1 Chronicles 4:24-43·~1 min

The Descendants of Simeon

Simeon’s descendants are introduced through Shaul, Mishma, and Shimei, whose large family is set against the smaller growth of his brothers. The line is defined both by descent and by its relative size beside Judah.

T²⁴he descendants of Simeon: ²⁵The sons of Shaul: ²⁶The sons of Mishma: ²⁷Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children, so their whole clan did not become as numerous as the sons of Judah.

Verse 24The descendants of Simeon are introduced as the next tribal line.

It opens the final major section of the chapter.

Verse 25The sons of Shaul are named as part of Simeon’s line.

It begins tracing one Simeonite branch.

Verse 26The sons of Mishma are introduced as the genealogy continues.

It carries the descent line forward to another generation.

Verse 27Shimei has many sons and daughters, but his brothers have fewer children, so the whole clan does not match Judah in number.

It defines Simeon’s line by its growth and relative size.

The section lists the towns and villages where Simeon lived, from Beersheba to Baal, and notes that they kept genealogical records. Settlement and memory are held together in the same record.

²⁸They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, ²⁹Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, ³⁰Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, ³¹Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until the reign of David. ³²And their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan— five towns— ³³and all their surrounding villages as far as Baal. These were their settlements, and they kept a genealogical record:

Verse 28The Simeonites are said to live in Beersheba, Moladah, and Hazar-shual.

It begins the record of Simeon’s settlements.

Verse 29Their settlements also include Bilhah, Ezem, and Tolad.

It continues listing Simeon’s towns.

Verse 30Bethuel, Hormah, and Ziklag are among their cities.

It adds further places to the settlement list.

Verse 31Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim are named as their cities until David’s reign.

It rounds out the city list and places it within a historical boundary.

Verse 32Their villages include Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan, five towns in all.

It supplements the city list with smaller settlements.

Verse 33All the surrounding villages as far as Baal are included, and the Simeonites are said to have kept genealogical records.

It links their settlements with their practice of preserving lineage.

Named clan leaders are listed, their families grow, and they travel east in search of pasture. They find spacious, quiet land and, in Hezekiah’s days, strike its earlier inhabitants and settle there for their flocks.

³⁴Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, ³⁵Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah (son of Seraiah, son of Asiel), ³⁶Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, ³⁷and Ziza son of Shiphi (son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah). ³⁸These men listed by name were the leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly, ³⁹and they journeyed to the entrance of Gedor, to the east side of the valley, in search of pasture for their flocks. ⁴⁰There they found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful, and quiet; for some Hamites had lived there formerly. ⁴¹These who were noted by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings as well as the Meunites who were there, devoting them to destruction even to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks.

Verse 34Meshobab, Jamlech, and Joshah son of Amaziah are named among Simeon’s leaders.

It begins a list of identified clan leaders.

Verse 35Joel and Jehu son of Joshibiah are added, with Jehu’s ancestry traced further back.

It continues identifying leaders through descent.

Verse 36Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, and Benaiah are named.

It extends the roster of clan leaders.

Verse 37Ziza son of Shiphi is named, and his ancestry is traced through several generations.

It completes the named leader list with a fuller pedigree.

Verse 38These named men are leaders of their clans, and their families increase greatly.

It explains why the following expansion takes place.

Verse 39They travel to the entrance of Gedor on the east side of the valley to seek pasture for their flocks.

It turns family growth into outward movement.

Verse 40There they find rich pasture and a broad, peaceful, quiet land where Hamites had formerly lived.

It describes the land that invites their settlement.

Verse 41In Hezekiah’s days, the named Simeonites strike the Hamites and Meunites there, devote them to destruction, and settle in their place because of the pasture.

It records how Simeon takes and occupies the land it sought.

Another Simeonite group of five hundred goes to Mount Seir, strikes the surviving Amalekites there, and remains in the land. The chapter closes with Simeon still on the move, establishing a lasting presence.

⁴²And five hundred of these Simeonites led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, went to Mount Seir ⁴³and struck down the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped. And they have lived there to this day.

Verse 42Five hundred Simeonites led by the sons of Ishi go to Mount Seir.

It introduces one further movement of Simeonite expansion.

Verse 43They strike down the surviving Amalekites in Mount Seir and live there to this day.

It closes the chapter with a final notice of conquest and lasting settlement.

Passage shape

A quiet block diagram: each row is one authored paragraph movement, with verse numbers kept visible for scanning and deeper work.

vv. 24-27
Simeon’s descendants are introduced through Shaul, Mishma, and Shimei, whose large family is set against the smaller growth of his brothers. The line is defined both by descent and by its relative size beside Judah.
This paragraph opens the Simeonite genealogy and gives it a demographic shape.
24 25 26 27
vv. 28-33
The section lists the towns and villages where Simeon lived, from Beersheba to Baal, and notes that they kept genealogical records. Settlement and memory are held together in the same record.
This paragraph anchors Simeon in specific places and links those places to recorded lineage.
28 29 30 31 32 33
vv. 34-41
Named clan leaders are listed, their families grow, and they travel east in search of pasture. They find spacious, quiet land and, in Hezekiah’s days, strike its earlier inhabitants and settle there for their flocks.
This paragraph moves the section from static genealogy into expansion and resettlement.
34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41
vv. 42-43
Another Simeonite group of five hundred goes to Mount Seir, strikes the surviving Amalekites there, and remains in the land. The chapter closes with Simeon still on the move, establishing a lasting presence.
This paragraph provides the section’s final note of continued expansion beyond earlier settlements.
42 43

Section summaryThe final section traces Simeon’s lines, settlements, and growth, then follows the tribe outward in search of pasture and room to live. The genealogy becomes a record of movement: cities are named, leaders are remembered, and later groups push into new lands and remain there.

Role in the chapterThis section broadens the chapter from Judah to Simeon while keeping the same concern for descent and place. It closes the chapter by showing a tribe not only listed but moving, expanding, and establishing itself across successive generations.