Tehillimandpoetry

V'zot Ha'Berakhah (This is the blessing)

Deuteronomy 33:1–34:12 Joshua 1:1–18 (A); 1:1-9 (S)

"Unheard Simon Says, But Not Forsaken"

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POSTED 08 OCTOBER, 2012

by Mark Huey [email protected]

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Each year when the annual Torah cycle comes to a close, on the concluding day of Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles, the final blessings of Moses over the Ancient Israelites are emphasized. While these blessings, perhaps also combined with the final blessings of Jacob over his sons (Genesis 49), have helped spur much artistic creativity—in the form of paintings, stained glass windows, illustrative banners, and abstract drawings—the exclusion of Simeon in Moses’ blessings is rarely considered. The tendency for many Torah teachers and students is to focus on the blessings bestowed upon Judah, Levi, and Joseph is widely understandable—because they are given unique leadership responsibilities for the future of Israel.

However, with a new yearly trek through the Torah about to commence, the absence of a blessing for Simeon—in lieu of some serious inquiry about the iniquities of the patriarchs that has plagued Israel for millennia—just might shed some light on why Simeon was denied even a cursory mention in Moses’ summary blessings. But before elaborating on Simeon’s life and challenges, first read the text and note that despite the curses which will ultimately ensue from deviant behavior, the Holy One would be an everlasting shield and sword, lifting Israel to high places, as their enemies cringe in fear and derision in their defeat:

“Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death. He said, ‘The Lord came from Sinai, and dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came from the midst of ten thousand holy ones; at His right hand there was flashing lightning for them. Indeed, He loves the people; All Your holy ones are in Your hand, and they followed in Your steps; everyone receives of Your words. Moses charged us with a law, a possession for the assembly of Jacob. And He was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, the tribes of Israel together. May Reuben live and not die, nor his men be few.’ And this regarding Judah; so he said, ‘Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him to his people. With his hands he contended for them, and may You be a help against his adversaries.’ Of Levi he said, ‘Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your godly man, whom You proved at Massah, with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah; who said of his father and his mother, “I did not consider them”; And he did not acknowledge his brothers, nor did he regard his own sons, for they observed Your word, and kept Your covenant. They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob, and Your law to Israel. They shall put incense before You, and whole burnt offerings on Your altar. O Lord, bless his substance, and accept the work of his hands; shatter the loins of those who rise up against him, and those who hate him, so that they will not rise again.’ Of Benjamin he said, ‘May the beloved of the Lord dwell in security by Him, who shields him all the day, and he dwells between His shoulders.’ Of Joseph he said, ‘Blessed of the Lord be his land, with the choice things of heaven, with the dew, and from the deep lying beneath, and with the choice yield of the sun, and with the choice produce of the months. And with the best things of the ancient mountains, and with the choice things of the everlasting hills, and with the choice things of the earth and its fullness, and the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush. Let it come to the head of Joseph, and to the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers. As the firstborn of his ox, majesty is his, and his horns are the horns of the wild ox; with them he will push the peoples, all at once, to the ends of the earth. And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and those are the thousands of Manasseh.’ Of Zebulun he said, ‘Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going forth, and, Issachar, in your tents. They will call peoples to the mountain; there they will offer righteous sacrifices; for they will draw out the abundance of the seas, and the hidden treasures of the sand.’ Of Gad he said, ‘Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad; he lies down as a lion, and tears the arm, also the crown of the head. Then he provided the first part for himself, for there the ruler's portion was reserved; and he came with the leaders of the people; he executed the justice of the Lord, and His ordinances with Israel.’ Of Dan he said, ‘Dan is a lion's whelp, that leaps forth from Bashan.’ Of Naphtali he said, ‘O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full of the blessing of the Lord, take possession of the sea and the south.’ Of Asher he said, ‘More blessed than sons is Asher; may he be favored by his brothers, and may he dip his foot in oil. Your locks will be iron and bronze, and according to your days, so will your leisurely walk be. There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your help, and through the skies in His majesty. The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and He drove out the enemy from before you, and said, “Destroy!” So Israel dwells in security, the fountain of Jacob secluded, in a land of grain and new wine; His heavens also drop down dew. Blessed are you, O Israel; who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, who is the shield of your help and the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, and you will tread upon their high places’” (Deuteronomy 34:1-29).

As is well known from an exhaustive study of the Torah, corresponding passages from the balance of Scripture, and the writings of the Apostle Paul—the history of Ancient Israel has been preserved as an instructional tool for all future generations. It is extremely useful for Messiah followers to reflect upon and consider, particularly in terms of not falling into the errors and mistakes of those who have fallen to temptation:

“Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:11-13).

As we note the relevance of the Torah, for its fuller understanding of the ways and plans of God—with the human proclivity to become prideful, resulting in fallacious conclusions—the temptation to spend an inordinate amount of time and energy on superfluous teaching, can proliferate. Nevertheless, the exclusion of Simeon in Moses’ blessing, poses a bit of a conundrum. It generates a logical inquiry of why he was ignored. In order to answer this question, a comprehensive review of Simeon’s life is necessary, in order to attempt to discern what could have possibly initiated his omission.

First, as historical background information, one has to recognize the complex life of Jacob, and the problems that naturally ensue when a man has children from multiple wives. Recall that Jacob was smitten with Rachel at the well in Paddan-aram, but her cunning father Laban deceived Jacob—and instead of giving Rachel to Jacob at the consummation, he instead substituted his firstborn daughter Leah (Genesis 29:9-30). Nevertheless, after working an additional seven years for his beloved Rachel, the complicated dynamics of the family are recorded:

“Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah, and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her. Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, ‘What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you deceived me?’ But Laban said, ‘It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years.’ Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. Laban also gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid. So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with Laban for another seven years. Now the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren” (Genesis 29:23-31).

Here, we see how there can be convoluted relationships, when an unloved first wife is in competition with a second cherished wife. To further exacerbate the problem, the Lord began to open up the womb of Leah, while leaving Rachel barren. Consider Leah’s naming of the first four sons, born to the union of Jacob and Leah:

“Leah conceived and bore a son and named him Reuben, for she said, ‘Because the Lord has seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.’ Then she conceived again and bore a son and said, ‘Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.’ So she named him Simeon. She conceived again and bore a son and said, ‘Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.’ Therefore he was named Levi. And she conceived again and bore a son and said, ‘This time I will praise the Lord.’ Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing” (Genesis 29:32-35).

It should be understood that naming children is a critical responsibility for parents, and as we can read here, names were often an expression of what the mother was experiencing at the time of birth. Here, Leah named her sons the following Hebrew names, with their corresponding meanings: Reuben (Re'uven, !bWar), meaning “see, a son” (CJB); Simeon (Shim'on, !A[mv), “hearing” (CJB); Levi (Levi, ywl), “joining” (CJB); and Judah (Y'hudah, hdWhy), “praise” (CJB). The fact that Simeon’s name is closely related to the Hebrew shama ([mv) is quite telling, given the emphasis throughout the Scriptures for God’s people to hear and obey His Word. Might this be a subtle indication that followers of the Messiah should hear what the life of Shimon is communicating?

In addition, as noted above, to further complicate matters and life challenges for Simeon—he was the second born son of the unloved Leah, an unenviable position given the privileges often bestowed on firstborn sons in the Ancient Near East. During his upbringing, he was always Reuben’s younger brother, and with it an ensuing sibling rivalry probably occurred. There is little doubt in my mind, that he was aware of Jacob’s preference for Rachel, given the relative intimacy revealed through observing conversations and close quartered tent cohabitation. It is not a stretch to conclude that Simeon, like any yearning child, was trying to gain the love and approval of his father Jacob—who was becoming further distracted with not only the eventual birth of Joseph to his beloved Rachel (an obvious favorite son, even more so than Reuben), but also the births of additional sons by Leah’s maid Zilpah, and Rachel’s maid Bilpah. As is readily understood, the complexities of this multiple “wife/concubine” family, and all of the relational challenges that would naturally erupt, expanded especially years later when the ten sons of Jacob decided to sell the favored Joseph to some Midianite traders (Genesis 37:28).

However, before this tragic event years later upon relocating to Canaan, the Torah reveals that Leah continued to have two more sons, Issachar (Yissakhar, rkXFy), meaning “hire, reward” (CJB), and Zebulun (Z'vulun, !WlWbz), meaning “living together” (CJB). There was also a daughter she named Dinah (Dinah, hnyD), meaning “controversy over rights” (CJB). This was prior to Rachel finally conceiving, and birthing the favored Joseph (Yosef, @sAy), whose name means “may he add” (CJB):

“Now in the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, ‘Please give me some of your son's mandrakes.’ But she said to her, ‘Is it a small matter for you to take my husband? And would you take my son's mandrakes also?’ So Rachel said, ‘Therefore he may lie with you tonight in return for your son's mandrakes.’ When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, then Leah went out to meet him and said, ‘You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son's mandrakes.’ So he lay with her that night. God gave heed to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. Then Leah said, ‘God has given me my wages because I gave my maid to my husband.’ So she named him Issachar. Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob. Then Leah said, ‘God has endowed me with a good gift; now my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons.’ So she named him Zebulun. Afterward she bore a daughter and named her Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb. So she conceived and bore a son and said, ‘God has taken away my reproach.’ She named him Joseph, saying, ‘May the Lord give me another son’” (Genesis 30:14-24).

To further complicate matters in this rapidly expanding family, envious and jealous Rachel had already given her maid Bilpah to Jacob, resulting in the births of Dan (Dan, !D), whose name means “he judged” (CJB), and Napthali (Naftali, ylTpn), meaning “my wrestling” (CJB), whom Rachel named. This prompted Leah to also give her maid Zilpah to Jacob, resulting in the births of Gad (Gad, dG), “good fortune” (CJB), and Asher (Asher, rva), “happy” (CJB), who Leah named:

“Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, ‘Give me children, or else I die.’ Then Jacob's anger burned against Rachel, and he said, ‘Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?’ She said, ‘Here is my maid Bilhah, go in to her that she may bear on my knees, that through her I too may have children.’ So she gave him her maid Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, ‘God has vindicated me, and has indeed heard my voice and has given me a son.’ Therefore she named him Dan. Rachel's maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. So Rachel said, ‘With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and I have indeed prevailed.’ And she named him Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. Then Leah said, ‘How fortunate!’ So she named him Gad. Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. Then Leah said, ‘Happy am I! For women will call me happy.’ So she named him Asher” (Genesis 30:1-13).

One can only imagine how dysfunctional the family of Jacob was becoming, with the jealous wives and concubines, vying for Jacob’s amorous attention—and all of the sibling rivalries unsurprisingly arising!

Years later, Jacob’s family was finally released from the deceptive clutches of Laban. The anxious journey back to Canaan, included a visitation from the angel of the Lord, resulting in the renaming of Jacob to Israel, with a displaced hip after he had divided his family into two camps at Mahanaim (Genesis 32). Finally, after the frightful encounter with Jacob’s estranged brother Esau, prior to completing crossing over the Jordan, the circumstances of life were ripe for the maturing sons of Jacob/Israel to exercise their emerging adulthood. But upon Jacob actually purchasing some property in Shechem from the king, and settling with his family (Genesis 33:19), the complicated episode between Hamor, the prince of Shechem and Jacob’s only daughter Dinah, created an lasting legacy that stained and impacted the descendants of Simeon from this tragic, deceitful, murderous incident. This conclusion references Simeon’s (and to a lesser extent Levi’s) leading reaction to the dishonoring of their sister Dinah, after she had made herself known among the Shechemites, by “visiting” the ladies of Shechem in the city square. In order to appreciate all of the nuances and implications of this complicated affair, and the nefarious consequences, Genesis 34 perhaps needs to be considered in its totality:

“Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the land. When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force. He was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her. So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, ‘Get me this young girl for a wife.’ Now Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter; but his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob kept silent until they came in. Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. Now the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved, and they were very angry because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, for such a thing ought not to be done. But Hamor spoke with them, saying, ‘The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter; please give her to him in marriage. Intermarry with us; give your daughters to us and take our daughters for yourselves. Thus you shall live with us, and the land shall be open before you; live and trade in it and acquire property in it.’ Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, ‘If I find favor in your sight, then I will give whatever you say to me. Ask me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give according as you say to me; but give me the girl in marriage.’ But Jacob's sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor with deceit, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. They said to them, ‘We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. Only on this condition will we consent to you: if you will become like us, in that every male of you be circumcised, then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live with you and become one people. But if you will not listen to us to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and go.’ Now their words seemed reasonable to Hamor and Shechem, Hamor's son. The young man did not delay to do the thing, because he was delighted with Jacob's daughter. Now he was more respected than all the household of his father. So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, ‘These men are friendly with us; therefore let them live in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters in marriage, and give our daughters to them. Only on this condition will the men consent to us to live with us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised. Will not their livestock and their property and all their animals be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will live with us.’ All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city. Now it came about on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword and came upon the city unawares, and killed every male. They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem's house, and went forth. Jacob's sons came upon the slain and looted the city, because they had defiled their sister. They took their flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field; and they captured and looted all their wealth and all their little ones and their wives, even all that was in the houses. Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, ‘You have brought trouble on me by making me odious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and my men being few in number, they will gather together against me and attack me and I will be destroyed, I and my household.’ But they said, ‘Should he treat our sister as a harlot?’” (Genesis 34:1-31).

Regardless of how one wants to interpret the love/lust affair between Hamor and Dinah, suffice it to say, the deceitful and murderous actions taken by the sons of Jacob/Israel, led by Simeon and Levi, had demonstrable repercussions on both of their tribal heritages (Genesis 49:5-7). The fact that the Shechemites were willing to forthrightly honor the Abrahamic covenant, sealed with their painful circumcision, contributed directly to their defenseless slaughtering. For whatever reasons, Reuben was not the instigator of the assault, but instead, the second born Simeon with his co-conspirator Levi—perhaps attempting to gain some favor with Jacob, by chivalrously defending the honor of his full sister Dinah—appears to be the son held most responsible by Jacob. This is attested by the eventual prophecies spoken over Jacob’s sons, as he was preparing to die:

“Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are implements of violence. ‘Let my soul not enter into their council; let not my glory be united with their assembly; Because in their anger they slew men, and in their self-will they lamed oxen. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel. I will disperse them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel’” (Genesis 49:5-7).

These prophecies are eventually fulfilled, as the tribe of Simeon, despite receiving the second lot when the Promised Land was being divided during the invasion led by Joshua, was ultimately relegated to occupy some of the territory assigned to Judah (Joshua 19:1-9), leading to their absorption into Judah. The tribe of Levi was entrusted with the priestly functions, which would be responsible for handling all of the required bloody sacrifices. Clearly, Jacob was upset with their cruel, fierce anger, and knew that these deceit-induced murders, coupled with the secreted idols (Genesis 35:2-4) that were taken from Paddan-aram, brought undesired curses and difficulties upon him and his family.

hortly thereafter, the Lord told Jacob to depart from Shechem, and proceed to Bethel and beyond, ultimately relocating to the Hebron area, where his family was reunited during the waning days of his father Isaac (Genesis 35:27-29). This repeated, to a certain extent, the actions taken by his grandfather Abraham years earlier, when he first came into the Shechem area, built an altar, and then was told in the first appearance of the Lord to Him, to proceed onto Bethel and then to the Negev (Genesis 12:1-8). Note the additional information recorded in the passage, which describes Jacob’s similar trek down the highway:

“Then God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.’ So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, ‘Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments; and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.’ So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which they had and the rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oak which was near Shechem. As they journeyed, there was a great terror upon the cities which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. He built an altar there, and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled from his brother. Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; it was named Allon-bacuth. Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and He blessed him. God said to him, ‘Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer be called Jacob, But Israel shall be your name.’ Thus He called him Israel. God also said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come forth from you. The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you.’ Then God went up from him in the place where He had spoken with him. Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. So Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him, Bethel” (Genesis 35:1-15).

Apparently, Jacob’s entourage was still beholden to some foreign gods, represented by idols and rings in their ears. But rather than burning them, Jacob simply retrieved them all, buried them under an oak near Shechem, and then traversed toward Bethel, pressed on by the fear of retribution by the bereaved but terrified neighbors, who let Jacob’s family and servants travel unimpeded. It should be noted that it was in Bethel years earlier, where Jacob had a very meaningful dream-vision, seeing angels ascending and descending on a ladder with the Holy One years earlier (Genesis 28), as he was fleeing from enraged Esau. Jacob finally returned to the place of this dramatic encounter, in order to fulfill his vow to the Lord. It was at Bethel that Rachel’s nurse died and was buried under another oak, but more substantially, the Lord restated the renaming of Jacob to Israel, and reiterated the Abrahamic covenant regarding the ultimate disposition of the Promised Land and all of the attendant blessings that Jacob was to inherit. The fact that Bethel, BeitEl (la,t.yB(e) meaning “house of God,” represented such significant experiences for both Abraham and Jacob, is duly noted and a subject for further study—but the issues in the heart of Simeon, knowing that he had disappointed his father Jacob, rather than having gained his favor, most assuredly must have continued to plague him. It was the murders he was responsible for, which made Jacob’s family “odious” among the inhabitants of Canaan:

“Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, ‘You have brought trouble on me by making me odious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and my men being few in number, they will gather together against me and attack me and I will be destroyed, I and my household’” (Genesis 34:30).

The next significant time, that Simeon is mentioned in Scripture, occurs years later, after Joseph had risen to become the viceroy over Egypt with a famine ravaging the region. Recalling the specific incident when concealed Joseph wanted to finally reunite with his full brother Benjamin, he selected Simeon (Genesis 42:24) as the one son who will continue in bondage, until the other brothers return from Canaan with his full brother Benjamin. One wonders if Joseph chose Simeon over the others, because he knew of the disdain Jacob had for Simeon, given the inevitable family discussions that resulted from the murderous actions taken at Shechem. And so, Simeon was incarcerated and left behind, not knowing what his fate would be. Certainly this period of time gave Simeon some moments to reflect upon the prolonging guilt still plaguing his conscience over what had transpired at Shechem—and anything else he had done—because at the time, he did not know what Joseph was intending to do. But it is also noted that when the brothers returned to Jacob with directions to retrieve Benjamin in order to release Simeon, the aged and still-mourning Jacob was bereaved with the prospect of losing yet another son. and perhaps even Benjamin, his only known remaining physical connection to the beloved Rachel:

“When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying, ‘The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly with us, and took us for spies of the country. But we said to him, “We are honest men; we are not spies. We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.” The man, the lord of the land, said to us, “By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me and take grain for the famine of your households, and go. But bring your youngest brother to me that I may know that you are not spies, but honest men. I will give your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.”’ Now it came about as they were emptying their sacks, that behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were dismayed. Their father Jacob said to them, ‘You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me.’ Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, ‘You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my care, and I will return him to you.’ But Jacob said, ‘My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If harm should befall him on the journey you are taking, then you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow’” (Genesis 42:29-38).

Gaining favor with one’s parents is an inherent trait common to people. Note that Reuben, the oldest remaining son of Leah—perhaps attempting to overcome the known sin of copulating with Jacob’s concubine Bilpah (Genesis 35:22)—offered his two sons in exchange for taking Benjamin down to Egypt. But eventually as the famine intensified, it was the appeal of Judah to Jacob, offering his own life as surety for the return of Benjamin, which finally received the consent of Jacob, who was obviously concerned about the welfare of his entire family despite his reservations. We read about the emotional encounters which ensued as Joseph was in a unique position to teach his eleven brothers a severe lesson about betrayal, loyalty, lying to their father about his demise, and a whole host of issues that needed to be rooted out of the hearts of his siblings. With all eleven of his brothers present, the legacy of Judah was established with his older brothers Reuben, Simeon, and Levi merely reduced to witnesses, as the dramatic revelation that Joseph was their rescuer unfolded. It is at this point that the destinies of the three oldest siblings were established, as Judah’s willingness to be sacrificed for the sake of Jacob and his brother Benjamin is related. This is reflected in the eventual prophecies spoken by Jacob over Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah regarding their future roles, found in Genesis 49:1-12.

From this point forward in the Scriptures regarding the deliverance from Egypt, the tribe of Simeon’s plight appears to be similar to his brothers regarding offerings and battling during the desert sojourn. But it is interesting to note, that when Moses commanded Joshua and the elders of Israel, to return to the Shechem area and follow some specific instructions on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal (the mountains of blessing and curses), Simeon was included with the tribes which gathered on the mount of blessing:

“Then Moses and the elders of Israel charged the people, saying, ‘Keep all the commandments which I command you today. So it shall be on the day when you cross the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God gives you, that you shall set up for yourself large stones and coat them with lime and write on them all the words of this law, when you cross over, so that you may enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you. So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up on Mount Ebal, these stones, as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime. Moreover, you shall build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones; you shall not wield an iron tool on them. You shall build the altar of the Lord your God of uncut stones, and you shall offer on it burnt offerings to the Lord your God; and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and rejoice before the Lord your God. You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very distinctly.’ Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, ‘Be silent and listen, O Israel! This day you have become a people for the Lord your God. You shall therefore obey the Lord your God, and do His commandments and His statutes which I command you today.’ Moses also charged the people on that day, saying, ‘When you cross the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. For the curse, these shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali’” (Deuteronomy 27:1-13).

It is critical to understand that the Holy One is most concerned that curses upon the Israelites need to be dealt with properly, through confessional sacrificial offerings, which physically display admittance of guilt and a heartfelt desire to atone for sin. In this case, it was upon Mount Ebal, the mount of curses, that the altar was built with uncut stones and the offerings were made, along with the written stones containing the words of the Law. For God’s providential purposes, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali were stationed on the mount of cursing—while the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin were located on the mount of blessing. Is this perhaps an indication that Simeon and Levi are forgiven of the sins of their fathers at Shechem, and that coupled with Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin, these six tribes would become the leading tribes of Israel in the future?

From the completion of the commands by Joshua at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal (Joshua 8:33-35), the assignment of the tribal territory by lot ensued. It is in this distribution that we discover that Simeon’s inheritance was ultimately bound to the vast land given to Judah (Joshua 19:1-9; 21:9), where it was eventually absorbed into Judah over time. Nevertheless, it is also noted that the Simeonites were ferocious warriors, perhaps influenced by their inherited penchant for blood, who were instrumental in many conquering victories over the enemies of Israel (1 Chronicles 4:42-43; 12:25).

Ezekiel mentions how Simeon will have a portion, when the future Temple he envisioned is ultimately constructed Ezekiel 48:24-25, 33). So the future of Simeon is assured, and in Revelation 7:7, it also noted that 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon will be among the 144,000 Israelites sealed for the Lord. And, when the New Jerusalem finally appears, there is every reason to believe that Simeon will be rewarded a name on one of the gates to the eternal city (Revelation 12:10-13).

o why was Simeon not mentioned in the blessing words of Moses in Deuteronomy 33? Was it simply an omission, or rather a significant notation that future students of the Torah and the balance of Scripture should consider? Were the treacherous, murderous sins of Simeon and Levi at Shechem, totally rectified when offerings were made at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal? Is it possible some curses still need to be reckoned with, given the history of Shechem seen in the Tanakh? Certainly, a number of conclusions can be surmised—and since the Holy One continually uses signs to try and communicate with His people, might one even contemplate the eventual burial place of Joseph, in conjunction with the messages contained in the life of Simeon? Is the Spirit trying to communicate something important to Bible readers? Are we overlooking some things that should be considered? While these questions and many others are curious to consider, it is intriguing to note that a significant number of people found in the Apostolic Writings, named Simeon or Simon, are some additional indications that the life of Jacob’s son Simeon is something to reflect upon. Perhaps Bible students should hear what the Simeons and Simons of the Apostolic Scriptures have to say!

In the first chronological case, Luke recorded the appearance of a righteous and devout follower of the Holy One named Simeon, who was promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Here is his spoken testimony, and some wonderful prophecies that were shared with Joseph and Mary, as Simeon was inspired to bless the infant Yeshua:

“‘And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Yeshua, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation [Yeshua], which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles [Isaiah 42:6; 49:6], and the glory of Your people Israel.’ And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed’” (Luke 2:25-35).

Next, one can consider the Apostle Peter. Was he appropriately named Simeon by his parents, as he did have a quick temper and willingness to draw blood (John 18:10), similar to the progenitor of the tribe of Simeon? Known as Simeon by his peers, as indicated in this exchange with James the Just and the elders gathered at the Jerusalem Council, Simeon was a firsthand witness who was used mightily by the Lord, despite his various natural inclinations:

“After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, ‘Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.’ All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, ‘Brethren, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, “After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago’ [Amos 9:11-12]” (Acts 15:7-18).

Yeshua the Messiah actually is credited with giving Simeon the added name of Peter, which connotes strength, in order to withstand the challenges he was to encounter throughout the balance of his life. Note that when Simeon made his Spirit-led declaration, that the additional message communicated to the Apostles by Yeshua, not only warned them about revealing His mission to provide salvation for humanity—but most critically declared the need for one to take up a cross and follow Him, losing their lives in order to inherit eternal life:

“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Yeshua said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My [assembly]; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.’ Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Messiah. From that time Yeshua began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's.’ Then Yeshua said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds [Psalm 28:4; 62:12; Proverbs 24:12]. Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom’” (Matthew 16:15-28).

Needless to say, the work of the Holy Spirit through Simon Peter is an interesting study to take in, given many of his shortcomings. After all, it was Peter who witnessed the transfiguration of the Messiah (Luke 9), yet denied Yeshua three times (Mark 14), but ran to the empty tomb (Luke 24:12), and was one of the final people to speak with the Messiah after His resurrection when Peter was told to shepherd His sheep (John 21). Hence it should be noted that when writing to the saints, he referred to himself as Simon Peter never forgetting his given name (1 Peter 1:1), because he was a firsthand, visible witness, of so much—and hearing his words were in many ways a reiteration of much of what the Messiah communicated.

Without belaboring the nearly 80 times the name Simon or Simeon appears in the Apostolic Scriptures, to make future readers aware of the name—which might prompt a further investigation into the heritage of Simeon’s namesakes—there is this one final mention of Simon of Cyrene. He had the ignominious distinction of being chosen to carry the cross of Yeshua, the King of the Jews, prior to His crucifixion:

“Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Yeshua, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate. Pilate questioned Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ And He answered him, ‘It is as you say.’ The chief priests began to accuse Him harshly. Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, ‘Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!’ But Yeshua made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed. Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. The crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. Pilate answered them, saying, ‘Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. Answering again, Pilate said to them, ‘Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?’ They shouted back, ‘Crucify Him!’ But Pilate said to them, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Crucify Him!’ Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Yeshua scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified. The soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort. They dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; and they began to acclaim Him, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him. They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross. Then they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take. It was the third hour when they crucified Him. The inscription of the charge against Him read, ‘THE KING OF THE JEWS’” (Mark 15:1-26).

In this descriptive narrative, Yeshua claimed in response to Pilate’s inquiry, that He was indeed the King of the Jews. Rereading how He was humiliated, scourged, scorned, beaten, and spat upon prior to His death for the transgressions of humanity—is quite a contrast, when reading the summary conclusion to this week’s Torah portion, which describes Moses’ relatively isolated and hidden death, after he has completed His work for the Holy One:

“Now Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, and all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, and the Negev and the plain in the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. Then the Lord said to him, ‘This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, “I will give it to your descendants”; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.’ So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day. Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated. So the sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end. Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses. Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, for all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land, and for all the mighty power and for all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel” (Deuteronomy 34:1-12).

At the end of Deuteronomy, the final declaration that “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses” (Deuteronomy 34:10, NJPS), formally brings the Torah to a conclusion. Readers, who follow the annual cycle, will shortly again begin studying Moses’ Teaching. The cycle repeats itself incessantly, and hopefully greater revelation will build upon itself. The insights that Torah readers receive—should then be applied to their understanding and approach to the Prophets, Writings, and Apostolic Scriptures.

Many people forever overlook the warning that comes from Deuteronomy 18:15-18, and do not investigate the many spoken and recorded claims of the “King of the Jews,” Messiah Yeshua. If they did, then they would intensely realize that His words will ultimately be required of them:

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. This is according to all that you asked of the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’ The Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well. “I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 'It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him”’” (Deuteronomy 18:15-19).

Providentially, it was Simon Peter— who again filled by the Spirit of the Most High—referred to this declaration by Moses, when he summarized not only the work of the Messiah in accordance with what was prophesied about Him, but also about His second coming and the restoration of all things according to what all the Prophets concluded:

“While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement. But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, ‘Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Yeshua, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Yeshua which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Messiah would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Yeshua, the Messiah appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. Moses said, “The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; to Him you shall give heed [Deuteronomy 18:15-16] to everything He says to you. And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.” And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, “And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed [Genesis 22:18; 26:4].” For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways’” (Acts 3:11-26).

Notice the emphasis on repentance that follows confession of personal iniquities, which given our human limitations, is something that must be recognized and dealt with on a continual basis. This is the key to understanding more and more about God and His ways. And if He is so pleased, when considering Simeon’s absence in the final blessings of Moses to the Ancient Israelites, perhaps He will speak and some will hear what the Spirit is trying to communicate. For the Holy One of Israel is a merciful and compassionate Creator God, who extends His loving kindness to all who call upon Him for salvation. He desires, as again Simon Peter reminds all who consider his words, that none would perish:

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Nothing in the revealed and preserved Word of God is simply by happenstance. It is designed by the Heavenly Father to enlighten and strengthen the resolve of His sons and daughters to be all that He intends, in order to advance His Kingdom, until the restoration of all things.

May we all hear what overlooked “Simon says,” and ask the Spirit to reveal more and more about His sovereign plan for the Creation—and our individual roles to accomplish His will for His good pleasure!

Mark Huey (B.A., Vanderbilt University in History and Graduate Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) is the Director of Outreach Israel Ministries (ww.outreachisrael.net). He is the author of several books, including: TorahScope, Volumes I & II, and Counting the Omer: A Daily Devotional Toward Shavuot. He is also co-author of Hebraic Roots: An Introductory Study.