SHIMEI shĭm’ ĭ ī (שִׁמְעִ֣י, שֶׁ֔מַע, שִׁמְעָא, prob. hear me. LXX, Σεμεεί). A name appearing frequently throughout the OT. A popular family name used widely by the Levites. Before and after the Exile it was used at least six times.

1. One of the sons of Gershon and grandson of Levi (Exod 6:17; Num 3:18; 1 Chron 6:17). The KJV has Shimi in Exodus 6:17. He was the head of a family known as the Shimeites (Num 3:21). KJV has Shimites. Shimei was also the ancestor of Asaph, one of the three men David placed in charge of music when he introduced thanksgiving into the Temple worship (1 Chron 16:7). Some confusion is created when 1 Chronicles 6:43 records Shimei as the son of Jahath, making him the grandson of Gershon rather than his son. This could be the result of a scribe’s reversal of order (23:7-11) which makes Shimei the father of four sons of whom Jahath was the chief. It is not impossible, of course, that in the earlier reference there is an abridged genealogy and that Shimei had both a father and a son by the name of Jahath, but it is improbable. The confusion is extended somewhat when 1 Chronicles 6:17 has Libni as Shimei’s brother and in 23:7 he is called Ladan.

2. The great-grandson of Merari and son of Libni (6:29). Since Gershom and Merari were brothers Shimei (1) was a relative of Shimei (2).

3. A Levite, one of the six sons of Jeduthun who was appointed by David and the chiefs to prophesy with the lyre in thanksgiving and praise to the Lord (25:3).

4. A Levite, who with twelve sons and brethren, was among the 288 singers under Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. They were appointed to the tenth order (25:17).

5. A Levite, a descendant of Heman, the musician, who was one of those who aided Hezekiah in the cleansing of the Temple during his reform (2 Chron 29:14). When the people began to bring the tithes and dedicated articles into the Temple, Hezekiah appointed Shimei with his brother, Conaniah, as the chief officers to receive them. The close association of the two Shimeis in the text suggests that they were the same person (2 Chron 29:14; 31:12).

6. A Levite, in the time of Ezra, who put away his foreign wife during Ezra’s reform (Ezra 10:23).

The best-known Bible personality of this name is the Benjaminite, the son of Gera of Saul’s family, who met David at Bahurim in his flight from Absalom and cursed him (2 Sam 16:5). David’s flight took him past a place from which Shimei could hurl stones as well as ugly words at the fleeing king (16:6, 7). David’s men offered to silence the insolent Benjaminite but the king refused, believing that Jehovah would take note of the affliction he suffered under the tormenting tongue of Saul’s house. A bit of the king’s faith (or theology) showed itself in his response. God would reward such suffering with good, and he needed divine support right then more than he needed peace with Saul’s house (16:11, 12).

With the turn of events which brought deliverance to David and his faithful followers, Shimei found it necessary to reverse his former behavior. As David returned to Jerusalem Shimei, with a thousand Benjaminites, met him at the Jordan River and, in great humility and penance, pleaded for mercy (2 Sam 19:16-23). David restrained his men from seeking vengeance and assured the trembling Benjaminite that he would not be put to death.

Shimei’s fate was determined by his own response to Solomon’s restrictions. Before his death David instructed Solomon to see to it that Shimei received the punishment befitting his deeds. Solomon brought Shimei to Jerusalem and warned him that he would be put to death if he ever left the city. Things went well for Shimei for three years, but when his slaves ran away he left the city to retrieve them. Upon his return, Solomon carried out the threatened penalty; Shimei was slain (1 Kings 2:42-46).

C. The brother of David, and father of Jonathan, who slew a giant Philistine taunting David’s forces at Gob (2 Sam 21:19-21). This brother of David is called Shammah in 1 Samuel 16:9.

D. A Benjaminite, the son of Ela, who was appointed by Solomon from the tribe of Benjamin to provide food for the royal household (1 Kings 4:18). By the appointment Shimei became one of the twelve officers whose task it was to provide supplies one month of the year. If this appointment was a reward for faithful service under David, this Shimei is the same man who with Rei remained faithful to David in Adonijah’s attempt to usurp the throne and prevent Solomon from coming to power (1:8).

E. A descendant of Solomon, the son of Pedaiah and the brother of Zerubabbel (1 Chron 3:19). It was Zerubabbel who with Joshua returned from Babylon in 538 b.c. to rebuild the Temple at Jerusalem. Shimei was also a descendant of Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) who was carried captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.

F. A Simeonite, the son of Zaccur, living in Beer-sheba in the time of David. His chief claim to distinction was his very large family which found the villages of Judah insufficient to meet their needs. In the days of Hezekiah this group of Simeonites went to Mt. Seir, destroyed the remnant of the Amalekites and dwelt there (1 Chron 4:26-43).

G. A descendant of Reuben and a son of Gad (5:4).

H. The head of a house in the tribe of Benjamin (8:21). The KJV has Shimhi, but the Heb. has the usual שִׁמְעִ֣י, however, the Heb. for 1 Chronicles 8:13 has שֶׁ֔מַע which may be a variant of the more popular שִׁמְעִ֣י. The Shema of 1 Chronicles 8:13 was a head of his father’s house, with his home in Aijalon, while his descendants lived in Jerusalem (1 Chron 8:28).

I. A man of Judah, designated as the “Ramathite” whom David placed over his vineyards (1 Chron 27:27).

J. A son of Hashum but not a Levite, who in the time of Ezra put away his foreign wife (Ezra 10:33). Both he and Shimei, the son of Binnui are listed among “the men of Israel” who participated in Ezra’s reform (10:38).

K. A Benjaminite, a descendant of Kish and grandfather of Mordecai who played a prominent role in the Book of Esther (Esth 2:5, 6).

Bibliography H. P. Smith, OT History, 149.