Jewish tradition represents Shaul as being really the son of Dinah by a Canaanite father, Shechem, but as adopted by Simeon to save his sister's honour, yet with a note that he was of half Canaanitish blood.
Verse 10. - And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, - "Day of El" (Gesenius, Murphy); in 1 Chronicles 4:24, Nemuel - and Jamin, - "Right Hand" (Gesenius, Murphy) - and Ohad, - "Joined together" (Gesenius, Murphy) - and Jachin, - "Whom God strengthens" (Gesenius), "He shall establish" (Murphy), or Jarib (1 Chronicles 4:24) - and Zohar, - "Whiteness" (Gesenius, Murphy); named Zerah (1 Chronicles 4:24) - and Shaul, - "Asked for" (Gesenius) - the son of a Canaanitish woman. The wives of the other sons, except Judah, were probably from Mesopotamia.
46:5-27 We have here a particular account of Jacob's family. Though the fulfilling of promises is always sure, yet it is often slow. It was now 215 years since God had promised Abraham to make of him a great nation, ch. 12:2; yet that branch of his seed, to which the promise was made sure, had only increased to seventy, of whom this particular account is kept, to show the power of God in making these seventy become a vast multitude.
And the sons of Simeon,.... Who was the second son of Jacob:
Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar; the first of these is called Nemuel, Numbers 26:12; the third, Ohad, is omitted in the places referred to, he dying without children, as may be supposed, and so was not the head of any family; and the fourth, Jachin, is called Jarib, 1 Chronicles 4:24; and the fifth is called Zerah, in the above place, by a transposition of letters:
and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman; whom Simeon married, very probably after the death of his first wife, by whom he had the above five sons, or she was his concubine: many Jewish writers (u) say, this was Dinah, married to a Canaanite, but this is impossible: according to the Targum of Jonathan, this Shaul was Zimri, who did the work of the Canaanites at Shittim, Numbers 25:14, which is not at all likely, the distance of time will not admit of it.
Numbers 26:12-13. 1 Chronicles 4:24.
Jemuel,
Nemuel,
Nemuel,
Jamin,
Jamin,
Jamin,
Ohad,
(omitted)
(omitted)
Jachin,
Jachin,
Jarib,
Zohar,
Zerah,
Zerah,
Shaul.
Shaul.
Shaul.
Jewish tradition represents Shaul as being really the son of Dinah by a Canaanite father, Shechem, but as adopted by Simeon to save his sister's honour, yet with a note that he was of half Canaanitish blood.
Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar; the first of these is called Nemuel, Numbers 26:12; the third, Ohad, is omitted in the places referred to, he dying without children, as may be supposed, and so was not the head of any family; and the fourth, Jachin, is called Jarib, 1 Chronicles 4:24; and the fifth is called Zerah, in the above place, by a transposition of letters:
and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman; whom Simeon married, very probably after the death of his first wife, by whom he had the above five sons, or she was his concubine: many Jewish writers (u) say, this was Dinah, married to a Canaanite, but this is impossible: according to the Targum of Jonathan, this Shaul was Zimri, who did the work of the Canaanites at Shittim, Numbers 25:14, which is not at all likely, the distance of time will not admit of it.
(u) Jarchi in loc. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 80. fol. 70. 3. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 3. 2.