Interesting Facts

• Samon was one of the sons of Dan.
• According to the text from Jubilees, Samon died in the same year that he entered Egypt.
• It is mentioned that Dan had five sons, including Samon, who went with him to Egypt.
• However, all of Dan’s sons except Hushim died in Egypt in the year they entered.

Genealogy

• Samon was the son of Dan.
• Dan was one of the sons of Jacob (Israel) and Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid.
• Therefore, Jacob and Bilhah were Samon’s paternal grandparents.
• His uncles were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, and Naphtali, and his aunt was Dinah [as inferred from his father being a son of Jacob].
• He had four brothers: Hushim, Asudi, ‘Ijaka, and Salomon, all of whom, like Samon, passed away in the year they entered Egypt.

Historical Context

Samon’s brief life occurred during a significant period in the history of Jacob’s family. He was born in Canaan and would have experienced the latter part of the famine that afflicted the land, as described in Jubilees. This famine was severe, causing barrenness in Canaan while Egypt had provisions due to Joseph’s foresight. The narrative indicates that Jacob and his entire household eventually decided to migrate to Egypt to survive the famine. Samon was among the seventy souls who journeyed to Egypt. The text explicitly states that Samon died in the very year that he entered Egypt. This timing suggests that the hardships of the famine or the journey itself may have contributed to his demise shortly after arrival in the land of Goshen, where Jacob and his family were to reside.

Narrative

Samon’s personal narrative within these sources is limited to his mention in the genealogical lists and the poignant detail of his death upon arrival in Egypt. He is part of the larger story of Jacob’s sons and their families seeking refuge from the famine. His journey to Egypt signifies the collective effort of survival for the House of Israel. However, unlike many of his relatives who would establish themselves and multiply in Goshen, Samon’s story is marked by its brevity. His death, along with that of his brothers (excluding Hushim), in the same year they entered Egypt, underscores the vulnerability of Jacob’s descendants even as they found succor in the land provided by Joseph. Samon’s existence and early death contribute to the overarching narrative of the Israelite sojourn, highlighting both the hope of survival in Egypt and the losses experienced during this transitional period. His name serves as a reminder of the human cost associated with the famine and migration.