Yehoshua Chapter 19: Scattered Shimon

All the tribes receive select portions of land except for Shimon. “The portion of the Simeonites was part of the territory of the Judites; since the share of the Judites was larger than they needed, the Simeonites received a portion inside their portion” (וַיְהִי חֵבֶל בְּנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן מִתּוֹךְ נַחֲלַת בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה כִּי־הָיָה חֵלֶק בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה רַב מֵהֶם וַיִּנְחֲלוּ בְנֵי־שִׁמְעוֹן בְּתוֹךְ נַחֲלָתָם) (verse 9). The official line is that Shimon did not receive its own portion because Yehudah’s portion was too small, so it spilled over enveloping Shimon’s portion. It is a nice attempt to whitewash the situation. The only other tribe with portions in another is within the family of Yosef. And there, each tribe has its own main potion, but only overlap a little. Shimon is most likely treated different as a result of Moshe leaving Shimon out of the final blessings at the end of Deuteronomy. The commentators explain that Moshe did not give Shimon a blessing because of their sin in leading the rebellion at Baal Peor. Actually, Shimon is not the only tribe to be scattered throughout other territories without a set boundary of their own. The other tribe is Levi. Levi’s scattered lot was an oft repeated declaration starting back in Deuteronomy and continuing though the book of Joshua. The official line is that Levi is scattered as their portion is with Hashem, and they need to focus on Temple/Mishkan duties. Maybe Shimon’s lack of land does not have to do with Moshe’s lack of a blessing. Perhaps Shimon and Levi do not get portions because of Yaacov’s blessing. “Shimon and Levi are brothers. Instruments of violence are their wares/My soul will not enter their secret council, let my honor not be identified with their assembly. For in their anger they killed a man, and through their willfulness they maimed an ox/Cursed be their anger for it is powerful, and their fury for it is cruel. I will divide them throughout Yaakov and scatter them throughout [the land of] Israel” (שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אַחִים כְּלֵי חָמָס מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם׃ בְּסֹדָם אַל־תָּבֹא נַפְשִׁי בִּקְהָלָם אַל־תֵּחַד כְּבֹדִי כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ וּבִרְצֹנָם עִקְּרוּ־שׁוֹר׃ אָרוּר אַפָּם כִּי עָז וְעֶבְרָתָם כִּי קָשָׁתָה אֲחַלְּקֵם בְּיַעֲקֹב וַאֲפִיצֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל) (Genesis 49:5-7). Yaacov was still upset with his two sons for the trick and massacre they led on Sechem following the kidnap and rape of their sister Dinah. Yaacov’s curse/blessing links the two tribes. Both tribes are told they would be scattered as a way to keep them forever separated. Levi’s reputation was only rehabilitated through the chet haegel and Levi’s support of Moshe against the people. Shimon only further sullied their reputation with the sin of Baal Peor. This could be why Shimon is scattered an ultimately subsumed into Yehudah, but Levi is scattered but still maintains their independence and role in the Temple. The text in Yehoshua may offer a hint to this as the text matches the blessing of Yaacov. Shimon is scattered in the tribe of Yehudah and the very next blessing after Yaacov discusses Shimon in Genesis is to Yehudah and chapter 20 of Yehoshua details the cities of the Levites. This could be the subtle way of the Navi giving the real reason why these two tribes are scattered.