seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Numbers 34:13 Moses commanded the Israelites: “Assign this land by lot as an inheritance. The Lord has ordered that it be given to the nine and a half tribes, 14 because the families of the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance. 15 These two and a half tribes have received their inheritance east of the Jordan across from Jericho, toward the sunrise.”
16 The Lord said to Moses, 17 “These are the names of the men who are to assign the land for you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun. 18 And appoint one leader from each tribe to help assign the land. 19 These are their names:
Caleb son of Jephunneh,
from the tribe of Judah;
20 Shemuel son of Ammihud,
from the tribe of Simeon;
21 Elidad son of Kislon,
from the tribe of Benjamin;
22 Bukki son of Jogli,
the leader from the tribe of Dan;
23 Hanniel son of Ephod,
the leader from the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph;
24 Kemuel son of Shiphtan,
the leader from the tribe of Ephraim son of Joseph;
25 Elizaphan son of Parnak,
the leader from the tribe of Zebulun;
26 Paltiel son of Azzan,
the leader from the tribe of Issachar;
27 Ahihud son of Shelomi,
the leader from the tribe of Asher;
28 Pedahel son of Ammihud,
the leader from the tribe of Naphtali.”
29 These are the men the Lord commanded to assign the inheritance to the Israelites in the land of Canaan.
16 The Lord said to Moses, 17 “These are the names of the men who are to assign the land for you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun. 18 And appoint one leader from each tribe to help assign the land. 19 These are their names:
Caleb son of Jephunneh,
from the tribe of Judah;
20 Shemuel son of Ammihud,
from the tribe of Simeon;
21 Elidad son of Kislon,
from the tribe of Benjamin;
22 Bukki son of Jogli,
the leader from the tribe of Dan;
23 Hanniel son of Ephod,
the leader from the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph;
24 Kemuel son of Shiphtan,
the leader from the tribe of Ephraim son of Joseph;
25 Elizaphan son of Parnak,
the leader from the tribe of Zebulun;
26 Paltiel son of Azzan,
the leader from the tribe of Issachar;
27 Ahihud son of Shelomi,
the leader from the tribe of Asher;
28 Pedahel son of Ammihud,
the leader from the tribe of Naphtali.”
29 These are the men the Lord commanded to assign the inheritance to the Israelites in the land of Canaan.
Thousands and thousands of people had been wandering around together for forty years. These were people who were part of one huge dysfunctional family. They have argued and whined for forty years. I don't understand why people think they would have stood around quietly while the lottery took place. It's easy for me to understand why God chose the men who would be present at the lottery in verse 17. It's also easy to see why Joshua was chosen to be in charge of it. Caleb got to be there too. Remember, it was Joshua and Caleb who were among the first men who scouted out the land. It was also Joshua and Caleb who stood up and said the land was there for the taking with God on their side. The others were afraid of the giants who lived in the area.
The commentary from BibleTrack.org points us right to Joshua 19 for the commentary. So I already know that the whole lottery is going to play out all over again from Joshua's viewpoint. Here's the commentary from bibletrack.org on Joshua 19 as it pertains to the land lottery.
Remember what Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, did to the Shechemites back in Genesis 34 with that whole circumcision ploy? That was an amusing way to get revenge for which Jacob later, at his death, demonstrated that he never forgot. In the process of giving out blessings upon his boys, he gives a very specific one concerning Simeon and Levi. Jacob said in Genesis 49 "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." Now isn't it interesting that the Tribe of Levi (the priests) end up scattered in the towns of the other tribes and Simeon ends up with no specific territory, but also scattered in the cities of Judah. Jacob's words over 400 years earlier became reality - fascinating!
With regard to the Tribe of Simeon, later on, they get very little attention in scripture. Remember that attempt to overthrow the theocracy in lieu of a democracy back in Numbers 16? Well, the Tribes on the south side of the Tabernacle (Simeon was one) took a big hit as a result. When the census is taken at the end of the 40 years, their numbers have diminished by nearly two-thirds. Now, at the end of the 40 years, they are the smallest Tribe of Israel with just 22,200 men. Moreover, Beersheba was one of the cities listed in verse 2 as the inheritance of Simeon, but in Elijah's day in I Kings 19:3, we are told that Beersheba belongs to Judah. Apparently the assimilation of Simeon into the Tribe of Judah had largely taken place at that point, 500 years after Israel's conquest of Canaan. However, we see in I Chronicles 4:24-43 that some from the Tribe of Simeon cross over the Jordan River and set up housekeeping over on Mount Seir. That occurs during Hezekiah's reign (715-686 B.C.). So, they never disappear as one of the Tribes of Israel.
With regard to the Tribe of Simeon, later on, they get very little attention in scripture. Remember that attempt to overthrow the theocracy in lieu of a democracy back in Numbers 16? Well, the Tribes on the south side of the Tabernacle (Simeon was one) took a big hit as a result. When the census is taken at the end of the 40 years, their numbers have diminished by nearly two-thirds. Now, at the end of the 40 years, they are the smallest Tribe of Israel with just 22,200 men. Moreover, Beersheba was one of the cities listed in verse 2 as the inheritance of Simeon, but in Elijah's day in I Kings 19:3, we are told that Beersheba belongs to Judah. Apparently the assimilation of Simeon into the Tribe of Judah had largely taken place at that point, 500 years after Israel's conquest of Canaan. However, we see in I Chronicles 4:24-43 that some from the Tribe of Simeon cross over the Jordan River and set up housekeeping over on Mount Seir. That occurs during Hezekiah's reign (715-686 B.C.). So, they never disappear as one of the Tribes of Israel.
I know, skipping ahead and reading the commentary on Joshua was kind of cheating. After all I'll probably be reading this again soon.... but I have to remind myself that I'm learning about the people and the consequences of their actions along the way too. I also have to remember that Jacob and Israel are names for the same person. God changed Jacob's name to Israel back in Genesis 32:22-32. On top of that.... Jacob always walked with a limp after that day as well.
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