Meshobab is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Meshobab was a leader of the tribe of Simeon, mentioned in the genealogies recorded in 1 Chronicles. He appears in a list of men described as “princes” or leaders within the Simeonites, a tribe whose inheritance lay within the territory of Judah in the southern part of the land of Israel. The genealogies of 1 Chronicles trace the families and clans of Israel, and this particular section focuses on the descendants of Simeon, giving attention to those who held positions of leadership among them.
Meshobab is named in 1 Chronicles 4:34, where the text reads, “And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah, the son of Amaziah.” He is listed alongside several other men—Jamlech, Joshah, and others—who are identified in the surrounding verses as leaders of their clans. These men are associated with a later development in the narrative: the expansion of Simeonite territory. In the verses that follow, the chronicler describes how these leaders and their families moved to seek pasture for their flocks, eventually settling in regions to the east and in the hill country of Seir.
Beyond his inclusion in this list of leaders, Scripture says nothing further about Meshobab. No deeds, words, or personal details are recorded. He is one of many names preserved in the genealogical record, remembered simply as a leader among the Simeonites during a time when the tribe was spreading out and seeking land for its growing population.
The Name
The name Meshobab is a Hebrew name, but its exact meaning is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text or from standard Hebrew lexicons. It appears only here in Scripture, which makes it difficult to determine with confidence what it originally signified. Some names in the Hebrew Bible are transparent in meaning because they are built from common roots or contain a divine element, but Meshobab does not yield an obvious or well-established meaning. It is better to say plainly that the meaning of this name is uncertain than to assign it a meaning that the text does not support.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be remembered by name in a record that endures for thousands of years, and yet Meshobab’s brief appearance reminds us that faithfulness in ordinary leadership matters. He was a leader among his people, guiding his clan through a season of movement and settling. Scripture does not praise him or criticize him; it simply records that he was there, doing his part. That is enough. God’s work is carried forward by countless unnamed and half-named people whose quiet obedience holds a community together. Our calling is not to be famous, but to be faithful where we are placed.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 4:34 — And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah, the son of Amaziah,