Original Word: שִׁמְעָא
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Shim`a'
Pronunciation: shee-MAH
Phonetic Spelling: (shim-aw')
KJV: Shimea, Shimei, Shamma
NASB: Shimea
Word Origin: [for H8093 (שִׁמעָה - Shimeah)]

1. Shima, the name of four Israelites

Shimea, Shimei, Shamma

For Shim'ah; Shima, the name of four Israelites -- Shimea, Shimei, Shamma.

see HEBREW Shim'ah

Word Origin
from shama
Definition
four Isr.
NASB Translation
Shimea (5).

שִׁמְעָא proper name, masculine 1. brother of David 2 Samuel 21:21 Qr (compare Dr; Kt שמעי) Σεμεει ᵐ5^L Σαμαα = 1 Chronicles 20:7, third son of Jesse 1 Chronicles 2:13; = שִׁמְעָךְ 1 Samuel 13:3; 1 Samuel 13:32, Σαμα(α) etc., שַׁמָּה (q. v.) 1 Samuel 16:9; 1 Samuel 17:13.

2 son of David 1 Chronicles 3:5 (= שַׁמּוּעַ 1), Σαμαν, Σαμαα.

3 Levites, Σομεα, Σαμα(α):

a. 1 Chronicles 6:15.

b. v.1 Chronicles 6:24.

שִׁמְעָה proper name, masculine see שִׁמְעָא 1 above

Overview

Shimea (Strong’s Hebrew 8092) appears five times in 1 Chronicles, applied to four distinct men whose lives touch Israel’s royal household, military exploits, and temple worship. Together they illustrate the breadth of God’s work through ordinary people recorded in inspired genealogies.

Occurrences and Identities

1. Shimea, third son of Jesse and brother of David (1 Chronicles 2:13; 1 Chronicles 20:7).
2. Shimea, first-born son of David by Bathsheba (1 Chronicles 3:5).
3. Shimea, Merarite Levite in the line of Musicians (1 Chronicles 6:30).
4. Shimea, Gershonite Levite, grandfather of Asaph the psalmist (1 Chronicles 6:39).

Shimea Son of Jesse

• Position in the family. 1 Chronicles 2:13 lists him after Abinadab and before Nethanel, marking him as Jesse’s third son. This places him among the older brothers who watched David remain behind to tend sheep.
• Contribution through progeny. His son Jonathan later slew a Philistine giant: “When he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him” (1 Chronicles 20:7). Thus Shimea’s line shared in the victories God granted David’s house.
• Spiritual lesson. Though largely overshadowed by David, Shimea’s faith heritage reached the next generation, showing how God often works through family faithfulness more than personal fame.

Shimea Son of David and Bathsheba

• Royal significance. Listed first among the four sons born to David in Jerusalem by Bathsheba (1 Chronicles 3:5), Shimea held the rights of the firstborn in that maternal line, even though Solomon would later receive the throne.
• Silent testimony. Scripture records no deeds of this Shimea, but his placement affirms the legitimacy and covenant standing of Bathsheba’s offspring after the tragedy with Uriah (compare 2 Samuel 12:24-25). His life underscores mercy restoring broken situations.

Shimea in the Merarite Line (1 Chronicles 6:30)

• Genealogical setting. Descended from Merari, Shimea fathered Haggiah and Asaiah. This sub-clan contributed to the practical work of the sanctuary: transporting frames, bars, posts, and bases (Numbers 3:36-37).
• Ministry value. The mention of his name reminds readers that service roles behind the scenes are essential to corporate worship; faithfulness in support tasks is honored by God alongside more visible ministries.

Shimea Grandfather of Asaph (1 Chronicles 6:39)

• Musical heritage. “His associate Asaph son of Berechiah, son of Shimea”. Asaph became chief musician and seer whose Psalms still guide worship today (Psalm 73–83).
• Legacy principle. Shimea did not write psalms himself, yet his walk with the Lord fostered a lineage that profoundly shaped Israel’s hymnody. Parents and grandparents who cultivate godliness can influence worship for generations.

Interwoven Themes

1. Covenant Continuity – Shimea appears in Judah’s royal line, Levi’s priestly line, and David’s personal family, displaying God’s integrated plan across tribes.
2. The Quiet Servant – None of the four Shimeas draws spotlight attention, yet all are preserved in the biblical record. God values people not by public acclaim but by covenant participation.
3. Victory over Giants – The slaying of a Philistine giant by Jonathan, Shimea’s grandson, echoes David’s earlier victory (1 Samuel 17), showing how courage born of faith runs in families.
4. Worship and Warfare – One Shimea fathers a giant-killer; another fathers the psalm-writer Asaph. Together they illustrate the balanced call to fight spiritual battles and to lead God’s people in praise.

Lessons for Ministry Today

• Embrace unnoticed assignments; God records every faithful act.
• Nurture generational faith; unseen investment today may yield future worship leaders or kingdom warriors.
• Rejoice in God’s redemptive reversals; even after failure (David and Bathsheba) the Lord brings forth blessed offspring.
• Remember that genealogies are not dry lists but inspired testimonies of God’s covenant fidelity, encouraging believers to trust His meticulous care over their own family stories.

Conclusion

Though brief in the narrative, the four men named Shimea collectively demonstrate how the Lord weaves individual lives into His grand redemptive tapestry—through households, worship, and battle—assuring every believer that faithful service, however modest, finds its place in God’s enduring record.

וְשִׁמְעָ֖א ושמעא מעא שִׁ֠מְעָא שִׁמְעָ֖א שִׁמְעָ֥א שִׁמְעָֽא׃ שמעא שמעא׃ mə‘ā mə·‘ā mea shimA šim‘ā šim·‘ā veshimA wə·šim·‘ā wəšim‘āInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts