שִׁמְעֹנִי
𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤍𐤉
Shimeoni
H8099 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A member or descendant of the Israelite tribe of Shimʻon (Simeon). Refers collectively to people belonging to this tribal group. Across biblical contexts, designates individuals, families, clans, or the entire tribe descending from Shimʻon, one of the twelve sons of Jacob (Israel). Frequently appears as a marker of genealogical or tribal affiliation within lists, narratives, and censuses.
Semantic Range
descendant of Shimʻon, member of the tribe of Shimʻon, tribal group of Shimʻon, clans of Shimʻon, pertaining to the tribe of Shimʻon
Root / Etymology
Patronymic form derived from the proper noun שִׁמְעוֹן (Shimʻon), by suffixing with י (yod), which denotes affiliation or descent. The root of שִׁמְעוֹן is שמע (shin-mem-ayin), 'to hear, listen,' but שִׁמְעֹנִי itself functions solely as a gentilic/patronymic formation indicating descent from Shimʻon.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שִׁמְעֹנִי occurs almost exclusively in genealogical, territorial, or census contexts, describing members of the tribe of Shimʻon—one of the twelve traditional tribes of Israel named for Jacob's sons. In the early monarchic and pre-monarchic periods, this term marks tribal affiliation crucial for land division and social identity. During later periods (exilic and post-exilic), references become rarer and primarily appear in genealogical recapitulations. English translations often use 'Simeonite' or 'of the tribe of Simeon'; however, 'Shimʻonite' better preserves the original name form. In the Hebrew Bible, the distinction between שִׁמְעֹנִי and other tribal gentilics (such as יְהוּדִי 'Yehudi' for 'Judahite') shows a patterned use for tribal and genealogical boundaries, not religious or ethnic identities in later senses. Modern terms like 'Jew' are anachronistic for this context and should not be applied.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
patronymically from שִׁמְעוֹן; a Shimonite (collectively) or descendants of Shimon; tribe of Simeon, Simeonites.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שמע (š-m-ʿ) — to hear, listen, obey
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2045 | הַשְׁמָעוּת | for proclamation of |
| H3457 | יִשְׁמָא | He-will-hear |
| H3459 | יִשְׁמָעֵאלִי | the Yishmaʿelite |
| H3460 | יִשְׁמַעְיָה | and Yah-hears |
| H4927 | מִשְׁמָע | Mishma |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8099-02 |
לַ/שִּׁמְעֹנִֽי | lashimeoni | HRd/Ngmsa |
among the Simeonites | to the Shimʻonite | 2 |
H8099-01 |
הַ/שִּׁמְעֹנִ֑י | hashimeoni | HTd/Ngmsa |
of the Simeonites | the Shimʻonite | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8099-02 |
Numbers 25:14 | לַ/שִּׁמְעֹנִֽי | lashimeoni | HRd/Ngmsa |
among the Simeonites | to the Shimʻonite |
H8099-01 |
Numbers 26:14 | הַ/שִּׁמְעֹנִ֑י | hashimeoni | HTd/Ngmsa |
of the Simeonites | the Shimʻonite |
H8099-01 |
Joshua 21:4 | הַ/שִּׁמְעֹנִ֜י | hashimeoni | HTd/Ngmsa |
Simeon | the Shimʻonite |
H8099-02 |
1 Chronicles 27:16 | לַ/שִּׁ֨מְעוֹנִ֔י | lashimeoni | HRd/Ngmsa |
of the Simeonites | to the Shimʻonite |