Numbers 1:6 — Word Study
WLCלְשִׁמְע֕וֹן שְׁלֻמִיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־ צוּרִֽישַׁדָּֽי׃
BSAfrom SimeonShimʻôwn [the second son of Jacob, a tribe of Israel] ShelumielShᵉlumîyʼêl [a prince of Simeon, meaning peace of God] sonbên [a descendant, offspring] of ZurishaddaiTsûwrîyshadday [my rock is almighty, a leader of the Israelites]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לְשִׁמְע֕וֹן | for Simeon | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| שְׁלֻמִיאֵ֖ל | Shelumiel | Noun proper masculine |
| בֶּן־ | [the] son of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| צוּרִֽישַׁדָּֽי׃ | Zurishaddai | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; |
| KJV | Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. |
| ASV | Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. |
| YLT | 'For Simeon — Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. |
| WEB | Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. |
| BBE | From Simeon, Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai; |
All translations agree on the names and their relationships in this verse.
The sentence has a main clause followed by phrases that provide details about the subject's lineage.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Numbers 1:6
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Census of Israelgenerated
Numbers 1:6 is part of a larger passage where God commands Moses to take a census of the Israelites. Each tribe is represented by a leader, and this verse specifically mentions Shelumiel, the prince of Simeon, illustrating the structure and organization of the Israelite community during their journey in the wilderness.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 2:12 | The tribe of Simeon will camp next to it. The leader of the Simeonites is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, |
| 2 | Numbers 7:36 | On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, the leader of the Simeonites, drew near. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שִׁמְעוֹן, le.shim.'ongenerated
The name שִׁמְעוֹן (Shim`own) refers to the second son of Jacob and Leah, and the progenitor of the tribe of Simeon. The name is associated with the meaning 'heard,' derived from the root for hearing. In this verse, it identifies the tribe from which Shelumiel hails.
This word is a proper noun and appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing the significance of Simeon as one of the tribes of Israel. The parsing indicates it is a masculine noun, showing its role as a name rather than a general term.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the verse is rendered consistently across translations, with all versions identifying Shelumiel as the son of Zurishaddai from the tribe of Simeon.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is structured around the prepositional phrase לְשִׁמְע֕וֹן, for Simeon, indicating the tribe, followed by the noun phrase שְׁלֻמִיאֵ֖ל, Shelumiel, who is the subject, and finally the noun phrase בֶּן־ צוּרִֽישַׁדָּֽי, son of Zurishaddai.
The structure emphasizes the lineage and tribal affiliation, with the names presented in a clear and hierarchical manner, reflecting the importance of family and tribal identity in Israel.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שִׁמְעוֹן as συμεων and שְׁלֻמִיאֵל as σαλαμιηλ, indicating a direct correspondence in names, though the Greek forms reflect a different phonetic structure.
This choice shows continuity in the identity of the tribes, while also adapting to the Greek language for its audience.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 1:6 lists Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, as the prince of the tribe of Simeon. This verse is part of a census of the Israelite tribes, highlighting the leaders as they prepare for their journey.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Shelumiel was a prince of the tribe of Simeon during the Exodus, mentioned in Numbers 1:6.
Zurishaddai means 'my rock is almighty' and was the father of Shelumiel.
Simeon was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and his descendants played a key role in the history of the Israelites.
The census organized the Israelites for their journey and established leadership within each tribe.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the importance of lineage and identity from this verse?
- How does the structure of this verse reflect the organization of the Israelite tribes?
- In what ways does the meaning of names like Shelumiel and Zurishaddai enrich our understanding of their roles?
- How can understanding the context of this census help us appreciate the narrative of the Exodus?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 1:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleOf Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. [See comments on Numbers 1:5].
Read John Gill on Numbers 1 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryOf Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 1 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1–16. Moses is directed to number the fighting men of Israel with the help of twelve princes.
Read Cambridge on Numbers 1 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleAND MUSTER OF THE ADULT MALES, Numbers 1:1-46.At the close of the third book of Moses the temple in the wilderness — the tabernacle — had been erected, the law of sacrifices instituted, the Aaronic
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 1 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
Tyndale line
Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
Of Simeon, Shelumiel the sonne of Zurishaddai:
Strictly literal
for Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai;
'For Simeon — Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
for Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
from the tribe of Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
From the Latin
Of Simeon, Salamiel the son of Surisaddai.
Simplified
from the tribe of Simeon, Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai;
From Simeon, Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the names and structure of this verse, with the Samaritan Pentateuch differing in the spelling of Zurishaddai as צורישׁדה, but maintaining the same lineage.
לְשִׁמְע֕וֹן שְׁלֻמִיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־ צוּרִֽישַׁדָּֽי׃
4 of the 4 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
לשׁמעון שׁלמיאל בן צורישׁדה
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: צורישׁדה (Zurishaddai)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Numbers 1:6
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
שִׁמְעוֹן (Shim`own) refers to Simeon, the second son of Jacob and Leah, and the name of the tribe descended from him. The entries highlight his familial connections and mention a post-exilic Israelite with a foreign wife. The name is associated with the meaning 'heard,' derived from the root for hearing.
שִׁמְעוֹן 44 n.pr.m.
second son of Jacob and Leah
tribal name
post-ex. Jew with foreign wife
base
H8095 שִׁמְעוֹן . second son of Jacob and Leah
. tribal name
. post-ex. Jew with foreign wife
8095 Shim`own shim-one'
from 8085; hearing; Shimon, one of Jacob's sons, also the
tribe descended from him:--Simeon.
see HEBREW for 08085
שִׁמְעוֹן (shim.on) — Simeon.
A man of the tribe of Simeon living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.33;
son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);
brother of: Reuben (H7205), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);
half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); married to Canaanite_woman (H3669);
father of: Jemuel (H3223), Jamin (H3226), Ohad (H0161), Jachin (H3199), Zerah (H2226L) and Shaul (H7586H)
§ Simeon or Shimeon = "heard"
1) the 2nd son of Jacob by his wife Leah and progenitor of the tribe of Simeon
2) an Israelite of the sons of Bani who had a foreign wife in the time of Ezra
שִׁמְעוֹן (shim.on) — Shimeon.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.10.31
§ Simeon or Shimeon = "heard"
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
Simeon
Hearing. (1.) The second son of Jacob by Leah (Gen. 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).
(heard). 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…
1. One of the twelve patriarches, the son of Jacob and Leah, Ge 29:33 Ex 6:15. Some have thought he was more guilty than his brethren in the treatment of Joseph, Ge 37:20 42:24 43:23; but he may have been detained as a hostage because he was one of the eldest sons. The tribes of Simeon and Levi were scattered and dispersed in Israel, in conformity with the prediction of Jacob, on account of their sacrilegious and piratical revenge of the outrage committed against Dinah their sister, Ge 34:1-31 49:5. Levi had no compact lot or portion in the Holy Land; and Simeon received for his portion only a district dismembered from Judah, with some other lands the tribe overran in the…
that hears or obeys; that is heard
שְׁלֻמִיאֵל (Shlumiy'el) refers to a personal name meaning 'peace of God' or 'friend of God.' It identifies an Israelite, specifically a prince of the tribe of Simeon during the time of the Exodus, first mentioned in Numbers 1:6. The name is constructed from roots meaning peace and God.
שְׁלֻמִיאֵל n.pr.m. in Simeon
base
H8017 שְׁלֻמִיאֵל
8017 Shlumiy'el shel-oo-mee-ale'
from 7965 and 410; peace of God; Shelumiel, an
Israelite:--Shelumiel.
see HEBREW for 07965
see HEBREW for 0410
שְׁלֻמִיאֵל (she.lu.mi.el) — Shelumiel.
A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.1.6;
son of: Zurishaddai (H6701)
§ Shelumiel = "friend of God"
son of Zurishaddai and prince of the tribe of Simeon at the time of the exodus
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
she-lu'-mi-el (shelumi'el; both the punctuation and interpretation are in doubt. Massoretic Text punctuates the first element as a passive participle; the use of the participle in compounds is common in Assyrian but rare in Heb (compare Gray, HPN, 200). The meaning of the present form, if it be correct, is "at peace with God" (Hommel, Ancient Hebrew Tradition, 200, "my friend is God"). Septuagint reads Salamiel: Prince of the tribe of Simeon (Nu 1:6; 2:12; 7:36,41; 10:19). The genealogy of Judith (8:1) is carried back to this Shelumiel or Shelamiel, called there "Salamiel."
Horace J. Wolf
(friend of God), the son of Zurishaddai, and prince of the tribe of Simeon at the time of the exodus. (Numbers 1:6; 2:12; 7:36,41; 10:19) (B.C. 1431.)
same as Shelemiah
→ Son of Zurishaddai, and a leader of the tribe of Simeon in time of Moses Nu 1:6; 2:12; 7:36,41; 10:19
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
צוּרִישַׁדָּ֑י (Tsuwriyshadday) is a proper name meaning 'my rock is Almighty,' derived from roots meaning 'rock' and 'Almighty.' It refers to an Israelite mentioned in Numbers 1:6, who was the father of Shelumiel, the chief of the Simeonites during the Exodus.
צוּרִישַׁדָּ֑י n.pr.m. (my rock is Shadday);—a Simeonite
base
H6701 צוּרִישַׁדָּ֑י, צוּרִישַׁדַּי
6701 Tsuwriyshadday tsoo-ree-shad-dah'-ee
from 6697 and 7706; rock of (the) Almighty; Tsurishaddai, an
Israelite:--Zurishaddai.
see HEBREW for 06697
see HEBREW for 07706
צוּרִישַׁדָּ֑י (tsu.ri.shad.day) — Zurishaddai.
A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.1.6;
father of: Shelumiel (H8017)
§ Zurishaddai = "my rock is almighty"
father of Shelumiel, the chief of the Simeonites at the time of the exodus
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
zu-ri-shad'-a-i, zu-ri-shad'-i (tsurishadday, "my rock is Shadday"): Father of Shelumiel the head of the tribe of Simeon (Nu 1:6; 2:12; 7:36,41; 10:19).
See GOD, NAMES OF, II, 8; ZURIEL.
Zurishaddai
Rock of the Almighty, the father of Shelumiel, who was chief of the tribe of Simeon when Israel was encamped at Sinai (Num. 1:6; 2:12).
(my rock is the Almighty), father of Shelumiel, the chief of the tribe of Simeon at the time of the exodus. (Numbers 1:6; 2:12; 7:36,41; 10:19)
the Almighty is my rock and strength