Exodus 6:15 is a genealogy. It names the sons of Simeon, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, and identifies them as the founding families of the tribe of Simeon. The verse does not teach a doctrine or give a command. Its purpose is to document who belonged to which family as Israel stood on the edge of its deliverance from Egypt. The narrator, traditionally understood to be Moses, is recording this family list for the community that would later walk out of Egypt together.
The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon.
Exodus 6:15 (WEB)
What Exodus 6:15 Means
The verse begins by naming “the sons of Simeon” and then lists six: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul. Ancient Hebrew genealogies were not idle lists. They established who was counted among the people, who held inheritance rights in the land, and how families related to one another. Writing the names down tells the reader that these men were real, that their lineage mattered, and that the tribe had a definite shape.
The verse also includes an unusual detail: Shaul is described as “the son of a Canaanite woman.” The text does not hide this. It records that Simeon’s family line included a non-Israelite mother, and it places that fact beside the other names without apology or comment. The verse does not explain how this was received, nor does it promise anything to the reader. What it does is show that the family record is honest about its origins.
The Context of Exodus 6:15
Exodus is the second book of the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, traditionally attributed to Moses. Its first audience was the people of Israel, who had been enslaved in Egypt for generations and were now being prepared for liberation. Chapter 6 sits inside a passage where God reaffirms his promise to Moses and Aaron and commands them to bring the people out. Moses himself is hesitant, pointing out that he speaks with “uncircumcised lips,” which is why the genealogy appears at this moment.
Verses 14 through 18 form a short run of family lists: Reuben, Simeon, Levi with its sub-branches of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Read in that setting, verse 15 is not a random interruption. It is part of a deliberate account of the families who would make up the nation that God was about to lead out of Egypt. The list gives those families names and a place in the story.
Key Phrases in Exodus 6:15
Genesis 29:33
She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” She named him Simeon.
(WEB)
This verse records the birth of Simeon to Leah and gives the meaning of his name. Reading it alongside Exodus 6:15 shows where the tribe of Simeon began and why its later family lists carry the weight of a whole lineage.
Genesis 46:10
The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
(WEB)
This passage lists the sons of Simeon as they went down to Egypt with Jacob’s household. Comparing it with Exodus 6:15 lets you trace how the family names held steady across generations and into the time of deliverance.
A Short Prayer From Exodus 6:15
Lord, you know every name written in the family records of your people, including the ones that seem minor or complicated. Thank you that you do not edit out the hard parts of our stories. Help me to be honest about where I come from and to trust that you place people exactly where they belong. Give me the courage to accept my own story as you have given it, and let me rest in the knowledge that you remember each person in your household. Amen.
