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Numbers 34:20 meaning

Shemuel of the tribe of Simeon was entrusted with oversight in apportioning Israel’s promised inheritance.

Of the tribe of the sons of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud. (v.20) This verse identifies Shemuel, son of Ammihud, as the leader chosen from the tribe of Simeon to help divide the Promised Land among the people of Israel. The tribe of Simeon descended from the second son of Jacob and Leah (Genesis 29:33). By this point in Numbers, the Israelites were near the end of their forty-year wilderness journey (circa 1406 BC) and were making final preparations to settle in Canaan. Each tribe was given its own representative, such as Shemuel, to prevent disputes and ensure fairness in distributing the land.

Simeon’s tribe had a complex legacy, having been scattered somewhat within Judah’s territory later on (Joshua 19:1). Nevertheless, assigning Shemuel as the official overseer for Simeon emphasizes the organized approach God dictated through Moses. Shemuel, although not widely mentioned elsewhere, stands in the lineage of tribal leadership alongside prominent names from each tribe, underscoring the covenantal structure God established with His people.

By entrusting Shemuel with this responsibility, the text illustrates how God used specific individuals from each tribe to carry out His instructions faithfully. The overarching theme is unity—as twelve distinct tribes come together under God’s guidance, working cooperatively to establish their inheritance in the land the Lord promised to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 12:7).

Numbers 34:20