שִׁמְעֹנִי (shim.o.ni)
shim.o.ni
Simeon
N:N--PGQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--PG
Word Overview
The term shim’oni identifies a member or descendant of the tribe of Simeon. It functions as a gentilic adjective, derived from the personal name Simeon (shim’on), which itself means "hearing" or "one who hears." This linguistic root connects the individual’s identity to the narrative in Genesis 29:33, where Leah names her second son, expressing that the Lord has heard of her unfruitfulness.
In Scripture, this word appears primarily in genealogical lists and tribal records within Numbers, Joshua, and 1 Chronicles. It distinguishes individuals by their lineage rather than describing a character trait or action. The sources note its use for descendants of Simeon, such as those listed in the census of Numbers 26:13 or the territorial allocations in Joshua 19:1, establishing their place within the broader structure of Israel’s tribes.
The word serves as a precise marker of heritage. By using shim’oni, the biblical text anchors a person’s identity to the family line of Jacob and Leah. This usage highlights how tribal affiliation was central to ancient Israelite social and legal structures, ensuring that each individual’s origin remained clearly recorded in the community’s memory.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Simeon carries a quiet weight in Scripture, rooted in Leah’s prayer that God had heard her sorrow over being unloved. When the Bible uses the term for his descendants, it is not describing a personality or a spiritual achievement. Instead, it marks identity. In ancient Israel, knowing who you were by lineage was essential for land rights, community standing, and legal protection.
For us today, this reminds us that our primary identity is not found in what we do, but in whose we are. Just as these verses anchor individuals to the tribe of Simeon, your faith anchors you to the family of God. You are known, recorded, and held by a heritage that predates your own efforts.
This sense of belonging offers deep comfort. You do not need to prove your worth to be part of the story. The text preserves these names so we know that every person has a place in the larger narrative of God’s people. Rest in the certainty that you are heard and included, just as Simeon was.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Simeonite[s]2×
- of the/ Simeonite[s]1×
- for the/ Simeonite[s]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לַ/שִּׁמְעֹנִֽי\׃1×
- לַ/שִּׁ֨מְעוֹנִ֔י1×
- הַ/שִּׁמְעֹנִ֜י1×
- הַ/שִּׁמְעֹנִ֑י1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 26:14
These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand two hundred.
This verse uses the term to quantify the entire family group during a census, emphasizing their collective existence and numerical strength within Israel.
-
Joshua 21:4
The lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. The children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had thirteen cities by lot out of the tribe of Judah, out of the tribe of the Simeonites, and out of the tribe of Benjamin.
Here the word identifies the tribal territory from which cities were allocated to the priests, showing how lineage determined land distribution and religious service.
-
I Chronicles 27:16
Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: of the Reubenites, Eliezer the son of Zichri was the ruler; of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah;
The term marks Shephatiah as the official ruler over this specific tribe, highlighting the ongoing administrative structure of Israel’s tribes under David.