24The sons of Simeon; [1]Nemuel, and Jamin, [2]Jarib, [3]Zerah, Shaul: 25Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son. 26And the sons of Mishma; Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son. 27And Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brethren had not many children, neither did all their family multiply, like to the children of Judah. 28And they dwelt at Beer-sheba, and Moladah, and Hazar-shual; 29and at Bilhah, and at Ezem, and at Tolad; and at 30Bethuel, and at Hormah, and at Ziklag; 31and at Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susim, and at Beth-biri, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities unto the reign of David. 32And their
kingdom the families were clients of the king and did his work; cp. 1 Kin. vii. 46. The simplicity of this statement seems to have been a stumbling-block to the early translators who paraphrase; LXX., They were strong in his kingdom and dwelt there; Targ., They made their dwelling there with the Shekinah of the King of the World for the practice of the Law.
24—27. The Genealogy of Simeon.
24—27. The sons of Simeon] With unimportant variations in the names, the five sons of Simeon are mentioned also in Gen. xlvi. 10, Ex. vi. 15, and Num. xxvi. 12, 13. A sixth son, Ohad, is given by the list in Genesis. As the mother of one, Shaul, was a Canaanitess (Gen. xlvi. 10) and Mibsam and Mishma are also reckoned Ishmaelites (i. 29, 30), the tribe of Simeon contained marked non-Israelite elements. This is the more natural by reason of its location in the extreme south of Palestine.
27. six daughters] LXX. three daughters.
28—33 (= Josh. xix. 2—8). The Territory of Simeon.
28. Beer-sheba] at the southern extremity of Palestine, as Dan was at the northern (1 Sam. iii. 20).
29. Tolad] In Josh. xix. 4 Eltolad.
30. Bethuel] Cp. Gen. xxii. 22. In Josh. xix. 4 Bethul. In 1 Sam. xxx. 27 Bethel (not the famous Bethel near Jerusalem).
Hormah] Num. xiv. 45, xxi. 3; Judg. i. 17.
Ziklag] 1 Sam. xxvii. 6. The site is not certainly identified.
31. Beth-marcaboth . . . Hazar-susim] perhaps royal chariot-cities, 1 Kin. ix. 19. The names mean House of chariots and Court of horses.
Shaaraim] 1 Sam. xvii. 52.
These were their cities unto the reign of David] either a reference to David's census; or else it is implied that these cities ceased to belong
