Shimron

Biblical Record

Shimron appears three times in the genealogies of the Bible. No narrative recounts his life or deeds.

• Genesis 46:13: Genesis 46 lists the members of the family who went down to Egypt with Jacob. Here the sons of Issachar are named: "Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron." Shimron is thus recorded as one of those who went down to Egypt with the household of his grandfather Jacob.
• Numbers 26:23–24: Numbers 26 records the second census, taken in the latter part of the wilderness period. Here the descendants of Issachar are divided into four families (clans), the last being "of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites." In this census the total number of the tribe of Issachar is given as 64,300 (Numbers 26:25). No separate figure is given for the Shimronite family.
• 1 Chronicles 7:1: The genealogy of Issachar in 1 Chronicles 7 introduces his sons as "Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four." The verses that follow record only the descendants of Tola in detail and say nothing about the descendants of Shimron.

Significance in the Bible

Shimron is significant as the founder (first ancestor) of one of the four families that made up the tribe of Issachar, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Scripture mentions his name only within genealogies that establish lineage within the tribe and the basis for its inheritance (allotted land). His name does not appear in the New Testament.

Interpretive Issues

• Differences in the brothers' names: Genesis 46:13 gives the third son's name as "Job," while Numbers 26:24 and 1 Chronicles 7:1 give it as "Jashub." The second son's name is also spelled differently, as "Phuvah" and "Puah." These differences are explained by some as variants that arose in the course of scribal transmission and by others as different names for the same person. Shimron's name, however, is the same in all three passages.
• Distinction from the place name: Joshua 11:1 and 12:20 mention the king of the Canaanite city of Shimron, who allied himself with Jabin king of Hazor. Joshua 19:15 lists Shimron among the cities allotted to the tribe of Zebulun. These references are to a city, and the text indicates no relationship between this city and Shimron the son of Issachar.
• A person with a similar name: Shimron is not to be confused with Simeon, the second son of Jacob.
• The meaning of the name has not been clearly established.

In the Korean Church

There are almost no sermons or hymns devoted specifically to Shimron. Korean Christians usually encounter his name when reading the genealogies of Genesis, Numbers, and 1 Chronicles while reading through the Bible. Both the Korean Revised Version and the New Korean Revised Version render the name as "Shimron" (시므론).