Shimrath

Shimrath (meaning: guardian or watchman) was a Benjamite, one of the sons of Shimhi listed in the genealogy of Benjamin in 1 Chronicles 8:21. He appears alongside his brothers in a brief genealogical notice that records the Benjamite family structure during the period covered by the Chronicler's account. Beyond his inclusion in this tribal record, no events or achievements are attributed to Shimrath in Scripture.

The name Shimrath, meaning watchman or guard, was a common type in Hebrew naming conventions, expressing either an actual function or a hoped-for quality. His placement in the Benjamite genealogy of 1 Chronicles 8 locates him among the clans that inhabited the territory of Benjamin, the small but strategically vital tribe whose land lay between Jerusalem and the northern tribes. The Chronicler's detailed attention to Benjamite genealogy reflects Benjamin's importance as the tribe that produced Israel's first king, Saul.