Boy Old Testament Rare
Nemuel
the sleeping of God
נְמוּאֵל ne.mu.el
Nemuel (Hebrew: נְמוּאֵל, ne.mu.el) means “the sleeping of God”, by traditional interpretation. It appears once, at Numbers 26:9. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears with Aaron in Numbers 26.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
-
Nemuel
son of Eliab
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 1 across 1 book
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Exodus
- Hapax
- Yes occurs exactly once
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Numbers 26:9 |
| Cross-references | 13 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Eliab co-occurrence Appears with Eliab in Numbers 26.
- Abiram co-occurrence Appears with Abiram in Numbers 26.
- Dathan co-occurrence Appears with Dathan in Numbers 26.
- Korah co-occurrence Appears with Korah in Numbers 26.
- Aaron co-occurrence Appears with Aaron in Numbers 26.
- Ishmael root Shares the element -el, “God”.
- Israel root Shares the element -el, “God”.
- Rachel root Shares the element -el, “God”.
Origin & meaning
A man of the tribe of Reuben living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at Num.26.9;
son of: Eliab (H0446H);
brother of: Dathan (H1885) and Abiram (H0048)
§ Nemuel = "day of God"
1) the eldest son of Simeon
2) a Reubenite, son of Eliab and brother of Dathan and Abiram in the time of the exodus
Nemuel was a son of Eliab and a member of the tribe of Reuben.
The biblical story
Nemuel is briefly mentioned in Num.26.9 as one of the sons of Eliab, who was a descendant of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel (or 'Jacob'). This reference occurs in the context of the census taken by Moses and Eleazar in the plains of Moab, near the end of the Israelites' forty years of wandering in the wilderness.
The census was conducted to determine the number of men aged twenty and above who were able to serve in the army (Num.26.2). The results of the census were also used to allocate the land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel.
In the listing of the clans and families of the tribe of Reuben, Nemuel is identified as one of the sons of Eliab, along with his brothers Dathan and Abiram. However, no further details are provided about Nemuel's life or role within the tribe.
It is worth noting that Nemuel's brothers, Dathan and Abiram, are infamously known for their rebellion against Moses and Aaron, as recorded in Numbers 16. They, along with Korah, challenged the leadership of Moses and Aaron and were ultimately punished by God for their insubordination.
The mention of Nemuel in the genealogical record of Reuben serves to provide a complete account of the families within the tribe and to highlight the importance of lineage in the organization and inheritance of the Israelite community.
Key verses
Nemuel appears in 1 verse. Here are some of the most notable:
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And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the Lord:
Numbers 26:9
Show all 1 reference
Numbers (1)
- Numbers 26:9