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.

When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, 50 as the Lord had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for—Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there.

51 These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And so they finished dividing the land.

I want to highlight two further things in Joshua 19: the first appears close to the beginning of the chapter, and the second at the end. Here they are:

  1. The principle that those who have more should share with those who have less. This is illustrated in the story about the Simeonite share coming out of Judah. In two great chapters on ‘giving’, in 2 Corinthians, Paul writes in 9:13-15: ” Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”
  2. Biblical leadership involves service – putting others first. It’s not about sitting at the top of the pile and keeping all the best for yourself – the cream from the top of the milk, as it were. Simon Sinek wrote a book with the wonderful title: ‘Leaders eat last’. This seems to encapsulate the principle. Warren Wiersbe writes, ‘Joshua saw to it that the distribution to the tribes was completed before he received his own inheritance (19:49-50). The city of Timnath was located in a mountainous region where life would not be easy. Joshua could have chosen the finest place in the land, but he put others first and let them take the best (1 Cor.10:24; Phil.2:1-4).’