Who was Shallum in the Bible?

Shallum was the son of Shaul and a descendant of Simeon, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. He is listed in a genealogy within the Old Testament, specifically in 1 Chronicles 4:24-25.

Why is Shallum mentioned in the Bible?

Shallum is mentioned to establish the lineage and continuity of the tribe of Simeon. His inclusion in the genealogy shows how God preserved the family lines of Israel, fulfilling His promises to the patriarchs.

What is significant about Shallum's life?

The Bible records no specific events from Shallum's life; his significance lies entirely in his place within the genealogical record. This highlights that every individual, even those without a detailed story, plays a part in God's overarching plan for His people.

Shallum

Old TestamentEgypt & WildernessMaleSon

Shallum was the son of Shaul and a descendant of Simeon.

Shallum

Biography

This Shallum was a member of the tribe of Simeon during the early period of Israel's sojourn in and departure from Egypt, recorded in 1 Chronicles 4:25 as the son of Shaul and the father of Mibsam. His name appears within the Simeonite genealogy that the Chronicler preserves to establish the tribal identity and continuity of one of Israel's twelve foundational clans. Shaul himself was the son of Simeon, Jacob's sixth son, born of a Canaanite woman (Genesis 46:10), making Shallum a third-generation descendant of the patriarch Jacob. Though no individual narrative attaches to this Shallum, his position in the genealogy links the patriarchal era to later Simeonite clan structures. His listing alongside his descendants indicates that his family line maintained its tribal identity through the generations of the wilderness wandering.

Significance

Shallum's place in the Simeonite genealogy (1 Chronicles 4:25) contributes to the Chronicler's overarching aim of demonstrating God's faithfulness to each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Though Simeon would eventually be absorbed into the territory of Judah and its tribal distinctiveness diminished (Joshua 19:1), God's meticulous record of its genealogies affirms that no branch of the covenant community is forgotten. Shallum's lineage also reflects the mixed ethnic origins of Simeon through Shaul's Canaanite mother, a reminder that God's covenant family has always encompassed complex human realities, yet God's purposes persist through and beyond such complexities, ultimately pointing toward the inclusive redemption accomplished in Christ.

Verse Appearances (1)

1Chr

1Chr 4:25

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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