Simri is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Simri was a descendant of Benjamin whose name appears in the genealogies of the tribe recorded in 1 Chronicles. He is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 26:10, in a passage listing the sons of Hosah, who was of the children of Merari. The context of this chapter concerns the organization of the Levitical gatekeepers for the service of the house of the LORD, and within that setting Hosah’s family is named among those appointed to that work. Simri is identified specifically as one of Hosah’s sons.
The single verse that names him tells us two things about Simri. First, he is called “the chief,” meaning he held the leading place among his father’s sons. Second, the text explains why: “though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him the chief.” This is the whole of what Scripture records about him. He did not receive his position by the ordinary right of birth order; his father Hosah deliberately elevated him above his brothers.
Beyond this, the Bible says nothing further about Simri—no deed, no word, no later incident is recorded. He appears once in the King James Version, in a genealogy, and then the record moves on. What remains is a brief but pointed notice: a man who was not first in line, yet was set first by his father’s choice.
The Name
The name Simri appears in the Hebrew Scriptures in a form related to the name Zimri, which is more commonly found in the Old Testament. The name is generally understood to derive from a Hebrew root connected with music, praise, or song, and it is often rendered with a meaning along the lines of “my music” or “my praise,” or “musical.” Because the name occurs in slightly varied forms in different passages and translations, and because Hebrew name meanings are not always certain, the precise sense should be stated with some care. What is well established is the association of the name with the idea of music or praise; a more exact meaning is not clearly recoverable from the text itself.
A Closing Thought
Simri’s entire legacy in Scripture is one sentence: he was not the firstborn, but his father made him chief. There is quiet encouragement in that. God’s records are not limited to the famous and the first in line; He takes note of a man known only for a father’s choice. If your place came not by seniority or prominence but by another’s kindness or by God’s hidden hand, that is no small thing. Faithfulness in an unrecorded life is still seen by the One who keeps the truest genealogy of all.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 26:10 — Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons; Simri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him the chief;)