Genesis 46:10 provides a snapshot of Simeon’s family, highlighting each named son and noting Canaanite heritage, illustrating the breadth of Jacob’s lineage as it journeys to Egypt.
“The sons of Simeon: Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.” (Genesis 46:10)
In this passage, Simeon’s family line is detailed as part of a larger record of Jacob’s descendants journeying to Egypt. Simeon was the second son of Jacob (also called Israel), who lived during the patriarchal era, generally placed around the early second millennium BC. At this point in Genesis, Jacob’s entire family is relocating from Canaan to Egypt to reunite with Joseph, setting in motion events that culminate in Israel’s eventual enslavement and subsequent exodus. The specifics found here—naming each of Simeon’s sons and especially mentioning that Shaul was the son of a Canaanite woman—underscore the family’s complex background. It also highlights how God’s plan extends into every branch of the family, even those that seem peripheral.
The verse’s emphasis on each son’s name, along with the note that Shaul’s mother was a Canaanite, signals the inclusivity of God’s covenant promise within one extended household. As these descendants settle in Egypt, biblical commentators note that Israel remains in that land for 430 years until the time of Moses (Exodus 12:40-41). Hence, Genesis 46:10 sets forth the tapestry of kinship that will grow into the twelve tribes of Israel. Though Simeon’s tribe does not play as central a role in later redemptive history as Judah’s, it remains an integral part of God’s chosen people, ensuring that for generations to come each branch would share in the national identity that unfolds through the Exodus and beyond.
Historically, this genealogical detail reminds the reader that the larger biblical narrative is anchored in real families, real migrations, and distinct ethnic lineages, woven together under God’s sovereign guidance. Simeon’s descendants would appear throughout Israel’s history, often associated with their own territory and tribe within the nation. Their inclusion in the patriarch’s formal listing conveys that no part of Israel’s heritage is overlooked or omitted, even if it involves a Canaanite mother or lesser-known names.
This verse shows how God’s covenant promise encompassed every facet of Jacob’s household, preserving their identity and preparing the way for Israel’s growth into a nation.
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Genesis 46:10 meaning
“The sons of Simeon: Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.” (Genesis 46:10)
In this passage, Simeon’s family line is detailed as part of a larger record of Jacob’s descendants journeying to Egypt. Simeon was the second son of Jacob (also called Israel), who lived during the patriarchal era, generally placed around the early second millennium BC. At this point in Genesis, Jacob’s entire family is relocating from Canaan to Egypt to reunite with Joseph, setting in motion events that culminate in Israel’s eventual enslavement and subsequent exodus. The specifics found here—naming each of Simeon’s sons and especially mentioning that Shaul was the son of a Canaanite woman—underscore the family’s complex background. It also highlights how God’s plan extends into every branch of the family, even those that seem peripheral.
The verse’s emphasis on each son’s name, along with the note that Shaul’s mother was a Canaanite, signals the inclusivity of God’s covenant promise within one extended household. As these descendants settle in Egypt, biblical commentators note that Israel remains in that land for 430 years until the time of Moses (Exodus 12:40-41). Hence, Genesis 46:10 sets forth the tapestry of kinship that will grow into the twelve tribes of Israel. Though Simeon’s tribe does not play as central a role in later redemptive history as Judah’s, it remains an integral part of God’s chosen people, ensuring that for generations to come each branch would share in the national identity that unfolds through the Exodus and beyond.
Historically, this genealogical detail reminds the reader that the larger biblical narrative is anchored in real families, real migrations, and distinct ethnic lineages, woven together under God’s sovereign guidance. Simeon’s descendants would appear throughout Israel’s history, often associated with their own territory and tribe within the nation. Their inclusion in the patriarch’s formal listing conveys that no part of Israel’s heritage is overlooked or omitted, even if it involves a Canaanite mother or lesser-known names.
This verse shows how God’s covenant promise encompassed every facet of Jacob’s household, preserving their identity and preparing the way for Israel’s growth into a nation.