La Genèse 46:10 Midrash : Midrash Tanchuma, Bamidbar Rabbah & Bereshit Rabbah

"To these apportion the land" (Numbers 26:53). And who are they? The ones standing on the Plains of Moav. And was the land not apportioned to those that left Egypt? As it is written (Exodus 6:8), "and I will give it to you as a possession." [So] for what reason was it [actually] apportioned to [the ones standing on the Plains of Moav]? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that six families from [those that left Egypt] would be destroyed. And who are they? [Of] those written above (Genesis 46:10), "And the children of Shimon were Yemuel, Yamin, Ohad, Yakhin, Tsohar and Shaul," when you read "to Nemuel, the Nemeulite family" (Numbers 26:12-13), neither Ohad or Tsohar are there. Rather they were lost. And so [too,] with Binyamin: "Bela, Bekher, etc." (Genesis 26:21), behold there are ten. But when you come to count them [you read], "to Belaa, the Belaaite family [etc.] (Numbers 26:38-40), they are only seven. Behold [those missing] were lost. And so [too,] with the "children of Gad. Tsifion, Chagi, Shuni, Etsbon [etc.]" (Genesis 26:16); but when you count "to Tsafon, the Tsafonite family [etc.]" (26:15-17), Etsbon is not there. Behold six families got lost from the licentiousness of the counsel of Bilaam. And there is no licentiousness that does not accomplish its [end]. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "[Why should] I apportion the land to people who will be destroyed in the future?" And [so] He [rather] apportioned it [only] to the one that stood resilient. Hence it is stated, "To these apportion the land" (Numbers 26:53).

“To these the land shall be distributed [as an inheritance, according to the number of names]” (Numbers 26:53) – who were they? It was to the people standing at the plains of Moav. But was the land not divided to those who departed from Egypt, as it is written: “I will give it you as a heritage” (Exodus 6:8)? Why did He not divide it among them? It is because it was foreseen before the Holy One blessed be He that ultimately, families are destined to be eliminated from them. Who were they? Those who are written above: “The sons of Simeon: Yemuel, and Yamin, and Ohad, and Yakhin, and Tzoḥar, and Shaul son of the Canaanite woman” (Genesis 46:10) – they are six. When you read: “For Nemuel, the Nemuelite family, [for Yamin…Yakhin…Zeraḥ…Shaul]” (Numbers 26:12), one of them is missing. Likewise regarding Benjamin: “The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Bekher, [Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Eḥi, Rosh, Mupim, Ḥupim, and Ard” (Genesis 46:21) – they are ten. When you came to count them: “For Bela, the Balite family, [for Ashbel…Aḥiram…Shefufam…Ḥufam]” (Numbers 26:38–39) – five of the sons are missing. These are six families, because of the harlotry at the counsel of Bilam. There is never a case [of harlotry] where it does not have its effect.¹⁰A plague. That is why the Holy One blessed be He said: Why would I distribute the land to people who are destined to die? When they came to the plains of Moav and stood in their entirety, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “To these the land shall be distributed.”

“And took Dina” – Rabbi Yudan said: They were dragging her and departing. Rav Huna said: One who engages in relations with an uncircumcised man, it is difficult to pull away. Rav Huna said: She said: ‘But I, where will I carry my shame?’²⁴See II Samuel 13:13. until Simeon said to her that he would take her.²⁵Marry her. That is what is written: “[Simeon’s sons…]and Shaul, son of the Canaanite woman” (Genesis 46:10) – the son of Dina, who engaged in relations with a Canaanite. Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda said: That he [Shekhem] performed actions of the Canaanites.²⁶Harlotry. Rabbi Neḥemya said: That she engaged in relations with a Ḥivite, who are included in the Canaanites. The Rabbis say: Simeon took her and buried her in the land of Canaan.