Shimron
Shimron was a son of Issachar and the progenitor of the Shimronite clan within the tribe of Issachar.
Biography
Shimron was the fourth son of Issachar, Jacob's ninth son by Leah (Genesis 46:13). He descended into Egypt as part of the seventy persons of Jacob's household, a pivotal migration that set the stage for Israel's sojourn and eventual Exodus. His name appears in the tribal census recorded in Numbers 26:24, where the Shimronites are listed as one of the four clans constituting the tribe of Issachar. Though Scripture provides no individual narrative concerning Shimron, his inclusion in the genealogical records of both Genesis and Numbers confirms his foundational role as a tribal patriarch whose lineage contributed to the demographic and territorial structure of Israel as a covenant people.
Significance
Shimron's importance lies primarily in his function as an eponymous ancestor within the tribal framework of Israel. The Shimronite clan he founded represented one pillar of Issachar's presence in the covenant community, and the careful preservation of his name in both patriarchal genealogies (Genesis 46:13) and wilderness census records (Numbers 26:24) underscores the biblical conviction that God's redemptive purposes are worked out through specific families and lineages. Even figures who receive no individual narrative bear witness to the comprehensive scope of divine election across generations.
Verse Appearances (3)
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]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]