Interesting Facts

• Bunah was a Canaanitish woman.
• Bunah was taken captive from the city of Shechem by Simeon.
• Bunah was initially before Dinah and attended upon her.
• Simeon took Bunah as a wife after marrying Dinah.
• According to Jubilees, the name of Simeon’s wife was ‘Adlba’a, a Canaanite. This suggests that Bunah and ‘Adlba’a may refer to the same individual, with potentially different traditions or names recorded in the sources.

Genealogy

• Bunah was a Canaanitish woman, indicating she was likely part of one of the Canaanite tribes inhabiting the land.
• She was taken captive from Shechem.
• She became the wife of Simeon, one of the sons of Jacob.
• Bunah bore Simeon one son, Saul.
• According to Jasher, Simeon also married his sister Dinah, who bore him five sons: Memuel, Yamin, Ohad, Jachin, and Zochar.

Historical Context

Bunah’s story is directly linked to the aftermath of the events in Shechem. As a woman taken captive from the city by Simeon following the slaughter of its male inhabitants, her experience reflects the violent interactions between Jacob’s sons and the Hivites. The practice of taking captives, particularly women, after a military conquest was not uncommon in the ancient Near East, and Bunah’s fate as a captive who then becomes a wife illustrates this dynamic. Her Canaanite origin places her within a cultural context distinct from that of Jacob’s family, highlighting the intermingling of different peoples and traditions in the land. The text notes that she was before Dinah and attended upon her, which could suggest a social hierarchy or the typical role of a captive woman within a new household. Simeon’s subsequent marriage to her indicates a level of integration into Jacob’s family, albeit one originating from a violent conflict. The discrepancy in names between Bunah in Jasher and ‘Adlba’a in Jubilees points to the fluidity of naming conventions or potentially different oral traditions that were eventually recorded.

Narrative

Bunah’s narrative begins with her capture from the city of Shechem by Simeon. This event places her as a non-consenting participant in the conflict arising from the defilement of Dinah. Following the captivity, she is brought into the household of Simeon and initially attends upon Dinah. The text then states that Simeon took her as a wife, and she bore him a son named Saul. Her dialogue or personal feelings about these events are not recorded in the provided sources, leaving her internal experience largely inferred from the circumstances. Her role is primarily defined by her status as a captive, then a wife, and a mother within Simeon’s lineage. The detail that she was a Canaanitish woman is significant as it marks her as an outsider who becomes integrated into Jacob’s family through marriage, albeit under duress. The fact that Simeon also married Dinah suggests a complex familial structure, with Bunah’s position potentially influenced by Dinah’s status as Simeon’s sister. Ultimately, Bunah’s story serves as a consequence of the events in Shechem, illustrating the human cost of the conflict and the incorporation of foreign elements into the Israelite lineage.