Chapter 2 of 2nd Samuel established David as King over Judah.
He had even set up headquarters in Hebron.
But David was far from extending his rulership over all of Israel.
This included even the Hebrews living in the south of Canaan.
Now, let’s talk a little bit about the tribe of Simeon.
First, in terms of their originally assigned land inheritance, this is what we’re told in the Book of Joshua:
“The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah, because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.”-Joshua 19:9
While most of Judah quickly accepted David as their king, the tribe of Simeon also came under his rule, even though Simeon wasn’t directly mentioned and treated like an afterthought.
Here’s the thing.
The Tribe of Simeon still existed, but because their land was surrounded by Judah’s territory (due to a curse from Jacob), they never grew to become an influential tribe.
Geographically speaking, they were like a bull’s eye stuck smack dab in the middle of a target.
We’ll hear bits and pieces about them from time to time in the upcoming books.
But they never really found their feet as an independent tribe.
By the time of King Hezekiah, they appeared to have disappeared altogether.
Again, it wasn’t because they were wiped out.
It was because, for practical reasons, they were assimilated mostly into Judah.
Many Simeonites still took pride in their tribal origins.
It’s just that they mostly lived and worked as part of Judah.
So what’s the takeaway to be gleaned from this?
It’s that the prophecies in Scripture, even though uttered thousands of years ago will in due time come true.
Here is what Jacob pronounced about Simeon (and Levi) way back in the Book of Genesis.
“Simeon and Levi are brothers,
related by weapons of violence.
Let me not enter their council,
let my honor not be connected with their people;
for in their anger they killed men,
and at their whim they maimed cattle.
Cursed be their anger, for it has been fierce;
their fury, for it has been cruel.
I will divide them in Jacob
and scatter them in Israel.”
-Genesis 49:5-7
The gist of this pronouncement is that neither Simeon nor Levi would inherit the promised land in the same way and proportion as their other brothers.
And this is exactly how things unfolded.
Simeon would struggle to maintain its tribal identity and by the time we come to the census in Numbers 26, we will see that their population had experienced a 40% decrease down to only 22,000 military-eligible men (between the ages of 20 to 50 years old).
By the time of the divided kingdom, when Israel split into the northern kingdom (Israel) and the southern kingdom (Judah), the tribe of Simeon had been completely swallowed up by the southern kingdom of Judah.
The lesson here is a sober reminder that what God has established in His Word will come to pass no matter how long it takes.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“For verily I say unto you,
Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one tittle shall in
no wise pass from the law,
till all be fulfilled.”
-Matthew 5:18
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