Interesting Facts

• Shuni is identified as a son of Gad.
• He is listed among those of the sons of Israel who dwelt in Egypt, having come with Jacob.
• His name appears in the genealogical lists of the sons of Gad.

Genealogy

• Shuni’s father was Gad, who was a son of Jacob and Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid.
• His grandfather was Jacob.
• His brothers, according to the sources, were Ziphion, Haggi, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.

Historical Context

The life of Shuni, son of Gad, is situated within the critical juncture of Israelite history when the family of Jacob migrated to Egypt due to a severe famine in the land of Canaan. As one of the sons of Gad, Shuni would have been part of this divinely purposed relocation, finding refuge and sustenance in the land of Goshen under the providential care of his kinsman Joseph, who had risen to a position of great authority. This period in Egypt, particularly during Joseph’s lifetime, is characterized in the sources as one of security and prosperity for the descendants of Jacob, as they multiplied and thrived in a land not their own. Shuni’s experience would have been shaped by the cultural adaptation to Egyptian society while maintaining their distinct Hebrew familial and ancestral traditions, guided by the teachings of their patriarch Jacob. This era precedes the later oppression of the Israelites by a new Pharaoh who did not know Joseph.

Narrative

The narrative concerning Shuni within these selected texts is primarily genealogical in nature. His inclusion in the lists of the sons of Jacob who journeyed to Egypt serves to establish his place within the foundational generation of the Israelite tribes. While the sources do not provide specific accounts of Shuni’s personal actions, dialogues, or unique circumstances, his consistent enumeration amongst the sons of Gad underscores his role as a member of this tribal lineage that contributed to the growth of the Israelite people in Egypt. His existence is noted as part of the fulfillment of the divine promises concerning the multiplication of Jacob’s seed in a foreign land, a necessary precursor to their eventual return to the promised land. Thus, Shuni’s story, as documented in these sources, forms an integral, albeit less individualized, thread within the broader tapestry of the early Israelite experience in Egypt, solidifying his position within the nascent tribal structure.