The immense decrease of this tribe, no less than 37,100, renders it highly probable, that, influenced by the bad example of Zimri, the Simeonites had been peculiarly criminal in the late wickedness, and that multitudes of them had died of the plague. It is remarkable, that Moses, in "And this¹ [is] the blessing,ª wherewith¹ Mosesª the manª of Godª blessedª°¹ the childrenª of Israelª beforeª his death.ª ... Happyª [art] thou, O Israel:ª who¹ [is] like unto thee,¹ O peopleª savedª° by the LORD,ª the shieldª of thy help,ª and who¹ [is] the swordª of thy excellency!ª and thine enemiesª° shall be found liarsª° unto thee; and thou¹ shalt treadª° upon¹ their high places.ª" {Deu 33:1-29}, bestows no blessing upon this tribe. "Of the childrenª of Simeon,ª by their generations,ª after their families,ª by the houseª of their fathers,ª those that were numberedª° of them, according to the numberª of the names,ª by their polls,ª every¹ maleª from twentyª yearsª oldª¹ and upward,ª all¹ that were able to go forthª° to war;ª ... Those that were numberedª° of them, [even] of the tribeª of Simeon,ª [were] fiftyª and nineª thousandª and threeª hundred.ª" {Num 1:22-23} + "And those which pitchª° by¹ him [shall be] the tribeª of Simeon:ª and the captainª of the childrenª of Simeonª [shall be] Shelumielª the sonª of Zurishaddai.ª ... And his host,ª and those that were numberedª° of them, [were] fiftyª and nineª thousandª and threeª hundred.ª" {Num 2:12-13}