Simeon, Dan, and Joshua: Three Paths, Three Outcomes

S: Joshua 19

Simeon: ⁹ Out of the part of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon; for the portion of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Simeon had inheritance in the middle of their inheritance.

 

Dan: ⁴⁷ The border of the children of Dan went out beyond them; for the children of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and lived therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their forefather.

 

Joshua: ⁴⁹ So they finished distributing the land for inheritance by its borders. The children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them. 

O:

Simeon: Back in Genesis 49:5-7, Jacob, in his final message before he died, recalled that Simeon and Levi had deceived the men of Shechem into circumcision, then slaughtered them while they were vulnerable. While it was legitimate for them to be upset at Shechem's rape of their full sister Dinah, their reaction was overboard -- murdering/genociding Shechem's entire tribe. So Jacob cursed them to be “scattered” in Israel.

Hence, Levi was literally scattered by being given no land but spread throughout the 12 tribes to serve in the priesthood. Simeon was “scattered” by being absorbed into Judah. During the monarchy, Simeon was virtually absent, being mentioned only in briefly in genealogical notes. They were absorbed into Judah, fulfilling Jacob’s words in a “dispersed” sense — not scattered city by city like Levi, but erased as a distinct tribal presence. Not that Joshua was punishing them, but this was the long-term unfolding through the generations. Sometimes consequences unfold slowly.

Dan found it too hard to conquer their assigned territory and gave up as it had stronger enemies, so, instead, they went and genocided a peaceful people not among those God had condemned – the Leshem of Laish. (See Judges 1 and 18.) This ended up being an early centre of Israelite idolatry, as mentioned in Judges 18:30. So, in their disobedience, they ended up apostate.

Joshua did not take advantage of his leadership position, unlike many of our political leaders today. He waited till everyone else had their inheritance, then he chose Timnathserah in the hill country of Ephraim. This was indeed in his tribal land of Ephraim, but it wasn’t the best agricultural land – it was up in the hills. He even had to build the city there himself, it wasn’t ready-made.

Conclusion

• Simeon was weakened by past sin, and got absorbed.
• Dan avoided the difficult task and did something easier but that was illegitimate, and ended up going apostate.
• Joshua did not take advantage of his political clout but as a servant leader, worked honestly for his own land and city.

A: Simeon’s story teaches us that, while working for justice is correct, going overboard with revenge is wrong. Dan’s story teaches us that we need to obey what God has for us to do, even if it’s difficult, and don’t take the easy, illegitimate way, out, or there will be consequences. Joshua’s story teaches us that we should not take illegitimate advantage of our power or position, but instead, reap the fruits of legitimate honest work.

All 3 faced a temptation:

• Simeon: the temptation to justify excessive retaliation in the name of justice.
• Dan: the temptation to avoid the hard obedience and redefine the assignment.
• Joshua: the temptation to use one’s position for personal gain.

 We need to choose the difficult right way over the easy wrong way and trust God for the long-term consequences.

P: Father, help me to be like Joshua and be faithful to You and not like Simeon or Dan. May I stay faithful to You, and repent quickly when I sin. In Jesus’ name, amen.