Simeon

Second son of Jacob and Leah, ancestor of the tribe of Simeon. Together with his brother Levi, Simeon took violent revenge on the city of Shechem after Shechem son of Hamor assaulted their sister Dinah. While the men of the city were recovering from circumcision—a condition the brothers had demanded for intermarriage—Simeon and Levi killed all the males and plundered the city.

Jacob condemned their fierce anger, and in his final blessing cursed it: “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel” (Genesis 49:7). This was fulfilled when the tribe of Simeon received territory within Judah’s boundaries and was eventually absorbed into the larger tribe.