Lexical Summary Shimathim: Desolations, devastations Original Word: שִׁמְעָתִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Shimeathites Patronymically from Shim'ah; a Shimathite (collectively) or descendants of Shimah -- Shimeathites. see HEBREW Shim'ah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom shama Definition a family of scribes NASB Translation Shimeathites (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שִׁמְעָתִים adjective, of a people, plural as substantive, family of scribes 1 Chronicles 2:55, Σαμαθ(ι)ειμ[ν]. Topical Lexicon Scriptural Occurrence “and the clans of the scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and the Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.” (1 Chronicles 2:55) Historical Setting The Chronicler places the Shimeathites among the early post-conquest inhabitants of Judah. Their settlement at Jabez indicates a location within the tribal allotment of Judah yet distinct from major population centers. By linking them with Jabez rather than Jerusalem, the text preserves a memory of diverse guilds that served Israel before centralized monarchy and Temple liturgy matured. Genealogical Placement Though listed inside Judah’s genealogy, the Shimeathites are explicitly called “Kenites,” a nomadic clan first attached to Moses’ Midianite relatives (Numbers 10:29–32; Judges 1:16). The integration of Kenite families into Judah demonstrates God’s covenant embrace of foreigners who align themselves with His people, a principle anticipated in Exodus 12:48 and seen again in Ruth’s Moabite heritage within David’s line. Role as Scribes Scribes (Hebrew sopherim) copied legal documents, kept tribal records, and interpreted covenant statutes. That a Kenite clan should specialize in scribal duties illustrates Israel’s openness to gifted outsiders and highlights God’s provision for the accurate transmission of His word. Their presence centuries before Ezra testifies that textual preservation was an established vocation long before the Babylonian exile. Kenite Identity and Relationship with Israel Other Kenite references (1 Samuel 15:6; 1 Samuel 27:10) portray them as allies of Israel who avoided involvement in Amalekite hostility. The Shimeathites’ descent from Hammath, “father of the house of Rechab,” connects them with the Rechabites, a branch renowned for covenant fidelity (Jeremiah 35). Thus, the passage links scribal precision with moral obedience. Spiritual Significance 1. Covenant Inclusion: The Shimeathites show that covenant blessings attach to all who fear the LORD, irrespective of bloodline. Typological and Prophetic Implications The Shimeathites foreshadow Gentile participation in Gospel proclamation. Just as Kenite scribes guarded the written covenant, so the Church, composed of Jew and Gentile, is commissioned to “hold firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:16). Their presence within Judah’s records prefigures the grafting of wild branches into the olive tree (Romans 11:17). Practical Ministry Application • Value of literacy and learning: Churches should cultivate careful handling of Scripture, honoring those gifted in teaching and transcription. Further Study Judges 4:11–22 (Kenite hospitality), 2 Kings 10:15–23 (Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab), Jeremiah 35 (Rechabite loyalty), Ezra 7; Nehemiah 8 (post-exilic scribes). Forms and Transliterations שִׁמְעָתִ֖ים שמעתים shimaTim šim‘āṯîm šim·‘ā·ṯîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 2:55 HEB: יַעְבֵּ֔ץ תִּרְעָתִ֥ים שִׁמְעָתִ֖ים שׂוּכָתִ֑ים הֵ֚מָּה NAS: [were] the Tirathites, the Shimeathites [and] the Sucathites. KJV: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, [and] Suchathites. INT: Jabez the Tirathites the Shimeathites the Sucathites Those 1 Occurrence |
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