Why does Simeon receive its land within Juda’s possession?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Juda’s lot is too large, so Simeon receives its inheritance within it. The chapter then records the remaining tribal lots and the city given to Josue after the land has been divided.

Chapter breakdown

The second lot falls to Simeon by its kindreds, within Juda’s possession. Its towns are Bersabee, Sabee, Molada, Hasersual, Bala, Asem, Eltholad, Bethul, Harma, Siceleg, Bethmarchaboth, Hasersusa, Bethlebaoth and Sarohen. The text gives thirteen cities with their villages. It also names Remmon, Athor and Asan and gives four cities with their villages. All the villages around these cities extend to Baalath Beer Ramath in the southern quarter. This is Simeon’s inheritance by kindreds. Simeon receives it from Juda’s portion because Juda’s lot is too large; Simeon therefore dwells within Juda’s inheritance.

The third lot falls to Zabulon by its kindreds, reaching Sarid. Its border goes up from the sea and Merala to Debbaseth and then to the torrent opposite Jeconam. From Sarid it turns east toward Ceseleththabor, goes out to Dabereth and ascends to Japhie. From there it passes on the eastern side of Gethhepher and Thacasin and goes out to Remmon, Amthar and Noa. It turns to the north of Hanathon and ends in the valley of Jephtahel. Cateth, Naalol, Semeron, Jedala and Bethlehem are named, and the text gives twelve cities with their villages. These cities and villages form Zabulon’s possession by its families.

The fourth lot falls to Issachar by its kindreds. Its towns are Jezrael, Casaloth, Sunem, Hapharaim, Seon, Anaharath, Rabboth, Cesion, Abes, Rameth, Engannim, Enhadda and Bethpheses. The border reaches Thabor, Sehesima and Bethsames, ending at the Jordan. The text gives sixteen cities with their villages. These are Issachar’s cities and villages by its kindreds.

The fifth lot falls to Aser by its kindreds. Its border includes Halcath, Chali, Beten, Axaph, Elmelech, Amaad and Messal, reaching Carmel by the sea and Sihor and Labanath. It turns east to Bethdagon, reaches Zabulon and the valley of Jephthael to the north, passes through Bethemec and Nehiel, and goes out to the left side of Cabul. It reaches Abaran, Rohob, Hamon and Cana as far as great Sidon. The border turns to Horma and the strong city of Tyre, then to Hosa; its outlets are at the sea from the portion of Achziba. Amma, Aphec and Rohob are also named. The text gives twenty-two cities with their villages as Aser’s possession by its kindreds.

The sixth lot falls to Nephtali by its kindreds. Its border runs from Heleph and Elon to Saananim and Adami, which is Neceb, then to Jebnael and Lecum, ending at the Jordan. It turns west to Azanotthabor and goes out to Hucuca. Zabulon lies to its south, Aser to its west, and Juda upon the Jordan toward the rising sun. Its strong cities are Assedim, Ser, Emath, Reccath, Cenereth, Edema, Arama, Asor, Cedes, Edri, Enhasor, Jeron, Magdalel, Horem, Bethanath and Bethsames. The text gives nineteen cities with their villages. These cities and villages are Nephtali’s possession by its kindreds.

The seventh lot falls to Dan by its kindreds. Its possession includes Saraa, Esthaol, Hirsemes, the city of the sun, Selebin, Aialon, Jethela, Elon, Themna, Acron, Elthece, Gebbethon, Balaath, Juda, Bane, Barach and Gethremmon. Mejarcon and Arecon have a border looking toward Joppe and ending there. Dan’s children go up and fight against Lesem, take it, put it to the sword, possess it and dwell in it. They call it Lesem Dan after Dan their father. These cities and their villages are Dan’s possession by its kindreds.

After Josue has finished dividing the land by lot to each tribe, the children of Israel give Josue son of Nun a possession among them. According to the Lord’s command, they give him the city he asks for: Thamnath Saraa in mount Ephraim. He builds up the city and dwells in it. Eleazar the priest, Josue son of Nun and the heads of the families and tribes distribute these possessions by lot in Silo before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the testimony. The land is divided.

The story inside

Simeon’s lot has an explicit reason: Juda’s share is too large. The account then follows the third through seventh lots, naming the borders, towns, villages and kindreds of Zabulon, Issachar, Aser, Nephtali and Dan. Dan’s list is followed by a separate action: its children fight for Lesem, put it to the sword, settle there and name it after their father. After the tribal division is finished, Israel gives Josue the city he requests under the Lord’s command. The chapter closes by naming the distributors and the place of the lots. It gives the reason for Simeon’s placement but supplies no pressure or migration motive for Dan’s attack.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Simeon’s location has a stated cause. Its inheritance lies within Juda because Juda’s lot is too large. Keeping that reason explains the arrangement without adding a claim about peace, cooperation or population.
2
The allotments include particular places and boundaries. The directions, village lists, family assignments and stated totals belong to the record, even where the visible names do not match a stated total. They should remain as given rather than be silently adjusted.
3
Dan’s conquest and Josue’s city are distinct events. Dan fights for Lesem and settles there; Josue receives Thamnath Saraa after the tribal division, builds it up and dwells there. The account states each outcome without giving either man or tribe an unstated motive.

Test your recall

Why is Simeon’s inheritance placed within Juda, and what does Israel give Josue after the tribal land has been divided?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 24298–24325
Josue Chapter 19 The lots of the tribes of Simeon, Zabulon, Issachar, Aser, Nephtali and Dan. A city is given to Josue. 19:1. And the second lot came forth for the children of Simeon by their kindreds: and their inheritance was 19:2. In the midst of the possession of the children of Juda: Bersabee and Sabee and Molada, 19:3. And Hasersual, Bala and Asem, 19:4. And Eltholad, Bethul and Harma, 19:5. And Siceleg and Bethmarchaboth and Hasersusa, 19:6. And Bethlebaoth and Sarohen: thirteen cities, and their villages. 19:7. And Remmon and Athor and Asan: four cities, and their villages. 19:8. And all the villages round about these cities to Baalath Beer Ramath to the south quarter. This is the inheritance of the children of Simeon according to their kindreds, 19:9. In the possession and lot of the children of Juda: because it was too great, and therefore the children of Simeon had their possession in the midst of their inheritance.
Lines 24327–24347
19:10. And the third lot fell to the children of Zabulon by their kindreds: and the border of their possession was unto Sarid. 19:11. And it went up from the sea and from Merala, and came to Debbaseth: as far as the torrent, which is over against Jeconam. 19:12. And it returneth from Sarid eastward to the borders of Ceseleththabor: and it goeth out to Dabereth and ascendeth towards Japhie. 19:13. And it passeth along from thence to the east side of Gethhepher and Thacasin: and goeth out to Remmon, Amthar and Noa. 19:14. And it turneth about to the north of Hanathon: and the outgoings thereof are the valley of Jephtahel, 19:15. And Cateth and Naalol and Semeron and Jedala and Bethlehem: twelve cities and their villages. 19:16. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Zabulon by their kindreds, the cities and their villages.
Lines 24349–24364
19:17. The fourth lot came out to Issachar by their kindreds. 19:18. And his inheritance was Jezrael and Casaloth and Sunem, 19:19. And Hapharaim and Seon and Anaharath, 19:20. And Rabboth and Cesion, Abes, 19:21. And Rameth and Engannim and Enhadda and Bethpheses. 19:22. And the border thereof cometh to Thabor and Sehesima and Bethsames: and the outgoings thereof shall be at the Jordan: sixteen cities, and their villages. 19:23. This is the possession of the sons of Issachar by their kindreds, the cities and their villages.
Lines 24366–24389
19:24. And the fifth lot fell to the tribe of the children of Aser by their kindreds: 19:25. And their border was Halcath and Chali and Beten and Axaph, 19:26. And Elmelech and Amaad and Messal: and it reacheth to Carmel by the sea and Sihor and Labanath, 19:27. And it returneth towards the east to Bethdagon: and passeth along to Zabulon and to the valley of Jephthael towards the north to Bethemec and Nehiel. And it goeth out to the left side of Cabul, 19:28. And to Abaran and Rohob and Hamon and Cana, as far as the great Sidon. 19:29. And it returneth to Horma to the strong city of Tyre, and to Hosa: and the outgoings thereof shall be at the sea from the portion of Achziba: 19:30. And Amma and Aphec and Rohob: twenty-two cities, and their villages. 19:31. This is the possession of the children of Aser by their kindreds, and the cities and their villages.
Lines 24391–24414
19:32. The sixth lot came out to the sons of Nephtali by their families: 19:33. And the border began from Heleph and Elon to Saananim, and Adami, which is Neceb, and Jebnael even to Lecum: and their outgoings unto the Jordan: 19:34. And the border returneth westward to Azanotthabor, and goeth out from thence to Hucuca, and passeth along to Zabulon southward, and to Aser westward, and to Juda upon the Jordan towards the rising of the sun. 19:35. And the strong cities are Assedim, Ser, and Emath, and Reccath and Cenereth, 19:36. And Edema and Arama, Asor, 19:37. And Cedes and Edri, Enhasor, 19:38. And Jeron and Magdalel, Horem, and Bethanath and Bethsames: nineteen cities, and their villages. 19:39. This is the possession of the tribe of the children of Nephtali by their kindreds, the cities and their villages.
Lines 24416–24439
19:40. The seventh lot came out to the tribe of the children of Dan by their families: 19:41. And the border of their possession was Saraa and Esthaol, and Hirsemes, that is, the city of the sun, 19:42. Selebin and Aialon and Jethela, 19:43. Elon and Themna and Acron, 19:44. Elthece, Gebbethon and Balaath, 19:45. And Juda and Bane and Barach and Gethremmon: 19:46. And Mejarcon and Arecon, with the border that looketh towards Joppe, 19:47. And is terminated there. And the children of Dan went up and fought against Lesem, and took it: and they put it to the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt in it, calling the name of it Lesem Dan, by the name of Dan their father. 19:48. This is the possession of the tribe of the sons of Dan, by their kindreds, the cities and their villages.
Lines 24441–24454
19:49. And when he had made an end of dividing the land by lot to each one by their tribes, the children of Israel gave a possession to Josue the son of Nun in the midst of them, 19:50. According to the commandment of the Lord, the city which he asked for, Thamnath Saraa, in mount Ephraim: and he built up the city, and dwelt in it. 19:51. These are the possessions which Eleazar the priest, and Josue the son of Nun, and the princes of the families, and of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed by lot in Silo, before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, and they divided the land.