Simeon was born from Jacob's wife Leah. He was born after Reuben, before Levi (Genesis 29:33). The Sons of Simeon are, "Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman" (Genesis 46:10).

Simeon, along with Levi seem to have an incredible zeal to settle matters by the sword. In Genesis, we read, "And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males...And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house" (34:25, 30). The characteristic of Zeal to settle with the sword was to be carried on into the "latter days" for both Simeon and Levi. Jacob prophesied, "Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

"O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.

"Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel" (Genesis 49:5-7). Jacob knew that "united" Simeon as a tribe/nation would execute incredible cruelty, he had to divide them among the Israelites along with Levi. Coke writes, "Their secret, means their wicked designs, which are called their secret, because such designs are commonly carried on with deep secrecy. See Psa. 64:2" (Commentary on the Holy Bible). Jacob did let himself be infected by their secret designs of cruelty. This prophecy is for the latter days. Jacob connects Simeon's old ways, and says it will carry on throughout his history, and history reveals this to be true!

During the Exodus

When Israel was freed from Egypt, we read of many events that took place in the wilderness. One event in particular had to do with the tribe of Simeon and Levi, the sin of Baal-Peor, in Numbers 25. Israel began to commit Idolatry in the sight of Almighty God (vv.1-3). Now Phinehas, the Levite Priest, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, out of his zeal settled a matter with one of the heads of the tribe of Simeon by the sword, he,

"...took a javelin in his hand; And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel...Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites" (vv.7-8, 14).

Because of this incident, Phinehas was blessed by YEHOVAH God (v.12). Apparently, Simeon did not agree with the blessing, and a great dissension was in the camp of Israel. We know this because in chapter 26 we read that half the tribe of Simeon when the census was taken, was gone. In the episode of Phinehas the Levite unilaterally executing a Simeonite priest, the two most violent tribes were likely at loggerhead, and a civil war among the tribes was not improbable.

In Numbers the first chapter, Simeon had 59,300 males ready for war. In Numbers the 26th chapter, they had 22,200 males. That's a drop of 37,100 males, not including their wives and children. This is in the space of 40 years. Now the plague did kill 24,000 people, and that plague was stayed by the action of Phineas. But the Bible does not record which tribes suffered the most from that plague. Even if one assumes the Simeonites bore the brunt of this plague, it does not begin to account for the drop in population of approximately 56,000 males of 20 years and older among the tribes which lost population between the two censuses. Also, Numbers 25:9 records that 24,000 people died in the plague, it does not state that all those slain were "males 20 years of age and older." This indicates that 24,000 men, women and children of all ages died in the plague, and that perhaps 6,000 of that total were males 20 years and older.

Would YEHOVAH God or Moses have allowed so large a mass of Israelites to leave the camp? Indeed, they may have encouraged it as a way to end the dissension in the camp. There was no commandment of YEHOVAH God that forbid any Israelites to leave the camp in the Wilderness, so the only penalty that exiting Israelites would bear would be that their children would not enter the Promised land with the children of those who stayed. Remember that every adult (except Caleb and Joshua) were under a death sentence in the Wilderness. For their rebellion, they would wander till the entire generation who refused to go into the Promised Land at first was dead!

Under such circumstances, many could have thought: "If my choice is stay and die in this desert or leave and trust to my wits and sword to make a living, I'll choose the second option." The tribe of Simeon, naturally impulsive, would likely have led such a mini-exodus. Since this event occurred, there would have been a powerful stimulus to conduct the second census to "see who we have left." Indeed, Numbers 26:1-2 shows that right after the events that took place in Numbers 25, YEHOVAH God told Moses to take a census of all the tribes. So where did these Simeonites end up?

The Spartans of Greece

The Judahite historian Josephus provides us with the link. Josephus shows that the Lacedemonian (Spartans of Greece) were closely related to the Judahites. Josephus relates an incredible letter from Sparta to Judah: "Jonathan the high priest of the Jewish nation...to the ephori and senate and the people of the Lacedemonians, send greeting:

"When in former times an epistle was brought to Onias, who was then our high priest...we have discovered that both the Jews and the Lacedemonians are of ONE STOCK, and are derived from the KINDRED OF ABRAHAM...concerning the KINDRED THAT WAS BETWEEN US AND YOU, a copy of which is here subjoined, we both joyfully received the epistle...because we were well satisfied about it from the SACRED WRITINGS, yet did not we think fit, first to begin the claim of this RELATION TO YOU, the glory which is now given us by you. It is a long time since this relation of ours to you hath been renewed, and when we, upon holy and festival days offer sacrifices to God, we pray to Him for your preservation and victory....You will, therefore, do well yourselves to write to us, and send us an account of what you stand in need of from us, since we are in all things disposed to act according to your desires..." (Antiquities of the Jews, bk 12 chapter 4 sec 10; XIII, 5, 8, emphasis added).

The book of I Maccabees14:16-23 also records this correspondence, which includes this statement: "And this is the copy of the letter which the Spartans sent: The Chief magistrates and the city of the Spartans send greeting to Simon, the chief priest, and to the elders and the priests and the rest of the Jewish people, our kinsmen." (Emphasis added.). It is revealed by the Spartans themselves in their own writings that they are related to the Judahites. In Ancient Mythology, Bryant relates that Stephanus Byzantium shows that Alexander Polyhistor and Claudius Jolaus also speak of a direct relationship or kinship between the Spartan Greeks and the people of Judaea (vol. 5, p. 51-52, 60). Are the Spartans these missing Simeonites?

First, the Spartans, "...attributed the foundation of their extraordinary state and society to the reforms of one man. The Individual hero credited to this unique achievement was Lycurgus" (The Spartans, Paul Cartledge, p. 29). This Lawgiver, and Moses, these two leaders, their lives show an uncanny parallel. "Josephus’ narrative on Moses and Plutarch’s biography of the Spartan Lycurgus, two legendary lawgivers. Parallels in the portraits of these two leaders include not only the expected emphases on such Spartan virtues as courage, wisdom, and moderation, but also their conspicuous agreement that, for example, alien customs present a serious threat to the internal harmony of their own ethnic traditions" (Parallel Lives of Two Lawgivers: Josephus' Moses and Plutarch's Lycurgus, Louis H. Feldman).

Also the Spartans celebrated "the new moons" and the "seventh day" of the month (Herodotus, bk. 6, 57). Observing new moons was an Israelite calendar custom, and their observance of "a seventh day" could originate with the Sabbath celebration.

Now, the Simeonites were "scattered" in Israel. It is common Knowledge that the original Greeks were Danites. Many ancient Historians note the "Egyptian" origins of the Greeks. This knowledge was known to the Israelites, and it is only logical that these Simeonites that left the congregation in the wilderness, went to Greece to join the other Israelites that settled there years before.

“Danai, a name given to the people of Argos, and promiscuously to all the Greeks, from Danaus their king" (Virgil & Ovid. Passim, p. 191, Lemp.) In his Book, the Ethnology of Europe, Robert Latham says these Danai are of the "tribe of Dan, this is the case, and no one connects them" (p.137, emphasis added). These Danite Greeks ruled Greece, and Simeon (Sparta) were the "defenders of Hellenism." Even Herodotus claims that the "Spartans" were of "Egyptian" Origin" (bk.11, v. 80; bk. 6, v. 54-55).

The above quote from Josephus reveals that the seal that the letter came with had, " an eagle, with a dragon [snake or serpent] in its claws." The Seal Josephus mentions is revealing because the tribal emblem or ensign, see Numbers 2:2 of the people of Dan included the image of a "snake," (see article "Flag," The Jewish Encyclopedia, p. 405). This symbolism is derived from what Jacob had foretold: "Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder [viper] by the path..." (Genesis 49:17). Thus the emblem traditionally associated with Dan is an "adder biting horses heels" (Thomas Fuller, Pisgah Sight of Palestine). However Aben Ezra, a learned Jewish scholar of the 1600's said that the emblem of Dan was an "eagle with a dragon in its claws''' (America and Britain in Prophecy, McNair, p. 23).

These Danite Grecians migrated up into Ireland and Britain. Thomas Moore and others write about a people called the "Tuatha de Danaans" that came into Ireland. "Tuath...Irish History...A 'Tribe' or 'people' in Ireland" (New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, vol. 10, pt. 1, p. 441). The Tuatha or Tribe of Dan. These "sojourned for some time in Greece...set sail for Ireland" (Moore, History of Ireland, p. 59).

With these Danites came a people with them called the "Simonii." Notice, "It is also unmistakably recorded in British history that the earliest settlers in Wales and southern England were called Simonii. They came by the way of the sea in the year 720 B. C. At this time there was the greatest influx of the Tuatha de Daanan to Ireland...That Simonii is the plural of Simeon we need scarcely mention" (Judah's Scepter and Joseph's Birthright, p. 275). Wale's flag consists of a Dragon. Since Simeon was prophesied to be scattered in Israel, then their tribal standard would not be the the main standard but secondary to the leader tribe. Since they dwelt in Danite Greece, then Dan's standard would be the main one, so its reasonable to see that the Spartan Seal would be of Dan, and not Simeon.

However, the Spartans possess the same traits as Simeon including a violent temper (such as seen in the Spartans under King Leonidus). Also its love for warfare and weapons. In his book, The Spartans, Paul Careteldge writes, "Male Spartan citizens were forbidden any other trade, profession or business than war...uniquely professional and motivated fighting force" (p. 29). Like Jacob prophesied, "instruments of cruelty are in their habitations."

When male Spartans began military training at age seven, they would enter the Agoge system. The Agoge was designed to encourage discipline and physical toughness and to emphasize the importance of the Spartan state. Boys lived in communal messes and, according to Xenophon, whose sons attended the Agoge, the boys were fed just the right amount for them never to become sluggish through being too full, while also giving them a taste of what it is not to have enough (Xenophon, Spartan Society 2).

When the 300 Spartans held off the entire army of the Persians, it is no wonder that Jacob "scattered" them in Israel. United, who knows what kind of damage they could cause in the world.

The Simeonites in the Promised Land

The ones who stayed with the congregation of Israel were forced to share territory with Judah, the larger and more powerful tribe (Joshua 19:1-9). Jacob did not cut the descendants of Simeon off from any part in the promised inheritance, but he did divide and scatter them. Simeon was to receive LAND as an inheritance but it would be within the other tribes, unlike Levi, who would receive no land, and but live in cities within the other tribes as well.

Simeon is the only tribe Moses does not bless in Deuteronomy 33.

Another scripture that indicates that Simeon was also in the north with the House of Israel is in 2 Chronicles 15:9 in the days of Asa during his reforms, "And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers [sojourners] with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him." JFB writes, "Although a portion of that tribe, located within the territory of Judah, were already subjects of the southern kingdom, the general body of the Simeonites had joined in forming the northern kingdom of Israel. But many of them now returned of their own accord" (emphasis added). Notice they came "out of Israel" NOT JUDAH!

Just like in 2 Chronicles 11:16, these people went to Jerusalem to worship YEHOVAH God. They did not leave their tribal lands and move to Judah, but went to worship YEHOVAH and be in a league with the King. This is the whole reason why Jeroboam set up the Idols in Israel, so the people would stop worshipping YEHOVAH God, and go back to Rehoboam, and allied themselves with him.

Again we see in 2 Chronicles 34:6 during Josiah's reforms,

"And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem" (vv. 5-7).

Again, these tribes are still in their designated tribal areas during these reforms, they did not move into Judah. But again notice that Simeon is linked together with the northern tribes, so Simeon was scattered in Israel, given an allotment of land in the north just like in the south, in Judah. But the bulk of Simeon did settle in Judah as we read of in 1 Chronicles 4:24-43.

The Captivity of Israel

Even though Simeon was formerly in Judah's southern region, during the captivity of the House of Israel in Assyria the tribe of Simeon was counted amongst the Lost Ten Tribes because some of Simeon was situated in the north. Simeon is spoken of as having shared the fate of the Lost Ten Tribes who were exiled. But also the Assyrians attacked southern Judah as well. Notice, "Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them" (2 Kings 18:13).

"In an inscription Sennacherib speaks of capturing forty-six fenced cities and of carrying away to Assyria 200,150 people from the region of Judah. There are verses that suggest only a remnant escaped the Assyrian Captivity (2 Kings 19:30). Jewish tradition relates that due to Sennacherib capturing 'all the fenced cities' a large portion of the Kingdom of 'Judah' including most of Simeon also went into the Assyrian exile. These were lost together with the northern Lost Ten Tribes of Israel...The sources emphasize that those lost to Judah encompassed the overwhelming majority of the people of Simeon. On the other hand those who DID REMAIN belonged mostly to Judah, Benjamin, and Levi" (Davidy, article "Simeon").

Regarding Israel being taken into exile into Assyria, 2 Kings 15:29 says, "In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria."

The Assyrian record says, "...the border of BIT-HUMRIA...the whole land of Napthali...The land of BIT-HUMRIA...all its people together...I carried off to Assyria..." (Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylon, D. D. Lucenbill, p. 292, emphasis added). The land of Israel was called "Bit-Humria." This was named after king Omri of Israel. The Assyrians did not call them Israelites as a whole, but the "Humri."

The Encyclopedia Britannica admits:"...the land [of Israel] continued to be known to the Assyrians down to the time of Sargon as the house of Omri..." (11th edition, vol. 20, p. 105, emphasis added).

There is a lot of evidence supporting the fact that the Assyrians called Israel by other names:

"...letters covering the sweep of the Empire in the seventh century [time of Israel's captivity] contain references to captive Israelites...However owing to the relevant texts being mixed up in complete disorder among so many others, the early translators failed to recognize references to the Israelites in about a dozen tablets. Contributing to the fact that WE NOW KNOW that the Assyrians called the ISRAELITES BY OTHER NAMES" (R. F. Harper, Assyrian and Babylonian Letters, and Waterman, The Royal Correspondence of the Assyrian Empire, p. 101, emphasis added).

Israel became the "Humri" in the land of the Assyrians before and after they got taken away.

In any number of languages, the h is silent. However, in other languages the h has a hard sound, pronounced by forcing the sharp sound against the hard palate, as in the English word "how." In some languages, such as German, the h can be pronounced quite similarly to the English k. Thus "Bit Humri" was pronounced by some "Kumri" and by the Greeks "Kimri," "Cimri" or "Gymri." Raymond Capt in his book Missing Links in Assyrian Tablets, demonstrates this fact pertaining to the Assyrians:

"Above the scene is written in Assyrian cuneiform script: 'The tribute to Jehu (Iaua) son of Khumri (Omri)...' The Hebrew name 'Omri' is represented in Assyrian transliteration as 'Gh' or 'Kh.' The Israelites would naturally pronounce 'Omri' 'Ghomri' which became 'Khumri' in Assyrian...The Assyrian name 'Khumri,' used to denote the Israelites is also found in the annals (records) of King Tiglath-Pileser III concerning his invasion of Israel...Sargon II (722-705 B.C.) also makes mention of the 'Khumri' in his record of the capture of Samaria. He refers to himself as the conqueror of 'Bit-Khumri'...Letter 112...reveals the names of the inhabitants of Gamir as 'Gamera' and further identified them as 'CIMMERIANS.' The texts of the preceding tablets reveal the Israelites, originally known to the Assyrians, as 'Khumri,'...In captivity the Israelites were renamed 'Gamira,' 'Gamera' and FINALLY CIMMERIANS''' (pp. 99, 115, emphasis added).

 The "Bit Humri," or the "Kumri," who were known by the Greeks as the "Kimbri," are said to be the progenitors of the CELTS!

The name "Celt" comes from the Greek language, for the Greeks termed them all "Keltoi." Samuel Lysons wrote about "the Cimmerians seeming to be the same people [as] the Gauls or Celts under a different name; and it is observable that the Welsh...still call themselves Cymri or Kymry" (Our British Ancestors, 1865, pp. 23, 27, emphasis added).

As we have noted above, the Welsh come from the Simonii, or Simeon. Simeon has name derivations of which were applied to different Celtic ethnic groups like the Simonii, or "Semoni" in Wales (see 50 Reasons why the Anglo-Saxons are the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel, by W. H. Poole, p. 200). In Irish Mythology there were the Semuen son of Isu (i.e. Israel) as their ancestor (see D'A D'arbois de Judainville H. Cycle Mythologie Irlandais et le Myhologie Celtique, p. 89 ff). Among the Celts F. Haberman writes,

"...they are recorded by the Roman writers as the Cimmerians, Gauls, and Senones. The latter word is the Latin for Simeon...The Senones, together with their brethren the Gauls, defeated the Romans in the battle of Allia on July 18, 390 B.C., and set fire to Rome itself...who also adopted the name of Cymry, or Cumri, from which is derived Cumbers, Cumberland, and North Cumberland" (Tracing our Ancestors, pp.120-121, emphasis added).

Davidy sums up the scattering of Simeon all over the tribes of Israel,

"Simeon was found in Semuen, in the Semoni, Simeni, and Samnetes which names were all those of major groups amongst the Celts of Ireland, Wales, Britain, and Gaul. In addition, on the Continent prior to the Anglo-Saxon invasions, the Semnones (of Simeon) were a portion of the Suebi and belonged to the same group, says Tacitus, as the Angles. Yachin, son of Simeon, fathered the ICENI in Celtic Britain and the Eucae amongst the Saxons. Zerah son of Simeon had neighbored (as 'Zaratae') the Samnitae (of Simeon) in Scythia northeast of the Caspian. South of the Samnitae and Zaratae in Scythia were the Namastae descendants of Nemuel son of Simeon (Numbers 26;12 Nemuel is called Jemuel in Genesis 46;10). Other sons of Simeon were Jamin (the Yom-Vikings), Ohad (the Headobards-Lombards) and Shaul (the Silures of Wales). Judah had assimilated a good portion of Simeon and their descendants are to be found amongst the modern-day Jews" (The Tribes, p. 241, emphasis added).

Basically we find Simeon as Jacob prophesied among all the tribes of Israel in Europe and Judah. Having lands, and living in Israel as they did in the promised land. Making and supplying weapons and also being warriors in the armies of the different Celtic nations. The highest concentration of Simeonites are in Wales.

Symbol of Simeon

It's common knowledge that the Israelites had tribal standards. Each tribe had a symbol that represented each tribe. As David said, "Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth...Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house" (Psalm 60:4; Numbers 2:2). "The Tribe of Simeon was represented by a sword (in popular Jewish Art) presumably due to the "instruments of cruelty" (Genesis 49;5: Clei Hamas = "tools of violence")" (p. 217, The Tribes, Davidy).

As noted above, Simeon was always among the tribes of Israel, having lands, but not having their own nation. Their tribal standard would not be the the main standard but secondary to the leader tribe. Like the Spartans in Greece, Dan's standard was the main one that the Spartans used instead of their own.

When we examine the Heraldic standards of Europe and Britain, many times we see, the main tribes symbol with a sword!

Where Are They Now?

So where are the Simeonites today in our modern world? As noted above, the highest concentration of Simeonites are in Wales. Since the Simeonites were prominent in joining the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh to serve YEHOVAH God, this indicates that you will find them among Ephraim and Manasseh in the end time (2 Chronicles 15:9; 34:6) Many of course are with the Jews as well. In the United States there are approximately 1.9 Million people of Welsh ancestry, mainly concentrated in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Typically names of Welsh origin are concentrated in the mid Atlantic states, the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama and in Appalachia, West Virginia and Tennessee. Since the above scriptures show that Simeon had a zeal for YEHOVAH God, is it any wonder we find a high concentration of Welsh people in the so-called "Bible Belt." Also, the States that the Welsh Americans live in are also the States with the highest gun ownership as well (see Gun Owners as a Percentage of Each State's Population, Deborah White), just like Jacob prophesied.

In Canada almost 500,000 people come from Welsh ancestry, most of them concentrated in Alberta and Saskatchewan (2001, 2006 Census in Canada). Again high percentage of Gun ownership in these provinces. More conservative Christianity are in these provinces as well.

In the end time 12,000 will be called to join the Messiah in the 144,000 to rule over Israel on Mt. Zion with the Messiah. After the time of "Jacob's trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7), when all will be in captivity, the coming exodus, the Welsh will receive their land back (Isaiah 11). "But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions....And saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD'S" (Obadiah 1:17, 21).