Israel-@-MEA-20170712-Natan(N80)-12-Tribes-2-Simeon
The 12 Tribes of Israel – Simeon, the second son
We continue our series of photographs of the 12 tribes of Israel with their symbols and standards. Each of the 12 tribes received a blessing from their father, Jacob, just before his death. In the case of the Tribe of Simeon it said in Genesis 49:5-7, “Shim‘on (Simeon) and Levi are brothers, related by weapons of violence. Let me not enter their council, let my honour 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 Ya‘akov (Jacob) and scatter them in Isra’el.”
This prophecy was fulfilled when the tribe of Levi received no inheritance except forty-eight towns scattered throughout different parts of Canaan. Simeon was originally given only a few towns and villages in the midst of a larger inheritance of the tribe of Judah. In Joshua 19:1 it confirms that: “… the second lot fell to Simeon, to the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families (clans), and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the sons of Judah.”
Simeon was known as the aggressors and one of the emblems commonly used for this tribe is a sword or fortress as shown in the mosaic. Jacob’s pronouncement that, “I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them is Israel,” came true, because it became the smallest and weakest of all the tribes in that it was forced to share its territory with Judah, a larger and more powerful tribe.
The lesson we can learn from Simeon is through the warning given to his children: “beware, of all jealousy and envy, and walk in singleness of heart, that God may give you also grace and glory, and blessing upon your heads, even as you saw in Joseph’s case—love each one of his brothers with a good heart, and the spirit of envy will withdraw from you”.
Simon’s advice to his children came from wisdom, for he once plotted to kill his brother Joseph through jealousy. Perhaps his wisdom can rub off onto us.
Next week will see the mosaic of Levi. Catch up with you then.
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