[2] However, many Biblical scholars believe that Simeon isn't regarded as a distinct tribe due to the scandal involving Zimri.

The Blessing of Moses before his death had omitted the Tribe of Simeon because Jacob had castigated him Genesis 49:5-7, and because of the terrible affair of Baal-peor.

The text of the Torah states that the name of Simeon is in reference that God heard that Leah was unloved by Jacob and preferred her sister Rachel.

[5][6] Alternatively, Hitzig, W. R. Smith, Stade, and Kerber compared שִׁמְעוֹן Šīmə‘ōn to Arabic سِمع simˤ 'the offspring of the hyena and the female wolf'; as supports, Smith points to Arabic tribal names Simˤ 'a subdivision of the defenders (the Medinites)' and Samˤān 'a subdivision of Tamim'.

It goes on to argue that Simeon was extremely strong, despite only being 14 years old, and was able to slaughter all the men of Shechem nearly single-handedly, only having assistance from his brother Levi, and captured 100 young women, marrying the one named "Bonah".

[16] A Samaritan tradition recorded in the late 19th century considered Neby Shem'on, a maqam near Kfar Saba, to be the burial place of Simeon.