The Ishmaelites were the descendants of Ishmael, whose family traveled with Lehi’s family from Jerusalem to the promised land. While crossing the wilderness, two sons and two daughters of Ishmael joined Laman and Lemuel in rebelling against Nephi, Sam, and their father Ishmael (1 Nephi 7:6), and on the sea voyage the sons of Ishmael again sided with Laman and Lemuel (1 Nephi 18:9). After the families divided, the sons of Ishmael followed Laman and Lemuel rather than Nephi.
Jacob lists “Ishmaelites” as one of seven group names among the people, alongside Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites, Lamanites, and Lemuelites, but states that he would thereafter call all who sought to destroy Nephi’s people Lamanites and the rest Nephites (Jacob 1:13-14). Later records count the Ishmaelites among the Lamanite coalition: the army opposing Captain Moroni was a compound of Laman and Lemuel, the sons of Ishmael, and Nephite dissenters (Alma 43:13), and Amalickiah was acknowledged king over the Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites (Alma 47:35). At the close of the record, Mormon notes that the Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites were called Lamanites, the two parties being Nephites and Lamanites (Mormon 1:8-9).
Those who rejected the gospel were called Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites; they willfully rebelled against the gospel of Christ and taught their children not to believe (4 Nephi 1:38). A later revelation states that the knowledge of a Savior would come to the Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites, who dwindled in unbelief because of the iniquity of their fathers, and that the plates were preserved so they might know the promises of the Lord and be saved through faith in Jesus Christ (Doctrine and Covenants 3:16-20).