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Sim'eon. (heard).
1. The second of Jacob's son, by Leah. His birth
is recorded in Gen_29:33.
The first group of Jacob's children consists, besides Simeon, of the three
other sons of Leah -- Reuben, Levi, Judah. Besides the massacre of
Shechem, Gen_34:25, the only personal incident related of Simeon is the fact of his
being selected by Joseph, as the hostage for the appearance of Benjamin.
Gen_42:19;
Gen_42:24;
Gen_42:36;
Gen_43:23.
The chief families of the tribe of Simeon are
mentioned in the lists of Gen_46:10. At
the census of Sinai , Simeon numbered 59,300 fighting men. Num_1:23. When the second
census was taken, at Shittim, the numbers had fallen to 22,200, and it was
the weakest of all the tribes. This was, no doubt, partly due to the
recent mortality following the idolatry of Peor, but there must have been
other causes, which have escaped mention. To Simeon was allotted a portion
of land out of the territory of Judah, on its southern frontier, which
contained eighteen or nineteen cities, with their villages, spread round
the venerable well of Beersheba. Jos_19:1-8; 1Ch_4:28-33. Of these places, with the help
of Judah, the Simeonites possessed themselves, Jdg_1:3; Jdg_1:17, and there they were
found, doubtless by Joab, residing in the reign of David. 1Ch_4:31.
What part of the tribe took, at the time of the
division of the kingdom, we are not told. The only thing which can be
interpreted into a trace of its having taken any part with the northern
kingdom are the two casual notices of 2Ch_15:9, and 2Ch_34:6, which appear to imply the
presence of Simeonites there in the reigns of Asa and Josiah. On the other
hand, the definite statement of 1Ch_4:41-43, proves that, at that time,
there were still some of them remaining in the original seat of the tribe,
and actuated by all the warlike, lawless spirit of their progenitor.
2. A devout Jew, inspired by the Holy Ghost, who met the parents of our
Lord in the Temple, took him in his arms, and gave thanks for what he saw
and knew of Jesus.
Luk_2:25-35. There was a Simeon, who
succeeded his father, Hillel, as president of the Sanhedrin, about A.D.
13, and whose son, Gamaliel, was the Pharisee at whose feet St. Paul was
brought up. Act_22:3. It has been conjectured that he may be the Simeon of St.
Luke. |