The Tribe of Simeon — the name, the blessing and the land
שִׁמְעוֹן
Scattered in Israel — absorbed into Judah
What the tribe was
Simeon and Levi answered the violation of their sister Dinah with the sword of Shechem, and Jacob's blessing remembers it: 'instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.' The tribe's lot fell within Judah's territory in the Negev around Beersheba, and its people dispersed — some as far as Mount Seir and Gedor (1Chr 4:39-43). Zeal without governance scatters; yet even Simeon's cities sheltered David in his exile years.
Jacob's blessing — Gen 49:5-7
שִׁמְע֥וֹן וְלֵוִ֖י אַחִ֑ים כְּלֵ֥י חָמָ֖ס מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶֽם
Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
בְּסֹדָם֙ אַל תָּבֹ֣א נַפְשִׁ֔י בִּקְהָלָ֖ם אַל תֵּחַ֣ד כְּבֹדִ֑י כִּ֤י בְאַפָּם֙ הָ֣רְגוּ אִ֔ישׁ וּבִרְצֹנָ֖ם עִקְּרוּ שֽׁוֹר
O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
אָר֤וּר אַפָּם֙ כִּ֣י עָ֔ז וְעֶבְרָתָ֖ם כִּ֣י קָשָׁ֑תָה אֲחַלְּקֵ֣ם בְּיַעֲקֹ֔ב וַאֲפִיצֵ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל
Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
Who came out of Simeon
Zimri (a prince of Simeon) — Num 25:14Judith? — tradition only; Scripture names few — 1Chr 4:24
Moments in the story
Gen 34:25The sword of Shechem
Gen 42:24Simeon bound in Egypt
Josh 19:1Lot within Judah's inheritance
1Chr 4:42Simeonites take Mount Seir
Every mention
Gen 29:33Gen 34:25Gen 34:30Gen 35:23Gen 42:24Gen 42:36Gen 43:23Gen 46:10Gen 48:5Gen 49:5Exod 1:2Exod 6:15Num 1:6Num 1:22Num 1:23Num 2:12Num 7:36Num 10:19Num 13:5Num 26:12Num 34:20Deut 27:12Josh 19:1Josh 19:8Josh 19:9Josh 21:9Judg 1:3Judg 1:171Chr 2:11Chr 4:241Chr 4:421Chr 6:501Chr 12:262Chr 15:92Chr 34:6Ezra 10:31Ezek 48:24Ezek 48:25Ezek 48:33