Jimna is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Jimna was a descendant of Asher, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, and he is named in the genealogies of the tribe of Asher. The source note identifies him simply as a descendant of Asher mentioned in the genealogies of the tribe in 1 Chronicles. He appears in the record of Israel’s tribal organization, where families and clans were counted and named according to their ancestral lines.
Jimna is specifically associated with a family group called the Jimnites. In Numbers 26:44, the census of the children of Asher lists the families of the tribe: “Of the children of Asher after their families: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites: of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.” This verse places Jimna among the clan heads or ancestral figures of Asher, alongside Jesui and Beriah. His name became the designation for a family within the tribe, showing that he was remembered as a founding ancestor of that household.
Scripture says nothing further about Jimna’s personal life, deeds, or character. He is not recorded as speaking, traveling, or taking any action. His significance lies entirely in his place within the tribal genealogy of Asher. The single reference to his name in the King James Bible is this listing in Numbers 26:44, where the family of the Jimnites is counted among the people of Israel. The source note adds that he is also mentioned in the genealogies of the tribe in 1 Chronicles, though the KJV text of Numbers provides the specific wording. Jimna thus stands as a representative of an ordinary family line within God’s covenant people, remembered by name because his descendants were numbered among the tribes of Israel.
The Name
The name Jimna appears in the Hebrew text as יִמְנָה (Yimnah), and its meaning is not clearly recoverable with certainty. Some have suggested a connection to words denoting prosperity, fortune, or the right hand, but these proposals are not firmly established. Because the etymology is uncertain, it is best to say plainly that the meaning of this name is not definitively known. What is clear is that the name became attached to a clan, the Jimnites, and in that way it was preserved in Israel’s records.
A Closing Thought
Jimna never speaks a word in Scripture, yet his name is written down and his family is counted. That is a quiet reminder that God remembers ordinary people. Most of us will not be remembered for great deeds or public accomplishments. Like Jimna, we may be known mainly through the families and communities we belong to. The census of Israel was not merely a list of numbers; it was a record of belonging to a people whom God had chosen. Jimna’s place in that record is small but real, and it points to the truth that every member of God’s family matters, even when the world takes no notice.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Numbers 26:44 — Of the children of Asher after their families: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites: of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.