ISMAHEL. - A name identical, in Hebrew, with Ismael (Jihad'e'l); but the Vulgate, for the most part, makes a slight distinction between the son of Abraham (Ismael) and the other persons bearing the same name (Ismahel).
Among these, the following should be remembered:
1. I., father of Zabadia: his son was one of the leading Iosaphat (v.) and an active collaborator in the work of reform (II Par. 19, 11).
2. I., son of Iohanan, one of the centurions who, under the Ioiada (v.), overthrew Queen Athalia (II Par. 31, 1).
3. I., Godolia (v.). Son of Nathania, of the royal line of Judah. When Jerusalem fell under King Nabuchodonosor (387 B.C.), he at first collaborated with Godolia, whom the Babylonian King had left to govern Judea. But after three months, while the valiant governor, with the help of the prophet Geremia, was preparing to undertake the difficult work of social reconstruction, I., incited by the anti-Babylonian faction and supported by the king of the Ammonites, treacherously killed him at his residence in Maspha, afterwards managing to flee and take refuge among the Ammonites (II Reg. 25, 22-26; Ier. 40-41). Gaetano Stano