Who was Shimeah in the Bible?

Shimeah, also called Shimeam, was a Benjamite from the tribe of Benjamin. He is identified as the son of Mikloth and the nephew of Ner, who was the grandfather of King Saul (1 Chronicles 8:32).

What is the significance of Shimeah in the Bible?

Shimeah's significance lies in his genealogical connection to King Saul, Israel's first king. His listing in the genealogy of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:32) helps establish the royal lineage and tribal history of Saul's family.

Are there any key events in Shimeah's life?

The Bible does not record any specific events in Shimeah's life. His mention is purely genealogical, serving to document his family line within the tribe of Benjamin.

Shimeah

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSon

Shimeah (or Shimeam) was a Benjamite, son of Mikloth and nephew of Ner.

Shimeah

Biography

Shimeah (also rendered Shimeam in 1 Chronicles 9:38) was a Benjamite, recorded in the genealogy of King Saul's family as the son of Mikloth and the father of Madon. The genealogy in 1 Chronicles 8:32 and 9:38 traces the Benjamite lineage in Jerusalem from Jeiel and his wife Maacah down through subsequent generations, placing Shimeah within the tribal records of Benjamin that the Chronicler preserved for the post-exilic community. As a resident of Jerusalem within the Benjamite family record, Shimeah belonged to one of the clans maintaining tribal identity in the capital city. The variation between 'Shimeah' and 'Shimeam' across the two parallel genealogical lists in Chronicles reflects standard textual variation common in ancestral records.

Significance

Shimeah's appearance in the Benjamite genealogy of Chronicles carries theological significance within the post-exilic context for which the Chronicler wrote. The careful preservation of Benjamin's genealogical records, including relatively minor figures like Shimeah, affirmed to the returning exiles that their tribal identities had survived the catastrophe of the Babylonian deportation. Benjamin's tribe held particular importance as the tribe of Saul, Israel's first king, and as a tribe whose portion of land included Jerusalem's eastern edge. By preserving the memory of individuals like Shimeah, the Chronicler reinforced the continuity of covenant community identity from the pre-monarchic era through the exile and into the restoration, assuring the people that God's purposes for every tribe remained intact.

Authority Records

Wikidata

Verse Appearances (2)

1Chr

1Chr 8:32 1Chr 9:38

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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