Simeon’s Descendants: In the previous section (2:3–4:23) we dealt with Judah, the first son of Israel. We now come to a second son of Israel, Simeon. This genealogy not only gives a list of descendants but also elaborates on the areas in which they settled as well as on the confrontations they had in the process of settlement. Although the focus of the Chronicler’s genealogies is very much on Judah, Benjamin, and Levi, Simeon’s genealogy is still fairly comprehensive. The reason might be that the tribe of Simeon is also closely associated with Judah (Simeon was absorbed into Judah long before the Chronicler’s time). The genealogy intends to reflect the preexilic existence, when Simeon was still a separate tribe, but also to state the situation in the Chronicler’s time.

4:24–27   Although we…