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Of all the tribes Simeon alone received their inheritance within the territory of another tribe, Judah:
Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah. . . This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, clan by clan. The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah, because Judah's portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah. (Jos 19:1-9)
The reason given for this arrangement—"because Judah's portion was more than they needed"—remains obscure. Hammed in the south Simeonites eventually assimilated into the life of Judah, and nothing of great significance is heard of the tribe itself in the history of ancient Israel.
Further Reading & Resources:
☰ Leon J. Wood, "Simeon, the tenth tribe of Israel," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 14.4 (Fall 1971): 221-225.
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