Simeon
Hearing. (1.) The second son of Jacob by Leah (Gen 29:33). He was associated with Levi in the terrible act of vengeance against Hamor and the Shechemites (Gen 34:25, Gen 34:26). He was detained by Joseph in Egypt as a hostage (Gen 42:24). His father, when dying, pronounced a malediction against him (Gen 49:5–7). The words in the Authorized Version (Gen 49:6), “they digged down a wall,” ought to be, as correctly rendered in the Revised Version, “they houghed an ox.”
(2.) An aged saint who visited the temple when Jesus was being presented before the Lord, and uttered lofty words of thankgiving and of prophecy (Luke 2:29–35).
(3.) One of the ancestors of Joseph (Luke 3:30).
(4.) Surnamed Niger, i.e., “black,” perhaps from his dark complexion, a teacher of some distinction in the church of Antioch (Acts 13:1–3). It has been supposed that this was the Simon of Cyrene who bore Christ’s cross. Note the number of nationalities represented in the church at Antioch.
(5.) James (Acts 15:14) thus designates the apostle Peter (q.v.).
Named in the Bible
The first 20 of 45 verses
- Genesis 29:33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
- Genesis 34:25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
- Genesis 34:30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
- Genesis 35:23 The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:
- Genesis 42:24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.
- Genesis 42:36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.
- Genesis 43:23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.
- Genesis 46:10 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman.
- Genesis 48:5 And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
- Genesis 49:5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
- Exodus 1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
- Exodus 6:15 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.
- Numbers 1:6 Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
- Numbers 1:22 Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
- Numbers 1:23 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.
- Numbers 2:12 And those which pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon: and the captain of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
- Numbers 7:36 On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon, did offer:
- Numbers 10:19 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
- Numbers 13:5 Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.
- Numbers 26:12 The 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:
From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), by Matthew George Easton.
