Simeon

Simeon was the second son of Jacob’s unloved wife, Leah. He was a man of strong passions.
His life and that of the tribe, which bears his name, contain some of the darkest stains in the history of ancient Israel.
The crowing sin of Simeon’s life was the murder of the men of Shechem¹. Levi was connected with Simeon in this wicked work, but Simeon seems to have been the leading spirit; for the divine record always mentions his name first when speaking of the sin.

There is something pathetic in the whole affair. The prince of Shechem had ruined Dinah, the only daughter of Jacob. It is easy to imagine how an only sister would be loved and cherished by her brothers, and especially by the sons of Leah who was also the mother of Dinah. When Jacob reproved Simeon and Levi for the murder. Their only reply was, “Should he deal with our sister as with a harlot.?²

Love for their sister evidently prompted the act of revenge. They also wished to rescue her; for Dinah had been enticed to the house of the prince of Shechem, and after the murder, Simeon and Levi brought her home with them.³
The words addressed to Simeon and Levi by Jacob, show that God does not overlook sin in any one. The fact that their only sister was ruined, was no excuse for committing that terrible act of vengeance.

“Cruelty and falsehood were manifest in the character of his sons. There were false gods in the camp, and idolatry had to some extent gained a foothold even in his household.”⁴ This shows us that the “strange gods” among Jacob’s sons had a big influence in their characters, as well as in the spiritual life of the household. Today, as well as in the past, we find “Simeons” among ourselves. We also find strange gods among ourselves. Sometimes we overlook the little things. Our real battle is “not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”,⁵ and therefore we should be aware that anything that draws our attention from God, could be a “strange god”. It could even have a terrible influence upon our thoughts toward others and our acts and behavior may be influenced.

When the sons of Jacob gathered around their father’s couch to receive his parting blessing, the sight of Simeon and Levi brought vividly to the mind of the dying patriarch the details of this murder committed some forty years before, and he exclaimed; “Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret.” As if he shrank from the very thought of his name being tarnished by their wicked course, he continues, “Unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united; for in their anger they slew man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and scatter them in Israel.”⁶

Both tribes were “divided” and “scattered.” But how differently! The Levites held positions of honor, and were scattered over the country as religious educators and priests. The dispersion of the tribe of Simeon arose from corrupting elements in the tribe itself, which reduced their numbers and finally resulted in driving them from their inheritance.

When the land was divided among the different tribes, Simeon was given none; but as the allotment of Judah was too large for that tribe, Simeon was allowed to occupy a portion of the inheritance of Judah. Afterward some of the Simeonites were obliged to seek new territory, and were thus separated from the rest of their brethren.⁷

In the writings of the ancient Jewish doctors it is stated that the tribe of Simeon became so straitened in their habitations that a very great number of them were forced to seek subsistence among the other tribes by teaching their children. Truly they were divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel.

When Israel was numbered at Sinai, Simeon had 59,300 fighting men. Only two tribes surpassed it in strength. But when Israel was again numbered at Shittim, Simeon was the weakest of all the tribes, numbering only 22,200. Why this great change? The strong men of Simeon did not sacrifice their lives on the battlefield, fighting for the honor of God; they were slain because of their licentiousness of their own hearts. The 25th chapter of Numbers relates the bad story of the ruin of Simeon. It seems from the record that the chief men of Simeon were the leaders in that great apostasy. They became a prey to the harlots of Midian. Truly “she hath cast down many wounded; yea, many strong man have been slain by her.”⁸

Solomon, the wisest of men, who was thrice called the beloved of God, became a slave to his passion, and thus sacrificed his integrity to the same bewitching power.⁹

The shores of the stream of time are strewn with the wrecks of characters that have been stranded upon the rock of sensual indulgence. Israel became a prey to licentiousness before they were led into idolatry. When licentious desires rule the heart, other sins quickly follow.

The most terrible thing is the sexual sin. It opens a door to evil spirits. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 2: 16-19; 5: 3-15, fornication or adultery lead certainly to death, nowhere else!. Many have fallen into this specific sin and seem not to be able to get rid of that weakness. Dear brethren, only in the Name and Blood of our risen Savior Jesus, is there entire victory, to break the chain that bind the souls.

“Blessed are the pure of heart.”¹⁰ He that ruleth his spirit is greater that he that taketh a city ¹¹; but “he that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”¹²

Some suppose that the omission of Simeon’s name in the blessing of Moses was due to Moses’ displeasure at the behavior of the tribe at Shittim.

Little is said of the position taken by his tribe when the kingdom was divided; but there are two references that would seem to indicate that their sympathy was with the kingdom ot Israel. ¹³

The same fearless, warlike disposition manifested in the out-breaking sins committed by Simeon, was in the life of Judith used for the protection of God’s people.

It is uncertain whether the book in the Apocrypha that bears her name is a history or a historic romance, but from the record there given, Judith will always remain one of the prominet figures among the deliverers of her nation. She, like Jael, slew the leader of the enemies’ army.¹⁴ She nerved herself for her tremendous exploit by a prayer to the “Lord God of my father Simeon;”¹⁵ also in her prayer she alluded to the massacre at Shechem.¹⁶

The history of Judith, who, like Esther, risked her life for the deliverance of her people, is in pleasing contrast to the record of the wicked course pursued by Simeon and his descendants.

In the Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, it is Simeon and Levi who plot to destroy young Joseph; and Simeon bound Joseph before he was lowered into the well at Dothan. This was only about two years after the same men had planned and executed the murder of the men of Shechem. Memory must have brought all these events very vividly to the rnind of Joseph as he stood before his brethren and commanded that Simeon be bound as hostage before his eyes of the very men who had once seen him bind Joseph with intent to murder him. ¹⁷

It may be thought strange by some that the name of a man, who was famous only for murder and sin, should be inscribed on one of the gates of the Holy City of God, and that one twelfth of the 144,000 will enter the city of God bearing the name of that man. But the fact that one has committed sin will never exclude him from the Kingdom of God. All have sinned. It is unconfessed sin that bars any one form receiving eternal life.

Jesus is the only one born of woman that is sinless. He alone of all the family of Adam will throughout eternity have an uncovered life record. No part of His record will be covered. But our life record, marred by sin, will be covered by Christ’s righteousness. The blood of Christ can cleanse from sin of the deepest dye, and even murderers can enter heaven; not as murderers, but as pardoned sinners; for “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” ¹⁸

Gathered out the sin and wickedness of the last generation, there will be 12,000 redeemed ones, who through the virtue of Jesus’ blood and in His Powerful name received freedom and will be grafted in the tribe of Simeon, and Throughout eternity will represent that tribe on the new earth.

Next issue we will see Simeon’s brother: Levi. Till next.

1 Gen. 34
2 Gen. 34: 31
3 Gen. 34: 26
4 PP 205.1
5 Eph. 6: 12
6 Gen 49: 5-7
7 1 Chron. 4: 27. 39.42.
8 Prov. 7:26
9 Neh 13. 26.
10 Mat. 5:8.
11 Prov. 16: 32
12 Prov. 25: 28
13 2 Chron. 15. 9, 34: 6.
14 Judges 4: 21; Judith 13:6-9.
15 Judith 9:2.
16 Gen. 42: 19-24
17 Gen 42: 19-24.
18 Isa.1:18