Lexical Summary Shimrown: Shimron Original Word: שִׁמְרוֹן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Shimron From shemer in its original sense; guardianship; Shimron, the name of an Israelite and of a place in Palestine -- Shimron. see HEBREW shemer Brown-Driver-Briggs I. שִׁמְרוֺן proper name, of a location Canaanite city, with king: Joshua 11:1, in Zebulun Joshua 19:15, Συμοων, Σομερων, etc., = מְראוֺן ׳שׁ Joshua 12:20. II. שִׁמְרוֺן proper name, masculine son of Issachar, Genesis 46:13; Numbers 24:64; 1 Chronicles 7:1; Ζαμβραμ, Σαμβρα, Σεμερων, etc. Topical Lexicon ShimronLineage and Tribal Foundations Shimron first appears in the patriarchal lists as a son of Issachar: “The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron” (Genesis 46:13). His name is repeated in the post-exilic genealogy, “Now the sons of Issachar were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron—four in all” (1 Chronicles 7:1). By appearing in both the migration to Egypt and the later chronicler’s record, Shimron functions as a link between the formative stages of Israel’s family and its re-establishment after the exile, underscoring God’s preservation of tribal identity across centuries. Census and the Shimronites During the second wilderness census, the clan that descended from Shimron had grown large enough to be counted separately: “These were the clans of Issachar… the Shimronite clan from Shimron” (Numbers 26:23-24). The presence of the Shimronites in the total of sixty-four thousand three hundred fighting men attests to the fruitfulness promised to Jacob’s household and to the equitable distribution of land that would follow in Canaan. A Royal City in Canaanite Opposition The name also designates a fortified city-state in northern Canaan. When word of Israel’s victories spread, “Jabin king of Hazor… sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph” (Joshua 11:1). Shimron’s king joined the northern coalition that mustered at the waters of Merom, only to be overthrown when the Lord delivered the confederacy into Joshua’s hand. The episode illustrates God’s supremacy over entrenched powers and the inevitability of His covenant purposes. Inheritance within Zebulun Following the conquest, Shimron fell within the inheritance of Zebulun: “Included also were Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem—twelve cities with their villages” (Joshua 19:15). This transfer from Canaanite kingship to Israelite stewardship embodies the transition from judgment to grace, as the land that once mobilized against Israel became a place where the covenant community could worship and work. Geographical Considerations Ancient sources and modern surveys locate Shimron on the southern slopes of Lower Galilee, a few miles west of the Sea of Galilee and near the trade routes that linked the Jezreel Valley to the coast. Its strategic position explains both its earlier city-state status and its later inclusion among Zebulun’s urban centers. Theological and Ministry Significance 1. Covenant Continuity: Shimron the patriarch and Shimron the town together highlight the continuity of promise—from family roots in Egypt to territorial fulfillment in Canaan. Summary Shimron embodies both a tribe-father in Israel and a once-pagan city transformed into an Israelite inheritance. Across genealogies, censuses, battles, and allotments, the name testifies to God’s meticulous record-keeping, His decisive victories, and His intention to settle His people securely in the land—an intention ultimately fulfilled in Christ, who brings the true and lasting inheritance. Forms and Transliterations וְשִׁמְר֔וֹן וְשִׁמְר֖וֹן וְשִׁמְרֽוֹן׃ ושמרון ושמרון׃ לְשִׁמְרֹ֕ן לשמרן שִׁמְר֖וֹן שמרון lə·šim·rōn leshimRon ləšimrōn shimRon šim·rō·wn šimrōwn veshimRon wə·šim·rō·wn wəšimrōwnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 46:13 HEB: וּפֻוָּ֖ה וְי֥וֹב וְשִׁמְרֽוֹן׃ NAS: and Puvvah and Iob and Shimron. KJV: and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron. INT: and Puvvah and Iob and Shimron Numbers 26:24 Joshua 11:1 Joshua 19:15 1 Chronicles 7:1 5 Occurrences |
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