land of Moab N of the Arnon, and apparently dominated Midian, for the chieftains of Midian are called “the dukes of Sihon.” (Num. 21:26-30; Josh. 13:21) When Israel sent messengers asking Sihon’s permission to pass through his kingdom on the king’s road, and promising not to steal anything from the Amorites, Sihon denied permission and gathered his army to block Israel. At Jahaz he was defeated and killed.—Num. 21:21-24; Deut. 1:3, 4; 2:24-35; 3:2, 6.

The significance of Israel’s victory over Sihon can be seen from the fact that it is mentioned many times in Israelite history, alongside the defeat of the Egyptians at the Red Sea. Moses, Jephthah, a psalmist and the postexilic Levites, sometimes used it as an encouraging example of Jehovah’s victories in behalf of his faithful people. (Num. 21:34; Deut. 31:4; Judg. 11:19-22; Neh. 9:5, 22; Ps. 135:9-12; 136:18, 19) Reports of it prompted Rahab and the Gibeonites to make peace with Israel. (Josh. 2:10; 9:9, 10) Sihon’s land was divided among the tribes of Reuben and Gad.—Num. 21:25, 31, 32; Deut. 29:7, 8; Josh. 13:8-10, 15-28.

SILVAS, SILVANUS

(Siʹlas, Sil·vaʹnus).

A leading member of the first-century Christian congregation in Jerusalem, a prophet and a companion of Paul on his second missionary journey. He was apparently a Roman citizen. (Acts 15:22, 26, 27, 32, 40; 16:19, 25, 37, 38) Likely the name “Silvanus,” found in the letters of Paul and Peter, was the Latinized form of the Greek name “Silas,” used by Luke in Acts.

The congregation at Jerusalem chose Silas to accompany Barnabas and Paul back to Antioch, Syria, to carry to the congregation there the decision regarding circumcision.—Acts 15:22, 30-32.

Whether Silas remained in the vicinity of Antioch or returned to Jerusalem is uncertain. (Some manuscripts contain Acts 15:34, reading: “But it seemed good to Silas to remain there further.” But the most prominent manuscripts omit this verse.) (Acts 15:33, ftn., NW, 1950 ed.) At any rate Silas was in Antioch at the start of Paul’s second missionary tour. Beginning there, he and Paul traveled up into Syria, then Cilicia and other regions of Asia Minor, Timothy joining them at Lystra and Luke at Troas.

Being invited into Macedonia in a dream given to Paul, they first stayed in Philippi. In the marketplace there, Silas and Paul were beaten with rods by order of the civil magistrates and were put in prison stocks, but as they prayed and sang songs during the night, they were released from bonds by an earthquake and the prison doors were opened. The jailer was much frightened and, listening to Paul and Silas, became a Christian, caring for their injuries suffered from the beating.—Acts 15:41–16:40.

Their ministry found success in Thessalonica and Beroea, where Silas and Timothy remained behind temporarily while Paul went on to Athens and Corinth. (Acts 17:1, 10, 14-16; 18:1) When Silas and Timothy finally caught up with Paul in Corinth, they continued to assist Paul. While there they joined with Paul in writing the two letters to Thessalonica. (1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1) Silas is not mentioned again in the historical narrative of Paul’s travels.

Some years later, around 62-64 C.E., Peter wrote his first letter from Babylon “through Silvanus,” evidently meaning that Silvanus acted as Peter’s secretary. He was there described as “a faithful brother,” and was likely the Silvanus earlier associated with Paul.—1 Pet. 5:12.

SILK

Produced by caterpillars of various species and especially by the Chinese silkworm, which feeds on mulberry leaves and emits a fluid that hardens into fine threads to form a cocoon. Silk is the strongest of natural fibers and has been used since Biblical times to make beautiful, lightweight cloth. Silken fabric, considered by archaeologists as having been woven over 2,200 years ago, has been found in tombs of a Phoenician cemetery in the Melita district near Sabratha, Libya.

Silkworm culture appears to have had its start in China and to have spread from there to other lands, such as India. The Greeks called silk se·ri·konʹ, thus linking it with the “Seres” (generally identified as the Chinese). Silk is listed in Scripture among the costly articles of merchandise bought by “Babylon the Great.”—Rev. 18:2, 11, 12.

Some Bible translations use “silk” for the Hebrew word meʹshi at Ezekiel 16:10, 13. (AS, AT, AV, JP, Le, Mo, Ro, RS) According to rabbinical tradition, me’shi denotes silk; however, there is uncertainty. Accordingly, the New World Translation, with the support of modern lexicographers, renders it “costly material.”

SILLA

(Silʹla) [possibly, highway].

Name of an otherwise unknown site at ancient Jerusalem. King Jehoash was assassinated “at the house of the Mound, on the way that goes down to Silla.”—2 Ki. 12:20.

SILOAM

(Si·loʹam) [sent forth].

A pool in Jerusalem where Jesus Christ had a blind man wash in order to receive sight. (John 9:6, 7, 11) Little is known about this pool as it then existed, though its general location apparently is marked by the present Birket Silwan, just SW of the city of David. Likely this is also the approximate site of King Hezekiah’s “pool” or reservoir adjoining the conduit he constructed to carry the waters of Gihon.—2 Ki. 20:20; 2 Chron. 32:30.

For the Siloam inscription, see pages 110, 763.

In the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, evidently it was common knowledge that the “tower in Siloam” had collapsed, killing eighteen persons. It has been suggested that this tower was situated on the Ophel ridge, but its actual location in Jerusalem is unknown.—Luke 13:4.

SILVANUS

See SILAS, SILVANUS.

SILVER

Since silver is seldom found in the native state, the base ore has to be smelted and purified to separate the silver from the gangue, dross and scummy foreign matter, and to free it from other metals such as lead. (Ps. 12:6; Prov. 27:21; Ezek. 22:20-22; Mal. 3:3) Silver was treasured by all nations of the past. (2 Sam. 8:10, 11; 2 Chron. 9:14) Under Solomon’s rule, not only silver, but also gold, became so abundant in Jerusalem that silver was counted “as nothing at all,” “like the stones.” (1 Ki. 10:21, 27; 2 Chron. 9:20; compare Daniel 2:32.) Once every three years ships brought cargoes of silver from Tarshish (apparently Spain, which is still a producer of silver).—1 Ki. 10:22; 2 Chron. 9:21; Jer. 10:9; Ezek. 27:12.

Refined silver had two principal uses: (1) As a measure of wealth and a medium of exchange. Abraham, using this medium of exchange, bought a family burial plot. (Gen. 13:2; 23:15-18) Payment was made by weight, since coinage was not devised until centuries later. (2) Objects of beauty and ornamentation were fashioned of this metal from the days of the patriarchs. (Gen. 24:53; 44:2; Ex. 11:2; 12:35) Silver was employed for Israel’s two trumpets (Num. 10:2), in the construction of the tabernacle (Ex. 26:19, 21, 25, 32; 27:10, 11, 17), and in Solomon’s temple. (1 Chron. 28:15-17) It was also used in making implements of idolatry. (Ex. 20:23; Hos. 13:2; Hab. 2:19; Acts 19:24) In contrast with the transient value of silver, and to be more highly estimated, are the wisdom, discipline and understanding that come from Jehovah. (Prov. 3:13, 14; 8:10, 19; 16:16) Also, the Scriptures use silver in a number of symbolic senses.—Eccl. 12:6; Isa. 60:17; Dan. 2:32; 1 Cor. 3:12.

SIMEON

(Simʹe·on) [hearing, that is, with acceptance].

1. The second of Jacob’s twelve sons; so named because, as his mother Leah said, “Jehovah has listened, in that I was hated and so he gave me also this one.”—Gen. 29:32, 33; 35:23-26; 48:5; Ex. 1:1-4; 1 Chron. 2:1, 2.

When his father Jacob was encamped near Shechem, Simeon, together with his next younger brother Levi, displayed a vengeful anger that was unreasonably harsh and cruel. Arbitrarily, without their father’s knowledge or consent, they set about to avenge the honor of their younger sister Dinah by slaughtering the Shechemites, bringing ostracism upon the whole family.—Gen. 34:1-31.

Simeon was later involved in wrongdoing when he and his brothers planned to kill Joseph. (Gen. 37:12-28, 36) Whether Simeon, as second oldest, was or was not the ringleader in this plot on Joseph’s life is not stated. Years later, when Joseph as food administrator of Egypt was testing out his brothers, Simeon was selected by Joseph to be bound and imprisoned until the other brothers brought Benjamin down to Egypt.—Gen. 42:14-24, 34-36; 43:15, 23.

Shortly before Jacob’s death, when blessing his sons, Jacob recalled with disapproval the violence of Simeon and Levi in connection with the Shechemites many years earlier, saying: “Instruments of violence are their slaughter weapons. Into their intimate group do not come, O my soul. With their congregation do not become united, O my disposition, because in their anger they killed men, and in their arbitrariness they hamstrung bulls. Cursed be their anger, because it is cruel, and their fury, because it acts harshly. Let me give them a portion in Jacob, but let me scatter them in Israel.” (Gen. 49:5-7) Jacob thus removed any hope Simeon may have entertained of receiving the birthright forfeited by his older brother Reuben. Simeon had six sons, one from a Canaanite woman. As prophesied, Simeon’s tribal allotment was not united with Levi’s, but these two were ‘scattered’; even internally, Simeon’s portion was divided up as enclave cities in Judah’s territory.—Gen. 46:10; Ex. 6:15; 1 Chron. 4:24; Josh. 19:1.

2. The tribe of Israel stemming from the families of Simeon’s six sons: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar and Shaul. (Gen. 46:10; Ex. 6:15) During Israel’s wilderness journey Simeon encamped with Reuben and Gad on the S of the tabernacle, the threetribe division being headed by Reuben. On the march this same tribal arrangement was maintained, with Shelumiel serving as Simeon’s chieftain, both of the camp and of the army.—Num. 1:4, 6; 2:10-15; 10:18-20.

REDUCTION IN TRIBAL POPULATION

At the time of the first census, taken a year after the exodus from Egypt, the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300 able-bodied men twenty years old and upward who were fit for military service. (Num. 1:1-3, 22, 23) However, about thirty-nine years later, the second census revealed that the tribe had suffered great losses, there being only 22,200 in the same category. This amounted to a decrease of more than 62 percent, far greater than that experienced by any other tribe.—Num. 26:1, 2, 12-14.

Moses did not mention Simeon by name in his farewell blessing of Israel. This is not to say the tribe was not blessed, for it was included at the end in the general blessing. (Deut. 33:6-24, 29) When they reached Gerizim, Simeon was named first among the tribes assigned in connection with the blessing issued from that mountain.—Deut. 27:11, 12.

Simeon’s reduced size was no doubt considered when it came to assigning individual territories in the Promised Land; the tribe was not given a self-contained, unbroken portion, but, rather, one entirely enclosed within Judah’s territory. In this way Jacob’s deathbed prophecy uttered over two hundred years earlier was fulfilled. (Num. 34:16-20; Josh. 19:1-9; compare Genesis 49:5-7.) Simeon shared with Judah in wresting this territory out of the hands of the Canaanites. (Judg. 1:1-3, 17) Enclave cities were also set aside in Simeon’s inheritance for the tribe of Levi.—Josh. 21:4, 9, 10; 1 Chron. 6:64, 65.

MENTION IN LATER BIBLE HISTORY

The Simeonites were mentioned from time to time in the later history of Israel—in the time of David (1 Chron. 4:24-31; 12:23, 25; 27:16), in the days of Asa (2 Chron. 15:8, 9) and in Josiah’s time. (2 Chron. 34:1-3, 6, 7) This latter reference to Josiah’s reforms shows that, though geographically in Judah’s territory, Simeon had politically and religiously cast its lot in with the northern kingdom. It appears that in the days of Hezekiah 500 Simeonites struck down a remnant of the Amalekites and took up dwelling in their place.—1 Chron. 4:41-43.

In the prophetic books of Ezekiel and Revelation, Simeon’s name occurs along with others of the tribes of Israel. The strip of territory assigned to Simeon in Ezekiel’s envisioned layout of the Promised Land lay between those of Benjamin and Issachar S of the “holy contribution.” But the gate assigned to Simeon on the S of the holy city was with those named after Issachar and Zebulun. (Ezek. 48:21-25, 28, 33) In the vision of the 144,000 sealed ones in Revelation, chapter 7, Simeon is the seventh tribe listed.—Rev. 7:7.

3. The righteous, reverent old man who entered the temple on the very day that Joseph and Mary brought in the child Jesus. It had been divinely revealed to Simeon that before his death he would see the Christ. He therefore took the baby up in his arms, blessed Jehovah and, with holy spirit upon him, declared to the child’s mother: “This one is laid for the fall and the rising again of many in Israel.” Simeon also prophesied that Mary would be greatly grieved (as if run through with a sword) over the agonizing death of this son of hers.—Luke 2:22, 25-35.

SIMEONITES

(Simʹe·on·ites).

The descendants of Jacob’s second son Simeon. After about forty years of wandering in the wilderness the male population among the Simeonites who were twenty years old and upward and who were qualified for military service numbered only 22,200, constituting the smallest of the twelve tribes. They were divided into five principal families—the Nemuelites, Jaminites, Jachinites, Zerahites and Shaulites. (Num. 25:14; 26:1, 2, 12-14; Josh. 21:4; 1 Chron. 27:16) If there were any descendants of a sixth son, Ohad, when this second census was taken, they were probably too few in number to be listed as a separate family of their own.—Gen. 46:10; Ex. 6:15.

SIMON

(Siʹmon) [hearing].

1. Simon Iscariot, father of Jesus’ betrayer Judas.—John 6:71; 13:2, 26.

2. Another name for the apostle Peter.—Mark 3:16; see PETER.

3. An apostle of Jesus Christ, distinguished from Simon Peter by the term “Cananaean.” (Matt. 10:4; Mark 3:18) While it is possible that Simon once belonged to the Zealots, a Jewish party opposed to the Romans, it may instead have been due to his religious zeal that he was called “the zealous one,” or ‘the zealot.’—Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13.

4. A younger half brother of Jesus. (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) Though he was still an unbeliever prior to the festival of tabernacles in 32 C.E. (John 7:2-8), he may have become a disciple later. Jesus’ fleshly brothers were among the crowd of about 120 disciples in Jerusalem during the season of Pentecost, 33 C.E., although Simon is not specifically named as being present.—Acts 1:14, 15.

5. A Pharisee at whose house Jesus dined and where a sinful woman showed him great kindness and respect, greasing his feet with perfumed oil.—Luke 7:36-50.

6. A resident of Bethany, spoken of as a “leper” (perhaps one cured by Jesus), in whose house Christ and his disciples, as well as the resurrected Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha, had a meal. There Mary anointed Jesus with costly perfumed oil.—Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:2-8.