Shimeam is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Shimeam was a descendant of David, listed in the genealogies of the tribe of Judah. He appears in 1 Chronicles 9:38, where the text states, “And Mikloth begat Shimeam. And they also dwelt with their brethren at Jerusalem, over against their brethren.” He was the son of Mikloth, and his name is recorded among the returned exiles and their families who settled in Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity.
The setting of this genealogy is the post-exilic community. The Chronicler, writing to the restored people of Judah, traced their ancestral lines to show continuity between the pre-exilic generations and those who came back to the land. Shimeam belongs to this record of families who re-established themselves in Jerusalem. The phrase “over against their brethren” indicates that his family dwelt in Jerusalem in proximity to their fellow kinsmen, sharing the same city and heritage.
Apart from his name appearing in this single verse, Scripture records nothing else about Shimeam. No deeds, words, or personal events are attributed to him. He is known only as a link in a lineage and as one who dwelt with his brethren in Jerusalem. His inclusion in the chronicle of Judah’s families testifies that he was counted among the people of God in his generation, and that his place in the sacred record was preserved for the sake of the generations that followed.
The Name
The name Shimeam appears to be a variant form related to the Hebrew name Shimea or Shimeah, built from the root *shama*, meaning “to hear.” Names from this root commonly carry the sense of “hearing” or “one who hears,” and are sometimes understood as “Yahweh has heard” or simply “hearing.” Because the precise vocalization and derivation of this particular form are not entirely certain, the meaning is not as clearly established as that of some other biblical names. What can be said is that it belongs to the family of names connected with hearing, but a definite, settled meaning for Shimeam itself should not be pressed beyond what the evidence supports.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be remembered in a chronicle. Our lives pass quietly, and the record of our days is kept only by God. Shimeam’s single verse reminds us that faithfulness does not require fame. He dwelt with his brethren in Jerusalem, a simple phrase that describes a life lived among God’s people in the place God had appointed. That is enough. The Lord keeps His own book of remembrance, and a name written there matters far more than a name written in history.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 9:38 — And Mikloth begat Shimeam. And they also dwelt with their brethren at Jerusalem, over against their brethren.