Simeon
שִׁמְעוֹן · shim.on · H8095GΣυμεών · Sumeōn · G4826J1 other spelling“that hears or obeys; that is heard” Hitchcock's 186943 mentions in 10 books, most in Numbers (11)
Who he was
Simeon was the second son of Israel (or 'Jacob') and Leah, born after Reuben (Genesis 29:33). He was one of the twelve sons of Jacob who became the founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. Simeon, along with his brother Levi, took violent revenge against the Shechemites for the rape of their sister Dinah (Genesis 34:25–30). This action was condemned by their father, Jacob (Genesis 49:5–7).
When Joseph's brothers went to Egypt during the famine, Joseph took Simeon as a hostage until they brought their youngest brother, Benjamin (Gen.42.24,36; 43.23). Simeon was later released and returned to Canaan with his brothers (Genesis 46:10).
The tribe of Simeon, descended from Simeon, was one of the twelve tribes of Israel. During the wilderness wanderings, the tribe of Simeon was led by Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai (Num.1.6; 2.12; 7.36; 10.19). The tribe's territory was located within the boundaries of Judah in the Negev (Jos.19.1,9; Jdg.1.3,17).
In later history, some from the tribe of Simeon migrated to Edom during the reign of Hezekiah (1 Chronicles 4:42–43). The tribe is mentioned in the visions of Ezekiel (Ezk.48.24,25,33) and in the list of the sealed from the twelve tribes in Revelation (Revelation 7:7).
Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Family
FatherIsraelMotherLeahSiblingsReuben, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Dinah, Joseph, BenjaminSpouseCanaanite woman, a wife of SimeonChildrenJemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zerah, Shaul
Family relations: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Every mention
43 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)
Genesis10 mentions
Genesis 29:33She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, “Because Yahweh has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” She named him Simeon.Genesis 34:25On the third day, when they were sore, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword, came upon the unsuspecting city, and killed all the males.Genesis 34:30Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me, to make me odious to the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I am few in number. They will gather…Genesis 35:23The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.Genesis 42:24He turned himself away from them, and wept. Then he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.Genesis 42:36Jacob, their father, said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children! Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.”Genesis 43:23He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them.Genesis 46:10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.Genesis 48:5Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, will be mine.Genesis 49:5“Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are weapons of violence.
Exodus2 mentions
Numbers11 mentions
Numbers 1:6Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.Numbers 1:22Of the children of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those who were counted of it, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from…Numbers 1:23those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.Numbers 2:12“Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon. The prince of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.Numbers 7:36On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon,Numbers 10:19Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai was over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon.Numbers 13:5Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.Numbers 25:14Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers’ house among the Simeonites.Numbers 26:12The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites;Numbers 26:14These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand two hundred.Numbers 34:20Of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.
Deuteronomy1 mention
Joshua5 mentions
Joshua 19:1The second lot came out for Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families. Their inheritance was in the middle of the inheritance of the children of Judah.Joshua 19:8and all the villages that were around these cities to Baalath Beer, Ramah of the South. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.Joshua 19:9Out of the part of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon; for the portion of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Simeon had…Joshua 21:4The lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. The children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had thirteen cities by lot out of the tribe of Judah, out of the tribe of…Joshua 21:9They gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are mentioned by name:
Judges2 mentions
Judges 1:3Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your lot.” So Simeon went with him.Judges 1:17Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. The name of the city was called Hormah.
1 Chronicles6 mentions
1 Chronicles 2:1These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,1 Chronicles 4:24The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul;1 Chronicles 4:42Some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to Mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.1 Chronicles 6:65They gave by lot out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities which are…1 Chronicles 12:25Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valor for the war: seven thousand one hundred.1 Chronicles 27:16Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: of the Reubenites, Eliezer the son of Zichri was the ruler; of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah;
2 Chronicles2 mentions
2 Chronicles 15:9He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who lived with them out of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon; for they came to him out of Israel in abundance when they saw that Yahweh his God…2 Chronicles 34:6He did this in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, even to Naphtali, around in their ruins.
Ezekiel3 mentions
Ezekiel 48:24“By the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west side, Simeon, one portion.Ezekiel 48:25“By the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west side, Issachar, one portion.Ezekiel 48:33“At the south side four thousand five hundred reeds by measure, and three gates: the gate of Simeon, one; the gate of Issachar, one; the gate of Zebulun, one.
What the dictionary says
Hearing.
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Read the article →Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain