Who was Shimei in the Bible?

Shimei was a Levite appointed by King Hezekiah to be an overseer of the contributions and tithes brought to the temple in Jerusalem. His role was to help manage the distribution of offerings to the priests and Levites (2 Chronicles 31:12-13).

What was Shimei's significance in the Old Testament?

Shimei's significance lies in his faithful administrative service during King Hezekiah's religious reforms. He helped ensure the temple storehouses were properly managed, supporting the priests so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord (2 Chronicles 31:4).

What did Shimei do in the Bible?

Shimei's key event was being appointed, along with his brother Conaniah, as chief officer over the voluntary offerings brought to the temple. He faithfully assisted in the collection and distribution of tithes during a time of national revival (2 Chronicles 31:12).

Shimei

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleLevite

Shimei was a Levite appointed as an overseer of the contributions brought to the temple during Hezekiah's reign.

Shimei

Biography

Shimei was a Levite who served as an overseer of the sacred contributions brought to the Jerusalem temple during the reign of King Hezekiah, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 31. Following Hezekiah's restoration of Passover and temple worship, the people of Israel and Judah responded with remarkable generosity, bringing tithes, firstfruits, and devoted gifts in such abundance that storerooms had to be prepared to receive them. Shimei served under the supervision of Conaniah the chief Levite and was responsible for faithfully administering these contributions. His appointment to this role speaks to his trustworthiness and administrative competence within the Levitical order during this pivotal period of national renewal.

Significance

Shimei's oversight of temple contributions during Hezekiah's revival illustrates the vital role of faithful financial stewardship in sustaining Israel's worship life. The abundance of offerings that poured into the temple during this reformation was itself a sign of genuine spiritual renewal, the people's generosity reflecting their revived devotion to God. By entrusting responsible Levites like Shimei with administration of these gifts, Hezekiah established accountability structures that honored the sacred character of what had been offered. This episode models the biblical principle that the proper handling of resources given to God is itself a form of worship, demanding integrity, diligence, and transparency.

Verse Appearances (2)

2Chr

2Chr 31:12 2Chr 31:13

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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