Interesting Facts

• Zohar, also referred to as Zochar, is identified as one of the five sons born to Simeon and Dinah.
• He is listed among the sons of Israel who dwelt in Egypt, having journeyed there with Jacob.
• The provided sources do not record any specific individual actions or unique characteristics of Zohar/Zochar beyond his genealogical inclusion.

Genealogy

• Zohar/Zochar was the son of Simeon, one of the twelve sons of Jacob and Leah, and Dinah, Jacob’s daughter.
• This lineage establishes Zohar/Zochar as a grandson of Jacob and Leah.
• His brothers, as mentioned in the sources, were Memuel (also called Jemuel), Jamin (also called Yamin), Ohad, and Jachin. He also had a half-brother named Saul, the son of Simeon and a Canaanitish woman named Bunah (also referred to as Adlba’a).
• Zohar/Zochar was among the seventy souls of Jacob’s descendants who migrated to Egypt.
• The sources do not provide any information regarding Zohar/Zochar’s marital status or whether he had any children.

Historical Context

Born in Canaan, Zohar/Zochar would have experienced the familial life under the patriarch Jacob, immersed in the traditions and early covenantal understandings passed down through generations. A significant event in his life, shared with his brothers and the wider family, was the severe famine that struck Canaan, compelling their descent into Egypt. This migration, around the year 2243 according to one time scale, was facilitated by the providence of his nephew Joseph, who had risen to a position of great authority in Egypt. In Egypt, the family settled in the land of Goshen, where they prospered and multiplied under Joseph’s forty-year governance. It is stated that during this time, the sons of Jacob dwelt securely and served the Lord as their father Jacob had instructed them. Zohar/Zochar would have been part of this period of relative peace and abundance for the Israelites in a foreign land. Following Joseph’s death at the age of one hundred and ten, the texts indicate a shift in power dynamics, with the Egyptians beginning to rule over the Israelites. Zohar/Zochar would have likely witnessed the initial stages of this transition, or his descendants would have experienced its increasing impact.

Narrative

The personal narrative of Zohar/Zochar within the provided sources is confined to his listing in genealogical records as one of Simeon’s sons who accompanied Jacob to Egypt. While the texts extensively detail the events surrounding Joseph’s betrayal, his rise to power in Egypt, the famine, and the eventual reunion with Jacob and his brothers, Zohar/Zochar himself is not depicted as participating in any specific actions, dialogues, or noteworthy incidents. His existence is documented as a member of Simeon’s immediate family and as one of the seventy souls who formed the initial Israelite community in Egypt. As such, his life would have been integrated into the familial and communal life in Goshen, benefiting from the security and provisions established under Joseph’s leadership. Like his brothers, he would have been expected to adhere to the traditions and teachings of Jacob. The sources offer no further individual narrative details concerning Zohar/Zochar’s personal experiences, decisions, or interactions beyond his inclusion in the family’s lineage and their sojourn in Egypt.