son of Ishmael, Abraham's son. Many Arab genealogists trace the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to Ishmael through Kedar. And the Bible names Kedar in two prophecies that point to the Prophet's (ﷺ) coming. Isaiah 42 tells of God's (﷾) chosen servant, who brings law to the nations. Then it calls on "the villages that Kedar doth inhabit" to lift up their voice. That servant came from Kedar's kin: the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), who led the Arabs away from idols. Isaiah 60 says "the flocks of Kedar" will be accepted on God's (﷾) altar, at the house of His glory. Every year at the Hajj, Muslims offer sacrifices by the House Abraham and Ishmael built. Kedar was never part of Israel. The Bible places his people in the Arabian desert, in "the tents of Kedar". So Kedar links the family of Abraham, through Ishmael, to the last Prophet (ﷺ).
Full explanation
Ishmael's second son
Genesis lists the sons of Ishmael: "the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar", and ten more. God (﷾) promised Abraham that Ishmael too would become "a great nation". Ishmael grew up "in the wilderness of Paran". So Kedar was Abraham's grandson. His people and the children of Israel are cousins, with Abraham the father of both.
“And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,”
“Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.”
“And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.”
The tents of Kedar: the Arabs of the desert
The Bible uses Kedar as a name for the desert Arabs. A psalm sighs: "Woe is me ... that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!" The Song of Solomon speaks of being "black, but comely ... as the tents of Kedar". Ezekiel names "Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar" together as traders in flocks. Assyrian records agree. They show Qedar as the leading Arab tribe of the north Arabian desert, from about the 8th century BCE.
“Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!”
“I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.”
“Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, they occupied with thee in lambs, and rams, and goats: in these were they thy merchants.”
A history of the Arab peoples of the Fertile Crescent's borders from the 9th to the 5th century BCE. Eph'al shows from Assyrian records and the Bible that Qedar (Kedar) was the leading Arab tribal group of the north Arabian desert in that period.
The Prophet's (ﷺ) line
The Prophet (ﷺ) said God (﷾) chose Kinana from the descendants of Ishmael, then Quraysh from Kinana, then Banu Hashim, then him. Arab genealogists trace his line to Ishmael through Kedar or through Nebaioth. They differ on which, and Isaiah 60 names both. The Qur'an says Abraham settled some of his offspring "in a valley without cultivation, by Thy Sacred House". There he and Ishmael raised the House's foundations.
Wathila ibn al-Asqa' reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said God chose Kinana from the descendants of Ishmael, chose Quraysh from Kinana, chose Banu Hashim from Quraysh, and chose him from Banu Hashim. In Sahih Muslim it stands under the heading on the merit of the Prophet's lineage.
“"O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Thy Sacred House; in order, O our Lord, that they may establish regular Prayer: so fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them, and feed them with fruits: so that they may give thanks.”
“And remember Abraham and Isma'il raised the foundations of the House (With this prayer): "Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us: For Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-knowing.”
Abraham
Settles some of his offspring by God's (﷾) Sacred House.
Ishmael
Grew up in the wilderness of Paran, promised to become a great nation.
Kedar (or Nebaioth)
Ishmael's sons. Arab genealogists trace the line through one of them.
Kinana, then Quraysh, then Banu Hashim
Chosen in turn from Ishmael's descendants.
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)
Chosen from Banu Hashim.
Isaiah 42: a new song in Kedar's villages
Isaiah 42 opens with God's (﷾) chosen servant. "He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles", and "the isles shall wait for his law". Then God (﷾) calls for "a new song". He calls on "the villages that Kedar doth inhabit" to lift up their voice. The Qur'an came in Arabic, the language of Kedar's people. Every day it is recited in prayer, from their land to the ends of the earth.
“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.”
“Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.”
Isaiah 60: Kedar's flocks at God's (﷾) house
Isaiah 60 says: "All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee". It goes on: "they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory." The sons of Ishmael and their flocks are welcomed at God's (﷾) house. Every year at the Hajj, Muslims offer animals in sacrifice, by the House that Abraham and Ishmael built. The Qur'an calls these offerings "among the symbols from Allah".
“All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.”
“The sacrificial camels we have made for you as among the symbols from Allah: in them is (much) good for you: then pronounce the name of Allah over them as they line up (for sacrifice): when they are down on their sides (after slaughter), eat ye thereof, and feed such as (beg not but) live in contentment, and such as beg with due humility: thus have We made animals subject to you, that ye may be grateful.”
“And remember Abraham and Isma'il raised the foundations of the House (With this prayer): "Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us: For Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-knowing.”
| Prophecy | What Isaiah says | How it came true |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 42 | God's (﷾) servant brings law to the nations, and Kedar's villages lift up their voice | The Prophet (ﷺ), of Kedar's kin, brought the law; the Qur'an, in Arabic, is recited every day |
| Isaiah 60 | Kedar's flocks are accepted on God's (﷾) altar, at the house of His glory | Every year at the Hajj, sacrifices are offered by the House Abraham and Ishmael built |
Isaiah 21: a pointer, not the main proof
Isaiah 21 has "The burden upon Arabia". It speaks of men who "fled from the swords, from the drawn sword", and of "the glory of Kedar" failing. Many Muslim writers see here the Prophet's (ﷺ) flight from Mecca and the defeat of the Quraysh at Badr. But the time it gives, "within a year", is short. Badr came in the second year after the flight. So this site treats Isaiah 21 only as a pointer. The clear passages are Isaiah 42 and 60.
“The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim. The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail: And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken it.”
Perspectives
Jewish and Christian reading
Jews and Christians usually read Isaiah 42 as about Israel or Jesus. They read Isaiah 60 as about Jerusalem in the age to come, with Kedar one of many nations honouring it.
Isaiah 60 is about Jerusalem's future glory, with Kedar among the nations bringing gifts.
Rebuttal
The chapter names Ishmael's own sons, Kedar and Nebaioth, and has their flocks accepted on God's (﷾) altar. Kedar's people did not come to worship the God (﷾) of Abraham through Judaism or the Church. They came through the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), and still offer their sacrifices at the House Abraham built.
The servant of Isaiah 42 is Jesus, as Matthew says.
Rebuttal
The servant brings law to the nations, and the song rises in Kedar's villages. Jesus brought no new law, and said he was sent only to Israel. The Prophet (ﷺ), of Ishmael's line, brought a law that reached the isles.
The Islamic perspective
Kedar, Ishmael's son, stands for the Arabs. Isaiah foresaw his villages singing God's (﷾) praise and his flocks accepted at God's (﷾) house. Both came true through the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), of Ishmael's line.
Kedar was Ishmael's second son.
The Bible uses "the tents of Kedar" for the desert Arabs.
Isaiah 42 calls Kedar's villages to sing a new song after the servant brings law to the nations.
Isaiah 60 has Kedar's flocks accepted on God's (﷾) altar.
The Prophet (ﷺ) came from Ishmael's line.