Joshua 19:1
The second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the people of Simeon, according to their clans, and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the people of Judah.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
What's so striking here is that Simeon's inheritance wasn't a separate chunk of land, but rather nestled inside Judah's territory. This wasn't just an administrative detail; it was God weaving together His purposes, partly fulfilling Jacob's prophecy about scattering Simeon, and also demonstrating Judah's graciousness in sharing their abundant portion.
This passage details the distribution of land to the tribe of Simeon. Following the allotments to earlier tribes, Simeon received their portion, but it was not a distinct territory. Instead, their inheritance was found within the land already assigned to the tribe of Judah, a situation that fulfilled Jacob's prophecy of scattering Simeon among the tribes.
Ever wonder if God's hand is in the 'random' distribution of life's circumstances? For Simeon, their unusual inheritance was far from random.
The distribution of the land of Canaan among the tribes was done by lot, a method that symbolized God's sovereignty. In Simeon's case, their lot was unique: their inheritance was situated within the territory of Judah.
This wasn't an accident. Commentators point to God's providence at work:
Sometimes, the way we receive our 'inheritance' speaks volumes about past actions. For Simeon, their land allocation carried a significant historical weight.
The placement of Simeon's inheritance within Judah's territory wasn't just about practical land distribution or fulfilling prophecy; it also served as a consequence for past actions.
Understand the original words
nachalah · Hebrew Noun
A portion of land or possessions allotted to a person or group, often by divine decree or ancestral right. In the context of Israel, it refers to the territory given to the tribes as a fulfillment of God's covenant promises to the patriarchs.
goral · Hebrew Noun
In the Old Testament, the casting of lots was a divinely sanctioned method used to determine God's will in dividing the land among the tribes of Israel, acknowledging God's sovereignty over the outcome.
mishpachah · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the descendants of a common ancestor, functioning as a primary subdivision within the tribes of Israel, organized for administrative, military, and genealogical purposes.
The assignment of Simeon's inheritance within Judah's territory was not arbitrary but a divine providence, fulfilling Jacob's prophecy of Simeon's scattering and addressing an error in the land's initial measurement.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelite tribes conquered the land of Canaan after their exodus from Egypt. This set the stage for the land's division.
c. 1400 BC
Division of the Land by Lot
The land of Canaan was systematically divided among the twelve tribes of Israel through the casting of lots, a process overseen by Joshua and Eleazar the priest.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Simeon's Inheritance Assigned
The tribe of Simeon received their inheritance, which was found to be within the territory already allotted to the tribe of Judah, due to Judah's portion being larger than initially estimated.
Post-Joshua
Judah and Simeon Cooperate
Following Joshua's death, the tribes of Judah and Simeon allied to fight and conquer the remaining Canaanites within their combined territories, as recorded in Judges 1.
This passage is a prophecy from Jacob about Simeon and Levi, directly foreshadowing the scattering and division of Simeon's tribe that we see happening here in Joshua's distribution of land.
Judges 1:1-3This passage shows Judah and Simeon cooperating to conquer Canaanite cities within their allotted territories, illustrating their close proximity and intertwined inheritance as described in Joshua 19:1.
Numbers 26:14This verse indicates that Simeon was one of the smallest tribes at the time of the census, which helps explain why its inheritance was situated within Judah's larger territory.
1 Chronicles 4:27This passage lists the extensive family lines of Simeon and their many towns, which provides context for the need for their inheritance to be within another tribe's land due to their size and potentially their past actions.
2 Chronicles 15:9This verse mentions Simeonites dwelling among Judah in the kingdom of Judah, highlighting the long-standing integration of the Simeon tribe within Judah's territory, stemming from this original land division.
bensonJoshua 19:1: "And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah."
Joshua 19:1 . The second lot came forth to Simeon — God disposed it so by an especial providence, Simeon being the eldest son of Jacob that was unprovided for. Their inheritance was within the inheritance of Judah — This also was ordered by God’s providence, partly to fulfil that threatening t…
wesleyJoshua 19:1: "And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah."
19:1 Within the inheritance of Judah - This was so ordered by God's providence, partly to fulfil that threatning that he would divide and scatter this tribe in Israel, Gen 49:7, which was hereby done in part, because they had no distinct lot, but were as inmates to Judah; partly, because now u…
What's so striking here is that Simeon's inheritance wasn't a separate chunk of land, but rather nestled inside Judah's territory. This wasn't just an administrative detail; it was God weaving together His purposes, partly fulfilling Jacob's prophecy about scattering Simeon, and also demonstrating Judah's graciousness in sharing their abundant portion.
This passage details the distribution of land to the tribe of Simeon. Following the allotments to earlier tribes, Simeon received their portion, but it was not a distinct territory. Instead, their inheritance was found within the land already assigned to the tribe of Judah, a situation that fulfilled Jacob's prophecy of scattering Simeon among the tribes.
This passage details the distribution of land to the tribe of Simeon. Following the allotments to earlier tribes, Simeon received their portion, but it was not a distinct territory. Instead, their inheritance was found the land already assigned to the tribe of Judah, a situation that fulfilled Jacob's prophecy of scattering Simeon among the tribes.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Joshua 19:1 is available in the Sola app.
What happens when one group has 'too much' and another has 'too little'? Judah's response to Simeon's situation reveals a beautiful picture of godly character.
The land division wasn't just about divine decrees; it also involved human response and interaction. The tribe of Judah, finding their allotted portion larger than needed, demonstrated remarkable generosity towards Simeon.
c. 931 BC
Division of the United Monarchy
After the reign of Solomon, the united Israelite kingdom split. The ten northern tribes formed the Kingdom of Israel, while Judah and Benjamin formed the Kingdom of Judah.
c. 931 BC
Simeon's Dispersion
As foretold by Jacob, the tribe of Simeon was largely dispersed. Many Simeonite cities were absorbed into Judah's territory, and many Simeonites eventually integrated into the southern Kingdom of Judah or were scattered even further.
"The second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the people of Simeon, according to their clans, and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the people of Judah." — What's so striking here is that Simeon's inheritance wasn't a separate chunk of land, but rather nestled inside Judah's territory. This wasn't just an administrative detail; it was God weaving toge…
