Interesting Facts

• Simeon, along with his brother Levi, took it upon himself to avenge the dishonor of their sister Dinah by orchestrating the deceitful circumcision and subsequent slaughter of the men of Shechem. This act was later recalled with both condemnation and a twisted justification.
• Simeon is portrayed as a man of great physical strength and fierce anger. When Joseph detained the brothers and bound Simeon, the text notes Simeon’s unwillingness to be bound due to his power. Later, when Manasseh bound him, Simeon let out a shriek that terrified Joseph’s men.
• During the brothers’ second trip to Egypt, Simeon offered to take a large stone and level it at every person in Egypt, showcasing his volatile nature and readiness to use extreme force.
• According to one source, Simeon married his sister Dinah and had five sons with her: Memuel, Yamin, Ohad, Jachin, and Zochar. He also had a son, Saul, with Bunah, a Canaanitish woman he took captive from Shechem. Another source names Simeon’s wife as ‘Adlba’a, a Canaanite, and mentions he later took a second wife from Mesopotamia.
• While in Egypt, Simeon was held bound by Joseph as a condition for his brothers to return with Benjamin. However, one account suggests Joseph released him from being bound while the others went to fetch Benjamin.

Genealogy Simeon was the second son born to Jacob and Leah. His full brothers were Reuben, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, and his sister was Dinah. His half-brothers through Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. Through Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, his half-brothers were Gad and Asher. Through Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid, his half-brothers were Dan and Naphtali. The sources provide varying accounts of Simeon’s marital connections and offspring. One account states he married his sister Dinah and had five sons, while another indicates he married a Canaanite woman named ‘Adlba’a and later took a wife from Mesopotamia. Additionally, he had a son named Saul with Bunah, a Canaanite woman taken captive from Shechem. The sons attributed to Simeon are Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zochar, and Saul. These sons are listed among those who went down to Egypt with Jacob.

Historical Context

Simeon lived during the early patriarchal period of the Israelites, a time when familial honor and tribal identity were paramount. The incident involving Dinah and the subsequent revenge by Simeon and Levi reflect the strong cultural emphasis on avenging the dishonor of family members, particularly sisters. The willingness to use violence and deception to achieve this end, as seen in the Shechem episode, underscores the harsh realities of inter-tribal relations and the lack of a centralized legal system. The narrative takes place in Canaan, a land inhabited by various other peoples, leading to potential conflicts and the need to assert dominance or protect their own. Later, the famine necessitates a move to Egypt, a powerful and established nation, where the sons of Jacob must navigate foreign customs and the authority of Egyptian rulers. Joseph’s high position in Egypt significantly influences the interaction between him and his brothers, creating a dynamic of power and testing of familial bonds.

Narrative

Simeon’s narrative is most prominently featured in two key events: the revenge for Dinah and the interactions with Joseph in Egypt. His fierce reaction to the defilement of his sister Dinah, culminating in the massacre of the men of Shechem alongside Levi, reveals a passionate and violent nature, driven by a strong sense of familial justice and religious transgression. This act, while presented as righteous vengeance by Simeon’s brother Judah, is also later condemned by Jacob for potentially endangering his entire household by provoking the surrounding Canaanite tribes. In the Joseph narrative, Simeon’s character is further illuminated through his forceful personality and the fear he instills in others. His detention by Joseph serves as a test for his brothers, particularly in their willingness to return with Benjamin. Simeon’s own words during this time are limited, but his actions and the reactions of others to him paint a picture of a formidable and potentially volatile individual. Even when Joseph’s steward accused them of theft, Simeon’s response is not recorded, but his subsequent release (in some accounts) suggests a shift in Joseph’s strategy. The willingness of Judah to plead for Benjamin’s return while Simeon remains bound highlights the complex dynamics within the brothers’ relationships and perhaps Simeon’s perceived strength or potential for further conflict. While the sources do not provide extensive dialogue from Simeon, his actions in the Dinah episode and his imposing presence during the Egyptian encounters firmly establish him as a significant, albeit forceful, figure among Jacob’s sons. He eventually died in Egypt.