Shimei

Shimi, that hears or obeys; my reputation; my fame

Shimei

(renowned).

1. Son of Gershon the son of Levi, (Numbers 3:18; 1 Chronicles 6:17,29; 23:7,9,10; Zechariah 12:13) called SHIMI in (Exodus 6:17) (B.C. after 1706.)
2. Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of the house of Saul, who lived at Bahurim. (B.C. 1023.) When David and his suite were seen descending the long defile, on his flight from Absolom, (2 Samuel 16:5-13) the whole feeling of the clan of Benjamin burst forth without restraint in the person of Shimei. He ran along the ridge, cursing and throwing stones at the king and is companions. The next meeting was very different. The king was now returning from his successful campaign. Just as he was crossing the Jordan, (2 Samuel 19:18) the first person to welcome him was Shimei who threw himself at David's feet in abject penitence. But the king's suspicions were not set at rest by this submission; and on his death-bed he recalls the whole scene to the recollection of his son Solomon. Solomon gave Shimei notice that from henceforth he must consider himself confined to the walls of Jerusalem, on pain of death. (1 Kings 3:36,37) For three years the engagement was kept. At the end of that time for the purpose of capturing two slaves who had escaped to Gath, he went out on his ass, and made his journey successfully. Ibid. (1 Kings 2:40) On his return the king took him at his word, and he was slain by Benaiah. Ibid. (1 Kings 2:41-46)
3. One of the adherents of Solomon at the time of Adonjah's usurpation. (1 Kings 1:8) (B.C.1015.)
4. Solomon's commissariat officer in Benjamin. (1 Kings 4:18)
5. Son of Pedaiah, and brother of Zerubbabel. (1 Chronicles 3:19) (B.C. 536.)
6. A Simeonite, son of Zacchur. (1 Chronicles 4:26,27)
7. Son of Gog, a Reubenite. (1 Chronicles 5:4)
8. A Gershonite Levite, son of Jahath. (1 Chronicles 6:42)
9. Son of Jeduthun, and chief of the tenth division of the singers. (1 Chronicles 25:17)
10. The Ramathite who was over David's vineyards. (1 Chronicles 27:27)
11. A Levite of the sons of Heman, who took part in the purification of the temple under Zedekiah. (2 Chronicles 29:14) (B.C. 726.)
12. The brother of Cononiah the Levite, in the reign of Hezekiah. (2 Chronicles 31:12,13) Perhaps the same as the preceding.
13. A Levite in the time of Ezra who had married a foreign wife. (Ezra 10:23)
14. One of the family of Hashum, who put away his foreign wife at Ezra's command. (Ezra 10:33)
15. A son of Bani, who had also married a foreign wife, and put her away. (Ezra 10:38) (B.C. 459.)
16. Son of Kish, a Benjamite, and ancestor of Mordecai. (Esther 2:5) (B.C. before 479).

SHIMEI

shim'-e-i (shim`i, possibly "hear me (El)" or "(Jah)"; Semeei, Semei): A name of frequent occurrence throughout the Old Testament records, sometimes varying slightly in form in English Versions of the Bible. The King James Version has "Shimi" in Exodus 6:17; "Shimhi" in 1 Chronicles 8:21; "Shimeah" in 2 Samuel 21:21. the Revised Version (British and American) has "Shimeites" in Zechariah 12:13, where the King James Version has "Shimei," and Numbers 3:21 for the King James Version "Shimites." English Versions of the Bible has "Shema" in 1 Chronicles 8:13, 21 margin for the "Shimei" of 8:21. In all others of the many occurrences in the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) the form is "Shimei."

(1) A family name among the Levites before and after the exile, at least five of whom bore it:

(a) Son of Gershon and grandson of Levi (Exodus 6:17 Numbers 3:18 1 Chronicles 6:17; 1 Chronicles 23:7, 10). The text of 1 Chronicles 6 and 23 is corrupt, making difficult the tracing of the various genealogies and the identification of the several Shimeis. Evidently that of 23:9 is a scribe's error for one of the four sons of Ladan or Libni, whose names are given in the preceding verse.

(b) An ancestor of Asaph the musician (1 Chronicles 6:42), possibly the same as (a) above, Jahath the son of South (compare 1 Chronicles 23:10) being by a copyist's error transposed so as to read as if he were the father of South

(c) A descendant of the Merarite branch of the Levites (1 Chronicles 6:29).

(d) One of the 288 trained singers in the service of the sanctuary under Asaph (1 Chronicles 25:17).

(e) One of the Levites who helped to cleanse the Temple in Hezekiah's reformation (2 Chronicles 29:14). He was a descendant of Heman the musician. Hezekiah afterward appointed him with Conaniah to have chief oversight of "the oblations and the tithes and the dedicated things" which were brought into the chambers of Yahweh's house prepared for them (2 Chronicles 31:11, 12).

(f) A Levite who under Ezra put away his foreign wife (Ezra 10:23), "Semeis" in 1 Esdras 9:23.

(2) The best-known Bible character of this name is the Benjamite, of the family of Saul (2 Samuel 16:5-12; 2 Samuel 19:16-20 1 Kings 2:8, 9, 36-46), who met David at Bahurim as he was fleeing from Absalom, and in bitter and cowardly fashion cursed and attacked the hard-pressed king. Apparently David's flight to the Jordan led through a narrow ravine, on one side of which, or on the ridge above, stood Shimei in safety as he cast stones at David and his men, cursing as he threw (2 Samuel 16:5, 6). His hatred of David who had displaced his royal kinsman Saul had smouldered long in his mean heart; and now the flame bursts out, as the aged and apparently helpless king flees before his own son. Shimei seizes the long-coveted opportunity to pour out the acid hate of his heart. But when David's faithful companions would cross the ravine to make quick work of Shimei, the noble king forbade them with these remarkable words: "Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more may this Benjamite now do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for Yahweh hath bidden him. It may be that Yahweh.... will requite me good for his cursing" (2 Samuel 16:11, 12). After Absalom's overthrow, as the king was returning victorious and vindicated, Shimei met him at the Jordan with most abject confession and with vows of allegiance (2 Samuel 19:16-23).

The king spared his life; but shortly before his death charged his son Solomon to see that due punishment should come to Shimei for his sins: "Thou shalt bring his hoar head down to Sheol with blood" (1 Kings 2:9). When he came to the throne Solomon summoned Shimei and bade him build a house in Jerusalem, to which he should come and from which he must not go out on pain of death (1 Kings 2:36-38). Feeling secure after some years, Shimei left his home in Jerusalem to recapture some escaped slaves (1 Kings 2:39-41), and in consequence he was promptly dispatched by that gruesome avenger of blood, the royal executioner, "Benaiah the son of Jehoiada," who "fell upon him," as he had upon Adonijah and Joab, "so that he died" (1 Kings 2:46).

(3) Another Benjamite, mentioned with Rei as an officer in the king's bodyguard, who was faithful to David in the rebellion of Adonijah (1 Kings 1:8). Josephus reads Rei as a common noun, describing Shimei as "the friend of David." He is to be identified with the son of Elah (1 Kings 4:18), whom Solomon, probably because of his fidelity, named as one of the 12 chief commissary officers appointed over all Israel, "who provided victuals for the king and his household."

(4) A man of some prominence in the tribe of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:21), whose home was in Aijalon, where he was a "head of fathers' houses" (1 Chronicles 8:13); but his descendants lived in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 8:28). In the King James Version he is called "Shimhi"; in 1 Chronicles 8:13 he is called "Shema."

(5) Another Benjamite, an ancestor of Mordecai (Esther 2:5), "Semeias" in Additions to Esther 11:2.

(6) A brother of David (2 Samuel 21:21, the King James Version "Shimeah"); in 1 Samuel 16:9 he is called "Shammah"; compare "Shimeah," "Shimea."

(7) A man of Judah, called "the Ramathite," who was "over the vineyards" in David's reign (1 Chronicles 27:27).

(8) A Simeonite living in the time of David (1 Chronicles 4:26, 27), whose chief claim to distinction was that he was father of 16 sons and 6 daughters. The descendants of such a numerous progeny, not being able to maintain themselves in their ancestral home in Beer-sheba, in the days of Hezekiah fell upon Gerar, and dispossessed "the sons of Ham" (1 Chronicles 4:39, the Septuagint), and upon Mt. Seir, driving out the Amalekites (1 Chronicles 4:43).

(9) A man of Reuben, son of Gog (1 Chronicles 5:4).

(10), (11) Two men of "Israel," i.e. not priests or Levites, one "of the sons of Hashum" (Ezra 10:33), the other "of the sons of Bani" (Ezra 10:38), who put away their foreign wives at Ezra's command, in 1 Esdras called respectively "Semei" (9:33) and "Someis" (9:34).

(12) A brother of Zerubbabel (1 Chronicles 3:19).

The Shimeites were descendants of Shimei, grandson of Levi; compare (1) (a) above (Numbers 3:21 Zechariah 12:13).

Edward Mack

Famous.

(1.) A son of Gershon, and grandson of Levi (Numbers 3:18; 1 Chronicles 6:17, 29); called Shimi in Exodus 6:17.

(2.) A Benjamite of the house of Saul, who stoned and cursed David when he reached Bahurim in his flight from Jerusalem on the occasion of the rebellion of Absalom (2 Samuel 16:5-13). After the defeat of Absalom he "came cringing to the king, humbly suing for pardon, bringing with him a thousand of his Benjamite tribesmen, and representing that he was heartily sorry for his crime, and had hurried the first of all the house of Israel to offer homage to the king" (19:16-23). David forgave him; but on his death-bed he gave Solomon special instructions regarding Shimei, of whose fidelity he seems to have been in doubt (1 Kings 2:8, 9). He was put to death at the command of Solomon, because he had violated his word by leaving Jerusalem and going to Gath to recover two of his servants who had escaped (36-46).

(3.) One of David's mighty men who refused to acknowledge Adonijah as David's successor (1 Kings 1:8). He is probably the same person who is called elsewhere (4:18) "the son of Elah."

(4.) A son of Pedaiah, the brother of Zerubbabel (1 Chronicles 3:19).

(5.) A Simeonite (1 Chronicles 4:26, 27).

(6.) A Reubenite (1 Chronicles 5:4).

(7.) A Levite of the family of Gershon (1 Chronicles 6:42).

(8.) A Ramathite who was "over the vineyards" of David (1 Chronicles 27:27).

(9.) One of the sons of Heman, who assisted in the purification of the temple (2 Chronicles 29:14).

(10.) A Levite (2 Chronicles 31:12, 13).

(11.) Another Levite (Ezra 10:23). "The family of Shimei" (Zechariah 12:13; R.V., "the family of the Shimeites") were the descendants of Shimei (1).

8097. Shimi -- descendant of Shimei
... Shimi. 8098 >>. descendant of Shimei. Transliteration: Shimi Phonetic Spelling:
(shim-ee') Short Definition: Shimeites. ... of Shimei NASB Word Usage Shimeites (2). ...
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8096. Shimi -- the name of a number of Isr.
... Shimi. 8097 >>. the name of a number of Isr. Transliteration: Shimi Phonetic Spelling:
(shim-ee') Short Definition: Shimei. ... NASB Word Usage Shimei (44). ...
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8092. Shima -- four Israelites
... NASB Word Usage Shimea (5). Shimea, Shimei, Shamma. For Shim'ah; Shima, the name
of four Israelites -- Shimea, Shimei, Shamma. see HEBREW Shim'ah. << 8091, 8092 ...
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