34–43.
The Heroes of Simeon and their Exploits.
It seems probable that the exploits mentioned in these verses are derived from some old, though obscure, tradition, and are therefore of historical value for the movements of the tribe of Simeon. Apparently we are to understand that in the time of Hezekiah a band of the wild semi-nomadic tribe of Simeon made a successful raid upon a fertile valley near Gerar (a correction for Gedor, see verse 39), a township on the Philistine border, taking by surprise its peaceful population who were partly Canaanites, partly settlers who had come originally from a place Maon (see verse 41). Gedor, the reading of the Hebrew text, was a town just north of Hebron. A raid by Simeonites on such a town is a startling, but not incredible, episode in Hezekiah’s time; but see also note on verse 40. Finally verses 42, 43 record a further assault by Simeonites, this time against Edomite territory. For full discussion see Hogg in Encyclopedia Biblia iv. 4527 ff.; also Macalister, Palestine Exploration Fund Statement, 1905, 335 ff.
³⁴And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah the son of Amaziah; ³⁵and Joel, and Jehu the son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel; ³⁶and Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, and Asaiah, and Adiel, and Jesimiel, and Benaiah; ³⁷and Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah; ³⁸these mentioned by name were princes in their families: and their fathers’ houses increased greatly.
38. their fathers’ houses] See note on chapter v. 13.
³⁹And they went to the entering in of Gedor, even unto the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.
39. the entering in of Gedor] Compare verse 18. The Gedor of Joshua xv. 58 is identified with Jedur, Ijdur (north of Hebron, Bädeker, Palestine⁵, p. 112). See Macalister, Palestine Exploration Fund, Quarterly Statement, 1905, 335. LXX. has Gerar (compare Genesis xx. 1; xxvi. 1), on the Philistine border.
⁴⁰And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for they that dwelt there aforetime were of Ham.
40. they ... of Ham] i.e. Canaanites, who had long been settled in the district (compare the security felt by the people of Laish, Judges xviii. 27). Their presence would seem natural in Gerar on the Philistine border but strange in Gedor near Hebron. If therefore the reading Gedor be preferred above, there is something to be said for the suggestion of Macalister (p. 335) that we should here read “of Menahem” (a change of one letter in Hebrew), some unwarlike Hebrew family, perhaps potters.
⁴¹And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and the Meunim that were found there, and destroyed[¹] them utterly, unto this day, and dwelt in their stead: because there was pasture there for their flocks. ⁴²And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.
[¹] Hebrew devoted them.