King James Bible Dictionary

Hearing.

1. The second son of Jacob by Leah (Genesis 29:33). He was associated with Levi in the terrible act of vengeance against Hamor and the Shechemites (34:25, 26). He was detained by Joseph in Egypt as a hostage (42:24). His father, when dying, pronounced a malediction against him (49:5-7). The words in the Authorized Version (49:6), "they digged down a wall," ought to be, as correctly rendered in the Revised Version, "they houghed an ox."

2. An aged saint who visited the temple when Jesus was being presented before the Lord, and uttered lofty words of thankgiving and of prophecy (Luke 2:29-35).

3. One of the ancestors of Joseph (Luke 3:30).

4. Surnamed Niger, i.e., "black," perhaps from his dark complexion, a teacher of some distinction in the church of Antioch (Acts 13:1-3). It has been supposed that this was the Simon of Cyrene who bore Christ's cross. Note the number of nationalities represented in the church at Antioch.

5. James (Acts 15:14) thus designates the apostle Peter (q.v.).

that hears or obeys; that is heard

1. Son of Jacob:

General references
Genesis 29:33; Genesis 35:23; Exodus 1:1-2; 1 Chronicles 2:1

With Levi avenges upon the Shemchemites the seduction of Dinah
1 Chronicles 1:34; Genesis 49:5-7

Jacob's denunciation of
Genesis 34:30; Genesis 49:5-7

Goes down into Egypt to buy corn; is bound by Joseph and detained
Genesis 42:24; Genesis 42:36; Genesis 43:23

His sons
Genesis 46:10; Exodus 6:15; 1 Chronicles 4:24-37

Descendants of

General references
Numbers 26:12-14

2. Tribe of:

Military enrollment of:

At Sinai
Numbers 1:22-23; Numbers 2:13

In the plains of Moab
Numbers 26:14

Place of, in camp and march
Numbers 2:12; Numbers 10:18-19

Inheritance allotted to
Joshua 19:1-9; Judges 1:3-17; 1 Chronicles 4:24-43

Stood on Mount Gerizim to bless at the time of the rehearsal of the law
Deuteronomy 27:12

Joined with the people of Judah and Benjamin in the renewal of the Passover
2 Chronicles 15:1-15

Idolatry of
2 Chronicles 34:1-7
Israel

3. A devout man in Jerusalem, blesses Jesus in the temple
Luke 2:25-35

4. An ancestor of Jesus
Luke 3:30

5. A disciple, called also Niger
Acts 13:1

6. Name given to Peter

General references
Acts 15:14
Peter

(heard).

1. The second of Jacob's son by Leah. His birth is recorded in (Genesis 29:33) The first group of Jacob's children consists, besides Simeon, of the three other sons of Leah

   Reuben, Levi, Judah. Besides the massacre of Shechem, (Genesis 34:25) the only personal incident related of Simeon is the fact of his being selected by Joseph as the hostage for the appearance of Benjamin. (Genesis 42:19,24,36; 43:23) The chief families of the tribe of Simeon are mentioned int he lists of (Genesis 46:10) At the census of Sinai Simeon numbered 59,300 fighting men. (Numbers 1:23) When the second census was taken, at Shittim, the numbers had fallen to 22,200, and it was the weakest of all the tribes. This was no doubt partly due to the recent mortality following the idolatry of Peor, but there must have been other causes which have escaped mention. To Simeon was allotted a portion of land out of the territory of Judah, on its southern frontier, which contained eighteen or nineteen cities, with their villages, spread round the venerable well of Beersheba. (Joshua 19:1-8; 1 Chronicles 4:28-33) Of these places, with the help of Judah, the Simeonites possessed themselves, (Judges 1:3,17) and there they were found, doubtless by Joab, residing in the reign of David. (1 Chronicles 4:31) What part of the tribe took at the time of the division of the kingdom we are not told. The only thing which can be interpreted into a trace of its having taken any part with the northern kingdom are the two casual notices of (2 Chronicles 15:9) and 2 Chronicles 34:6 Which appear to imply the presence of Simeonites there in the reigns of Asa and Josiah. On the other hand the definite statement of (1 Chronicles 4:41-43) proves that at that time there were still some of them remaining in the original seat of the tribe, and actuated by all the warlike, lawless spirit of their progenitor.

2. A devout Jew, inspired by the Holy Ghost, who met the parents of our Lord in the temple, took him in his arms, and gave thanks for what he saw and knew of Jesus. (Luke 2:25-35) There was a Simeon who succeeded his father Hillel as president of the Sanhedrin about A.D. 13, and whose son Gamaliel was the Pharisee at whose feet St. Paul was brought up. (Acts 22:3) It has been conjectured that he may be the Simeon of St. Luke.

(Acts 13:1) [NIGER]

Was "divided and scattered" according to the prediction in Genesis 49:5-7. They gradually dwindled in number, and sank into a position of insignificance among the other tribes. They decreased in the wilderness by about two-thirds (comp. Numbers 1:23; 26:14). Moses pronounces no blessing on this tribe. It is passed by in silence (Deuteronomy 33).

This tribe received as their portion a part of the territory already allotted to Judah (Joshua 19:1-9). It lay in the south-west of the land, with Judah on the east and Dan on the north; but whether it was a compact territory or not cannot be determined. The subsequent notices of this tribe are but few (1 Chronicles 4:24-43). Like Reuben on the east of Jordan, this tribe had little influence on the history of Israel.