Simon

In Bible versions:

Simon: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV
Simeon: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV
Shimeon: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV
Simeonites: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV
Simeonite: NIV

a layman of the Harim Clan who put away his heathen wife
a man in the temple at Jerusalem who blessed the child Jesus
a son of Judah; the father of Levi; an ancestor of Jesus
a man at Antioch
the man was became a great apostle to the Jews and wrote the books of Peter
the tribe of Israel descended from Simeon
the man; son of Jacob and Leah
the tribe of Simeon
a son of Jonas and brother of Andrew; an apostle of Jesus Christ
a man who was one of the apostles of Christ and also called 'the Zealot'
a brother of Jesus
a man who was a well-know victim of leprosy who had been healed by Jesus (NIV note)
a man from Cyrene who was forced to carry the cross of Jesus
a Pharisee man in whose house Jesus' feet were washed with tears and anointed
the father of Judas Iscariot
a man who was a sorcerer in Samaria and who wanted to buy the gifts of the Spirit
a man who was a tanner at Joppa and with whom Peter was staying when Cornelius sent for him

---

that hears or obeys; that is heard ( --> same as Simeon)
that hears or obeys; that is heard ( --> same as Shimeon)
that hears; that obeys

Arts:

Arts Topics: Portraits of Simeon in the Temple; Portraits of Simeon, Son of Jacob

Greek

Strongs #4826: sumewn Sumeon

Simon = "harkening"

1) the second son of Jacob by Leah
2) one of Abraham's descendants
3) the one who took the infant Jesus in his arms in the temple
4) a teacher at the church of Antioch
5) the original name of Peter the apostle

4826 Sumeon soom-eh-one'

from the same as 4613; Symeon (i.e. Shimon), the name of five
Israelites:-Simeon, Simon.
see GREEK for 4613

Strongs #4613: simwn Simon

Peter = "a rock or stone"

1) Peter was one of the apostles
2) Simon called Zelotes or the Kanaites
3) Simon, father of Judas who betrayed Jesus.
4) Simon Magus, the Samaritan wizard
5) Simon the tanner, Ac. 10
6) Simon the Pharisee, Lu 7:40-44
7) Simon of Cyrene who carried the cross of Christ
8) Simon the cousin of Jesus, the son of Cleophas
9) Simon the leper, so called to distinguish him from others of
the same name

4613 Simon see'-mone

of Hebrew origin (8095); Simon (i.e. Shimon), the name of nine
Israelites:-Simon. Compare 4826.
see GREEK for 4826
see HEBREW for 08095

Hebrew

Strongs #08095: Nwemv Shim`own

Simeon or Shimeon = "heard"

1) the 2nd son of Jacob by his wife Leah and progenitor of the tribe
of Simeon
2) an Israelite of the sons of Bani who had a foreign wife in the
time of Ezra

8095 Shim`own shim-one'

from 8085; hearing; Shimon, one of Jacob's sons, also the
tribe descended from him:-Simeon.
see HEBREW for 08085

Strongs #08099: ynemv Shim`oniy

Simeonites = see Simeon "harkening"

1) descendants of Simeon

8099 Shim`oniy shim-o-nee'

patronymically from 8095; a Shimonite (collectively) or
descendants of Shimon:-tribe of Simeon, Simeonites.
see HEBREW for 08095

Shimeon [EBD]

hearkening. Ezra 10:31.

Simeon [EBD]

hearing. (1.) The second son of Jacob by Leah (Gen. 29:33). He was associated with Levi in the terrible act of vengeance against Hamor and the Shechemites (34:25, 26). He was detained by Joseph in Egypt as a hostage (42:24). His father, when dying, pronounced a malediction against him (49:5-7). The words in the Authorized Version (49:6), "they digged down a wall," ought to be, as correctly rendered in the Revised Version, "they houghed an ox."

(2.) An aged saint who visited the temple when Jesus was being presented before the Lord, and uttered lofty words of thankgiving and of prophecy (Luke 2:29-35).

(3.) One of the ancestors of Joseph (Luke 3:30).

(4.) Surnamed Niger, i.e., "black," perhaps from his dark complexion, a teacher of some distinction in the church of Antioch (Acts 13:1-3). It has been supposed that this was the Simon of Cyrene who bore Christ's cross. Note the number of nationalities represented in the church at Antioch.

(5.) James (Acts 15:14) thus designates the apostle Peter (q.v.).

Simon [EBD]

the abbreviated form of Simeon. (1.) One of the twelve apostles, called the Canaanite (Matt. 10:4; Mark 3:18). This word "Canaanite" does not mean a native of Canaan, but is derived from the Syriac word Kanean or Kaneniah, which was the name of a Jewish sect. The Revised Version has "Cananaean;" marg., "or Zealot" He is also called "Zelotes" (Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13; R.V., "the Zealot"), because previous to his call to the apostleship he had been a member of the fanatical sect of the Zealots. There is no record regarding him.

(2.) The father of Judas Iscariot (John 6:71; 13:2, 26).

(3.) One of the brothers of our Lord (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3).

(4.) A Pharisee in whose house "a woman of the city which was a sinner" anointed our Lord's feet with ointment (Luke 7:36-38).

(5.) A leper of Bethany, in whose house Mary anointed our Lord's head with ointment "as he sat at meat" (Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9).

(6.) A Jew of Cyrene, in North Africa, then a province of Libya. A hundred thousand Jews from Palestine had been settled in this province by Ptolemy Soter (B.C. 323-285), where by this time they had greatly increased in number. They had a synagogue in Jerusalem for such of their number as went thither to the annual feasts. Simon was seized by the soldiers as the procession wended its way to the place of crucifixion as he was passing by, and the heavy cross which Christ from failing strength could no longer bear was laid on his shoulders. Perhaps they seized him because he showed sympathy with Jesus. He was the "father of Alexander and Rufus" (Matt. 27:32). Possibly this Simon may have been one of the "men of Cyrene" who preached the word to the Greeks (Acts 11:20).

(7.) A sorcerer of great repute for his magical arts among the Samaritans (Acts 8:9-11). He afterwards became a professed convert to the faith under the preaching of Philip the deacon and evangelist (12, 13). His profession was, however, soon found to be hollow. His conduct called forth from Peter a stern rebuke (8:18-23). From this moment he disappears from the Church's history. The term "Simony," as denoting the purchase for money of spiritual offices, is derived from him.

(8.) A Christian at Joppa, a tanner by trade, with whom Peter on one occasion lodged (Acts 9:43).

(9.) Simon Peter (Matt. 4:18). See PETER.

Shimeon [NAVE]

SHIMEON, an Israelite who put away his Gentile wife, Ezra 10:31.

Simeon [NAVE]

SIMEON
1. Son of Jacob, Gen. 29:33; 35:23; Ex. 1:1, 2; 1 Chr. 2:1.
With Levi avenges upon the Shechemites the seduction of Dinah, Gen. 34; 49:5-7.
Jacob's denunciation of, Gen. 34:30; 49:5-7.
Goes down into Egypt to buy grain; is bound by Joseph, and detained, Gen. 42:24, 36; 43:23.
His sons, Gen. 46:10; Ex. 6:15; 1 Chr. 4:24-37.
Descendants of, Num. 26:12-14.
See: Tribe of, below.
Tribe of
Military enrollment of, at Sinai, Num. 1:22, 23; 2:13; in the plains of Moab, Num. 26:14.
Place of, in camp and march, Num. 2:12; 10:18, 19.
Inheritance allotted to, Josh. 19:1-9; Judg. 1:3-17; 1 Chr. 4:24-43.
Stood on Mount Gerizim to bless at the time of the rehearsal of the law, Deut. 27:12.
Joined with the people of Judah and Benjamin in the renewal of the passover, 2 Chr. 15:9, with vs. 1-15. Idolatry of, 2 Chr. 34:6, with vs. 1-7.
See: Israel.
3. A devout man in Jerusalem. Blesses Jesus in the temple, Luke 2:25-35.
4. An ancestor of Jesus, Luke 3:30.
5. A disciple. Called also Niger, Acts 13:1.
6. Name given to Peter, Acts 15:14.
See: Peter.

Simeonite [NAVE]

SIMEONITE
See: Simeon.

Simon [NAVE]

SIMON
1. See: Peter.
2. One of the twelve apostles. Called The Canaanite, Matt. 10:4; Mark 3:18; Zelotes, Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13.
3. A brother of Jesus, Matt. 13:55; Mark 6;3.
4. A leper. Jesus dines with, Matt. 26:6; Mark 14:3.
5. A man of Cyrene. Compelled to carry Jesus' cross, Matt. 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26.
6. A Pharisee. Jesus dines with, Luke 7:36-44.
7. The father of Judas Iscariot, John 6:71; 12:4; 13:2, 26.
8. A sorcerer. Converted by Philip; rebuked by Peter, Acts 8:9-13, 18-24.
9. A taer. Peter lodges with, Acts 9:43; 10:6, 17, 32.

SHIMEON [SMITH]

(hearing (prayer), a lay man of Israel, of the family of Harim, who had married a foreign wife, and divorced her in the time of Ezra. (Ezra 10:31) (B.C. 458.)

SIMEON [SMITH]

(heard).

1. The second of Jacob?s son by Leah. His birth is recorded in (Genesis 29:33) The first group of Jacob?s children consists, besides Simeon, of the three other sons of Leah --Reuben, Levi, Judah. Besides the massacre of Shechem, (Genesis 34:25) the only personal incident related of Simeon is the fact of his being selected by Joseph as the hostage for the appearance of Benjamin. (Genesis 42:19,24,36; 43:23) The chief families of the tribe of Simeon are mentioned int he lists of (Genesis 46:10) At the census of Sinai Simeon numbered 59,300 fighting men. (Numbers 1:23) When the second census was taken, at Shittim, the numbers had fallen to 22,200, and it was the weakest of all the tribes. This was no doubt partly due to the recent mortality following the idolatry of Peor, but there must have been other causes which have escaped mention. To Simeon was allotted a portion of land out of the territory of Judah, on its southern frontier, which contained eighteen or nineteen cities, with their villages, spread round the venerable well of Beersheba. (Joshua 19:1-8; 1 Chronicles 4:28-33) Of these places, with the help of Judah, the Simeonites possessed themselves, (Judges 1:3,17) and there they were found, doubtless by Joab, residing in the reign of David. (1 Chronicles 4:31) What part of the tribe took at the time of the division of the kingdom we are not told. The only thing which can be interpreted into a trace of its having taken any part with the northern kingdom are the two casual notices of (2 Chronicles 15:9) and 2Chr 34:6 Which appear to imply the presence of Simeonites there in the reigns of Asa and Josiah. On the other hand the definite statement of (1 Chronicles 4:41-43) proves that at that time there were still some of them remaining in the original seat of the tribe, and actuated by all the warlike, lawless spirit of their progenitor.
2. A devout Jew, inspired by the Holy Ghost, who met the parents of our Lord in the temple, took him in his arms, and gave thanks for what he saw and knew of Jesus. (Luke 2:25-35) There was a Simeon who succeeded his father Hillel as president of the Sanhedrin about A.D. 13, and whose son Gamaliel was the Pharisee at whose feet St. Paul was brought up. (Acts 22:3) It has been conjectured that he may be the Simeon of St. Luke.

SIMON [SMITH]

(contracted form of Simeon, a hearing).

1. Son of Mattathias. [MACCABEES]
2. Son of Onias the high priest, whose eulogy closes the "praise of famous men" in the book of Ecclesiasticus, ch. 4. (B.C. 302-293.)
3. A "governor of the temple" in the time of Seleucus Philopator, whose information as to the treasures of the temple led to the sacrilegious attach of Heliordorus. 2 Macc. 3:4, etc. (B.C. 175.)
4. Simon the brother of Jesus. The only undoubted notice of this Simon occurs in (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3) He has been identified by some writers with Simon the Canaanite, and still more generally with Symeon who became bishop of Jerusalem after the death of James, A.D. 62. The former of these opinions rests on no evidence whatever, nor is the later without its difficulties.
5. Simon the Canaanite, one of the twelve apostles, (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:18) otherwise described as Simon Zelotes, (Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13) (A.D. 28.) The latter term, which is peculiar to Luke, is the Greek equivalent for the Chaldee term preserved by Matthew and Mark. [CANAANITE, THE] Each of these equally points out Simon as belonging to the faction of the Zealots, who were conspicuous for their fierce advocacy of the Mosaic ritual.
6. Simon of Cyrene, a Hellenistic Jew, born at Cyrene, on the north coast of Africa, who was present at Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus, either as an attendant at the feast, (Acts 2:10) or as one of the numerous settlers at Jerusalem from that place. (Acts 6:9) (A.D. 30.) Meeting the procession that conducted Jesus to Golgotha, as he was returning from the country, he was pressed into the service to bear the cross, (Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26) when Jesus himself was unable to carry it any longer. Comp. (John 19:17) Mark describes him as the father of Alexander and Rufus, perhaps because this was the Rufus known to the Roman Christians, (Romans 16:13) for whom he more especially wrote.
7. Simon, a resident at Bethany, distinguished as "the leper." It is not improbable that he had been miraculously cured by Jesus. In his house Mary anointed Jesus preparatory to his death and burial. (Matthew 26:6) etc.; Mark 14:3 etc.; John 12:1 etc.
8. Simon Magus, a Samaritan living in the apostolic age, distinguished as a sorcerer or "magician," from his practice of magical arts. (Acts 8:9) According to ecclesiastical writers he was born at Gitton, a village of Samaria, and was probably educated at Alexandria in the tenets of the Gnostic school. He is first introduced to us as practicing magical arts in a city of Samaria, perhaps Sychar, (Acts 8:5) comp. John 4:5 And with such success that he was pronounced to be "the power of God which is called great." (Acts 8:10) The preaching and miracles of Philip having excited his observation, he became one of his disciples, and received baptism at his hands, A.D. 36,37. Subsequently he witnessed the effect produced by the imposition of hands, as practiced by the apostles Peter and John, and, being desirous of acquiring a similar power for himself, he offered a sum of money for it. His object evidently was to apply the power to the prosecution of magical arts. The motive and the means were equally to be reprobated; and his proposition met with a severe denunciation from Peter, followed by a petition on the part of Simon, the tenor of which bespeaks terror, but not penitence. (Acts 8:9-24) The memory of his peculiar guilt has been perpetuated in the word simony , as applied to all traffic in spiritual offices. Simon?s history, subsequent to his meeting with Peter, is involved in difficulties. Early Church historians depict him as the pertinacious foe of the apostle Peter, whose movements he followed for the purpose of seeking encounters, in which he was signally defeated. He is said to have followed the apostle to Rome. His death is associated with this meeting. According to Hippolytus, the earliest authority on the subject, Simon was buried alive at his own request, in the confident assurance that he would rise on the third day.
9. Simon Peter. [PETER]
10. Simon, a Pharisee, in whose house a penitent woman anointed the head and feet of Jesus. (Luke 7:40)
11. Simon the tanner, a Christian convert living at Joppa, at whose house Peter lodged. (Acts 9:43) The house was near the seaside, (Acts 10:6,32) for the convenience of the water. (A.D. 37.)
12. Simon the father of Judas Iscariot. (John 6:71; 13:2,26)

SHIMEON [ISBE]

SHIMEON - shim'-e-on (shim`on; elsewhere "Simeon"): One of the sons of Harim who had married foreign wives (Ezr 10:31; Codex Vaticanus and Codex Alexandrinus Semeon; Lucian, Sumeon = 1 Esdras 9:32, "Simon Chosameus").

SIMEON (1) [ISBE]

SIMEON (1) - sim'-e-on (shim`on; Sumeon; the Hebrew root is from shama`, "to hear" (Gen 29:33); some modern scholars (Hitzig, W. R. Smith, Stade, etc.) derive it from Arabic sima`, "the offspring of the hyena and female wolf"): In Gen 29:33; 30:18-21; 35:23, Simeon is given as full brother to Reuben, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun, the son of Leah; and in Gen 34:25; 49:5 as the brother of Levi and Dinah. He was left as a hostage in Egypt by orders of Joseph (Gen 42:24; 43:23).

1. The Patriarch: Biblical Data:

In the "blessing" of the dying Jacob, Simeon and Levi are linked together:

"Simeon and Levi are brethren;

Weapons of violence are their swords.

O my soul, come not thou into their council;

Unto their assembly, my glory, be not thou united;

For in their anger they slew a man,

And in their self-will they hocked an ox.

Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce;

And their wrath, for it was cruel:

I will divide them in Jacob,

And scatter them in Israel" (Gen 49:5-7).

Whatever view may be taken of the events of Gen 34:25 (and some would see in it "a tradition of the settlement of Jacob which belongs to a cycle quite independent of the descent into Egypt and the Exodus" (see S. A. Cook, Encyclopedia Brit, article "Simeon")), it is clear that we have here a reference to it and the suggestion that the subsequent history of the tribe, and its eventual absorption in Judah, was the result of violence. In the same way the priestly Levites became distributed throughout the other tribes without any tribal inheritance of their own (Dt 18:1; Josh 13:14). From the mention (Gen 46:10; Ex 6:15) of Shaul as being the son of a Canaanite woman, it may be supposed that the tribe was a mixed one.

In the "blessing of Moses" (Dt 33) Simeon is not mentioned at all in the Hebrew text, although in some manuscripts of the Septuagint the latter half of Dt 33:6 is made to apply to him: "Let Simeon be a small company." The history of the tribe is scanty and raises many problems. Of the many theories advanced to meet them it cannot be said that any one answers all difficulties.

2. The Tribe in Scripture:

In the wilderness of Sinai the Simeonites camped beside the Reubenites (Nu 2:12; 10:19); it was Zimri, a member of one of the leading families of this tribe, who was slain by Phinehas in the affair of Baal-peor (Nu 25:14). The statistics in Nu 1:22 f, where the Simeonites are given as 59,300, compared with the 2nd census (Nu 26:14), where the numbers are 22,200, indicate a diminishing tribe. Some have connected this with the sin of Zimri.

At the recital of the law at Mt. Gerizim, Simeon is mentioned first among those that were to respond to the blessings (Dt 27:12). In the conquest of Canaan "Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him" (Jdg 1:3; compare 1:17). (Many scholars find in Gen 34 a tribal attempt on the part of the Simeonites to gain possession of Shechem; if this is so, Judah did not assist, and the utter failure may have been a cause of Simeon's subsequent dependence upon, and final absorption in, Judah.) In Jdg 4 and 5 Simeon is never mentioned. In the settlement of the land there is no account of how Simeon established himself in his territory (except the scanty reference in Jdg 1:3), but "their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the children of Judah" (Josh 19:1); this is accounted for (Josh 19:9), "for the portion of the children of Judah was too much for them." Nevertheless we find there the very cities which are apportioned to Simeon, allotted to Judah (Josh 15:21-32; compare Neh 11:26-29). It is suggested (in 1 Ch 4:31) that the independent possession of these cities ceased in the time of David. David sent spoil to several Simeonite towns (1 Sam 30:26 f), and in 1 Ch 12:25 it is recorded that 7,100 Simeonite warriors came to David in Hebron. In 1 Ch 27:16 we have mention of a ruler of the Simeonites, Shephatiah, son of Maacah.

In 1 Ch 4:39 f mention is made of certain isolated exploits of Simeonites at GEDOR (which see), against the MEUNIM (which see), and at Mt. SEIR (which see). Later references associate certain Simeonites with the Northern Kingdom (2 Ch 15:9; 34:6), and tradition has come to view them as one of the ten tribes (compare Ezek 48:24,25,33; Rev 7:7), although all the history of them we have is bound up with Judah and the Southern Kingdom. There is no mention of the return of any Simeonites after the captivity; their cities fall to Judah (Neh 11:26 f).

3. References in Egyptian and Assyrian Inscriptions:

It has been supposed by many authorities that the name Shim`an occurs in the list of places plundered by Thothmes III (see Petrie, Hist, II, 104; also Hommel, Ancient Hebrew Tradition, 268; Sayce, Early Hebrew Traditions, 392). In the 7th century we have a doubtful reference in an inscription of Esar-haddon relating his Egyptian campaign when a city Ap-ku is mentioned as in the country of Sa-me-n(a), which may possibly be a reference to Simeon. The survival of the name so late, if true, is strange, in the light of what we gather from the Bible about the tribe. (For discussion of both of these inscriptions, with references to the lit., see EB, coll. 4528-30.)

4. The Territory of Simeon:

The cities of Simeon as given in Josh 19:2-6 and 1 Ch 4:28,31 are (the names in parentheses are variations in the latter reference): Beer-sheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, Balah (Bilhah), Azem (the King James Version) (Ezem), Eltolad (Tolad), Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah (Hazar Susim), Beth-lebaoth (Beth-biri), Sharuhen (Shaaraim) (Etam), Ain Rimmon, Ether (Tochen), Ashan--in all, 16 cities in Joshua and 17 cities in 1 Chronicles. Ashan (1 Ch 6:59) is the only one assigned to the priests. It is written wrongly as "Ain" in Josh 21:16. All the above cities, with certain variations in form, and with the exception of Etam in 1 Ch 4:32, which is probably a mistake, occur in the list of the cities of Judah (Josh 15:26-32,42). Ziklag is mentioned (1 Sam 27:6) as being the private property of the kings of Judah from the days of David, who received it from Achish, king of Gath.

For the situation of these cities, so far as is known, see separate articles under their names. It is clear that they were all situated in the southwestern part of Palestine, and that Simeon had no definite territorial boundaries, but isolated cities, with their villages, among those of the people of Judah.

E. W. G. Masterman

SIMEON (2) [ISBE]

SIMEON (2) - (shim`on; Sumeon):

(1) The 2nd son of Jacob by Leah (see separate article).

(2) Great-grandfather of Judas Maccabeus (1 Macc 2:1).

(3) A man in Jerusalem described as "righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel." When the infant Jesus was brought into the Temple, he took Him into his arms and blessed God in words which are famous as the Nunc dimittis. Simeon bestowed his blessing on the wondering father and mother (Lk 2:25,34). Legend has made him the son of Hillel and father of Gamaliel I, but this has no historical basis.

(4) An ancestor of Jesus (Lk 3:30); the Revised Version (British and American) "Symeon."

(5) The Revised Version (British and American) "Symeon": one of the prophets and teachers in the Christian community at Antioch. He is also called Niger, which was the Gentile name he had assumed, Symeon being Hebrew. He was among those who set apart Paul and Barnabas for their missionary work (Acts 13:1,2). Nothing more is known of him.

(6) The Revised Version (British and American) "Symeon": the Hebrew name of Simon Peter (Acts 15:14).

S. F. Hunter

SIMEONITES [ISBE]

SIMEONITES - sim'-e-on-its.

See SIMEON.