Who
Leah’s second son. With his brother Levi he avenged their sister Dinah by putting the men of Shechem to the sword (Genesis 34:25), and Joseph later kept him bound in Egypt as surety for Benjamin (Genesis 42:24). Jacob’s blessing condemned the brothers’ violence: “Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce … I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel” (Genesis 49:7). His tribe received its towns within Judah’s land and was absorbed into it. Judith prays to the “Lord God of my father Simeon” (Judith 9:2).
Key verses
- Genesis 29:33
She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” She named him Simeon.
- Genesis 34:25
On the third day, when they were sore, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword, came upon the unsuspecting city, and killed all the males.
- Genesis 35:23
The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
- Genesis 42:24
He turned himself away from them, and wept. Then he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.
- Genesis 49:7
Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 2:1
These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,
Where the Bible names him
Named 44 times in 11 books.
- ✓ In the deuterocanon, which the verse index does not cover: found in the text and checked by hand.
Verse index: TIPNR, STEPBible.org (Tyndale House), CC BY 4.0.
Family
Discussed by
Comments on the verses that name him.
- John Chrysostom on Matthew 2:13–15 (2)Catena Aurea on Matthew
It is a law of prophecy, that in a thousand places many things are said of some and fulfilled of others. As it is said of Simeon and Levi, “I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel;” [Gen 49:7] which…
- Gregory of Nyssa, Answer to Eunomius' Second Book Chapter 1
Answer to Eunomius' Second Book. The first part of my contentions against Eunomius has with God’s help been sufficiently established in the preceding work, as all who will may see from what I have worked out, how in…
- Hippolytus of Rome, Exegetical Fragments §2
On Genesis. Gen. i. 5 And it was evening, and it was morning, one day. Hippolytus. He did not say “night and day,” but “one day,” with reference to the name of the light. He did not say the “first day;” for if he had…
- John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew Homily 8
Matthew II. 2. Matt. II. 2. “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother.” How then saith Luke, that He was lying in the manger? Because at the birth indeed she presently…
- Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews Chapter 10
Concerning the Passion of Christ, and Its Old Testament Predictions and Adumbrations. Chapter X.—Concerning the Passion of Christ, and Its Old Testament Predictions and Adumbrations. Concerning the last step,…
- Gregory the Great, Epistles, Books I–VIII III.34
To Domitian, Metropolitan. Gregory to Domitian, &c. On receiving the letters of your most sweet Blessedness I greatly rejoiced, since they spoke much to me of sacred Scripture. And, finding in them the dainties that…