Jesimiel is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Jesimiel was a descendant of Simeon, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, and he is named in the genealogies of the tribe of Simeon recorded in 1 Chronicles. He appears in a list of clan leaders or family heads within the tribe, a roster that the Chronicler preserves as part of the larger record of Israel’s tribal inheritance. The source note identifies him simply as a descendant of Simeon, and the single verse in which his name appears places him in that lineage without further comment.
The setting of 1 Chronicles 4 is a survey of the descendants of Judah, Simeon, and other tribes, giving attention to families, towns, and leaders. In verse 36 Jesimiel is named among a group of men: Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, and Benaiah. These names are listed together as heads of families or clans within Simeon, likely representing households that settled in the territory allotted to the tribe. The context suggests they were leaders of some standing, since they are singled out by name in a genealogy that otherwise moves quickly through generations.
Scripture says nothing further about Jesimiel beyond this single mention. No deed, speech, or personal detail is recorded. He did not perform a notable act, receive a divine promise, or appear in any narrative episode. What is known of him is limited to his lineage, his tribal affiliation, and his place among the named heads of Simeon. His inclusion in the genealogy is itself the whole of his biblical record.
The Name
The name Jesimiel appears to be a Hebrew compound name, and its meaning is not clearly recoverable from the text or from standard lexical sources. It may be related to a root suggesting “God establishes” or “God sets,” with the theophoric element *el* (God) at the end, but the first element is uncertain and no established, widely accepted meaning can be given with confidence. Rather than assign a speculative meaning, it is more honest to say that the precise sense of the name is obscure.
A Closing Thought
Most of the people named in Scripture are like Jesimiel: a single line in a long list, no story attached, no words preserved. Yet the Chronicler took care to write his name down, and God saw fit to keep it. There is a quiet comfort in that. A life lived faithfully in the ordinary places of family and tribe is not forgotten by the One who numbers the stars and calls them by name. Jesimiel’s one verse is enough to remind us that being known by God matters more than being known by many.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 4:36 — And Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, and Asaiah, and Adiel, and Jesimiel, and Benaiah,