Why are there two Shimei's mentioned in 1 Chronicles 23 verses 9 and 10?

Question

The genealogies and lists of names are sometimes very hard to follow in the Old Testament. In this instance, there are two names spelled exactly the same in two consecutive verses. At the end of each verse, they both list the number of sons -- so they can't be the same person?

Belonging to the Gershonites:

Ladan and Shimei.

8 The sons of Ladan:

Jehiel the first, Zetham and Joel—three in all.

9 The sons of Shimei:

Shelomoth, Haziel and Haran—three in all.

These were the heads of the families of Ladan.

10 And the sons of Shimei:

Jahath, Ziza,[a] Jeush and Beriah.

These were the sons of Shimei—four in all.

11 Jahath was the first and Ziza the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; so they were counted as one family with one assignment.

Answer 1

It seems to me that the second Shimei mentioned in verse 10 refers to the Shimei listed in verse 7. The first Shimei in verse 9 therefore likely referenced a son of Laadan since his descendants were called the chief fathers of the house of Laadan.

Regarding the identity of the first Shimei however, it seems possible that he was synonymous with the Shemaiah mentioned in Nehemiah 12:35, in which case it would seem to imply that he were Jehiel's brother; for Jehiel was the son of Mattaniah(2Ch 20:14), and Shemaiah was the son of Mattaniah(Neh 12:35), meaning that there is a strong possibility that they were brothers(I had originally said that Shimei/Shemaiah was possibly Jehiel's father based on the reasoning that his brother would not have been called 'the chief of the Laadanites' if Jehiel himself were the chief; but how should such a reference to his father's house as 'chief' resolve the matter of which brother was called 'chief'? Obviously it would not; he would still have had brothers being called 'chief' - cf. Numbers 3:32). The mention then of Zetham and Joel in verse 8, probably referenced Jehiel's own sons(1Ch 26:21-22), and if so, the mentioned number of men(three) in that verse would have referred to those contemporary with David(1Ch 23:6).

Other explanations as to the identity of Shimei may exist however, such as it being a surname of one of the three mentioned in verse 8.

Answer 2

I guess that Shimei is short for Shelomoth.

Note too the distinction: These were the heads of the families of Ladan vs These were the sons of Shimei