Part One can be found by clicking this sentence. Three excellent questions posed at breakfast yesterday consumed me for more than seven plus hours! The first two questions are answered in the link.
Joyce’s third question was, “What is the significance of Shimei’s, 16 children, 16 sons and 6 daughters?”
The reference comes from 1 Chronicles 4:27 (in the genealogies of Simeon’s tribe):
“Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; so their whole clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah.
To be fair, my husband prays 1 Chron 4:10 every night over us in bed. I have special love and some knowledge of 1 Chronicles. The Prayer of Jabez is powerful and yet very simple. He was named Jabez, which means “pain or sorrow”, as his mother bore him in pain. (verse 9) Rather than living with a name which did not suit his spirit, he prayed for reversal, asking God to turn his pain into blessing.
I digress. It happens. This post is not about Jabez, but Shimei. I sense a connection in the genealogies about redemption.
Shimei (שִׁמְעִי Shim‘i, is from the root שמע – shama, meaning “to hear, to listen, to obey”) was a descendant of Simeon. Simeon’s name also comes from shama.
This family line is literally the “hearing” lineage.
This alone sets the tone. He is the one who listens, or “is heard by God.” Linguistically speaking, the number of his descendants — 16 sons and 6 daughters — is a picture of fruitfulness through hearing and obedience. There is an entire golden thread in the Bible of how listening and yielding through obedience brings the Master’s Multiplication into play.
Numerically speaking, there is another treasure trove because “16” is a double blessing. The Number Eight in Hebrew numerology represents new beginnings, resurrection, covenant renewal (like the 8th day circumcision, the 8 souls on Noah’s Ark). So to me, this is a double blessing which amplifies that theme. Shimei’s line reflects restoration through listening.
Rather poetic, as my sweet Joyce may be the best listener I know, aside from Jesus!
What about the six daughters? The Number 6 represents much if you consider Genesis 1:24-31. Created on the 6th day, 6 represents man in his earthly nature. Looking at Exodus 20:9-10 and the Sabbath, it seems six represents the cycle of human effort and stewardship. There are also six directions to form the cube of creation ; north, south, east, west, up and down.
Spiritually speaking, the 16 sons represent a double blessing of new beginnings of those who hear God and the 6 daughters may represent the completion of that obedience expressed through compassionate nurturing.
Maybe the six daughters represent the human side of fruitfulness — compassion, nurturing, community, and earthly connection.
Either way, placed together, 16 + 6 = 22, and that’s not random. I don’t write that as if fact for all, but it is absolute fact for me. Nothing God does is random. If is precision. Our Master of the Universe is the epitome of precision.
There are precisely 22 letters in the Hebrew aleph-bet, the very building blocks of creation and communication.
If Shimei means to hear, then having 22 children total literally symbolizes “The fullness of God’s language heard and expressed in human life.”
It’s like saying: through listening (shama), the full alphabet of divine expression was birthed.
The text also notes that Shimei’s brothers didn’t multiply; not all who hear will bear fruit.
True hearing brings multiplication in both spirit and legacy. It’s reminiscent of Jesus’ parable: “The one who hears the word and understands it bears fruit — some thirty, sixty, a hundredfold.”
Shimei’s fruit is 22 children and it’s wonderful to imagine how full his branch is connected to the vine. What precious fruit!
Thank you, Jesus.
My God Room 