Bible Dictionary
Shimeath
Shimeath was associated with Jozachar, one of the men who killed King Joash. Kings describes Shimeath as Jozachar’s parent, while Chronicles identifies the person as an Ammonitess.
Definition
Shimeath was associated with Jozachar, one of the men who killed Joash, king of Judah. Kings describes Shimeath as Jozachar’s parent, while Chronicles calls Shimeath an Ammonitess and the mother of Jozabad or Jozachar.
Biblical Usage
Shimeath is mentioned in the account of the conspiracy and assassination of King Joash. The two biblical accounts differ in describing the family relationship and in the form of the conspirator’s name.
Historical Background
The supplied material notes that the Chronicler’s account presents Shimeath as an Ammonitess, while the older account in Kings gives the relationship differently. Several textual explanations have been proposed.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(feminine of Shimeah), an Ammonitess, mother of Jozachar or Zabad, one of the murderers of King Joash. (2 Kings 12:21) (22); 2Chr 24:26 (B.C. 809.)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>shim'-e-ath (shim`ath, or shim`ath; the Septuagint in 2 Kings, Iemouath, Codex Vaticanus in 2 Chronicles, Sama, Codex Alexandrinus Samath, Lucian, Samaath): Father of Jozacar (2Ki 12:21 (22)), one of the murderers of Joash, king of Judah. According to 2Ch 24:26 Shimeath is an Ammonitess and the mother, not the father, of Jozacar. Many textual emendations have been suggested (compare HDB, article "Shimeath"), but they are unnecessary, as the Chronicler's revised version of the incident in Kings was a deliberate one. The Chronicler was a sturdy opponent of intermarriage, and in the story of the assassination of King Joash he saw an opportunity to strike a blow against the hated practice. In the older account in Kings the names of the conspirators are given as "Jozakar the son of shim`ath, and Jehozabad the son of shemer." The two names are both masculine; but the final taw (t) of the former looked to the Chronicler like the feminine ending and offered him his opportunity. In his account, the one of the two murderers (dastardly villains, even though the king had merited death) was "the son of (shim`ath), the Ammonitess" and the other was "the son of (shimrith), the Moabitess" (compare Torrey, Ezra Studies, 212 ff).</p><p>Horace J. Wolf.</p>