¹ tn Heb “Judah went with Simeon, his brother.”

¹ tn Heb “Judah said to Simeon, his brother.”

¹ tc The LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate omit “for Simeon.”

¹ tn Heb “and the second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the sons of Simeon by their clans.”

¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Simeon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Simeon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹ tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon.”

⁴ sn This remark looks to be parenthetical and addressed to Mary alone, not the nation. Many modern English translations transpose this to make it the final clause in Simeon’s utterance as above to make this clear.

⁴ sn The restoration of Israel refers to Simeon’s hope that the Messiah would come and deliver the nation (Isa 40:1; 49:13; 51:3; 57:18; 61:2; 2 Bar. 44:7).

¹ sn Simeon is a form of the apostle Peter’s Aramaic name. James uses Peter’s “Jewish” name here.

² sn Simeon may well have been from North Africa, since the Latin loanword Niger refers to someone as “dark-complexioned.”

¹ tn Heb “but they said.” The referent of “they” (Simeon and Levi) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Grk “Simeon Peter.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

³ sn Note the linkage back to v. 14 through the mention of Gentiles. What Simeon explained is what the OT text says would happen.

³ sn The following blessing is given to the tribes in order, although the tribe of Simeon is curiously missing from the list.

⁴ tn Heb “if I am bereaved I am bereaved.” With this fatalistic sounding statement Jacob resolves himself to the possibility of losing both Benjamin and Simeon.

² tn Heb “took Simeon.” This was probably done at Joseph’s command, however; the grand vizier of Egypt would not have personally seized a prisoner.

¹ tn Heb “from the portion of the sons of Judah was the inheritance of the sons of Simeon for the portion of the sons of Judah was too large for them, and the sons of Simeon received an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.”

⁴ sn The temple courts is a reference to the larger temple area, not the holy place. Simeon was either in the court of the Gentiles or the court of women, since Mary was present.

⁵ sn The revelation to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ is yet another example of a promise fulfilled in Luke 1-2. Also, see the note on Christ in 2:11.