Genesis 34

Genesis 34:1

DInah—which she bare unto Jacob] The most faithfull and holy family may have some fearefull examples of sinfull mishaps; Davids had many; which may serve for a caveat against too much confidence in the piety of parents for education of children, and for restraint of rash censures against the religious in regard of the faults, or miscariages of their children.

went out to see] Dinah was now about fourteene or fifteene yeares of age, and went upon some festivall day, when the women met, to see them, and observe their persons, their habits, and behaviour: but though she went but to see her owne sexe she was seene by the other, and being seene, was desired, and desired was lustfully abused by Shechem, the sonne of Hamor Prince of the Countrey. This example sheweth that too much libertie is not to be given unto youth, especially to the weaker sexe, who may be strong enough to provoke to temptation, and too weake to resist it, when it returnes upon themselves with solicitations to lust; it is best for such to be ordered by the Apostles rule, which is, that they be keepers at home, Titus 2:5.

Genesis 34:2

saw her, he tooke her] Concupiscence is begotten by a wanton eye on a beautifull object, and being begotten it presently groweth strong and maketh hast to the act; if beauty be not covered with a vaile, the eye must be confined with the Covenant of Job, Chap. 31. vers. 1. Dinah was the daughter of Leah, and Leah the first wife of Jacob by intrusion into Rachels right; if she thought upon the wrong both to Jacob and her sister, she might have occasion to conceive that Dinah her daughter did now by this miscarriage bring her sinne to her remembrance; and so her heart, if it were as tender as her eyes, might multiply teares for her owne transgression in that she was a wife too soone, as well as for her daughters, who was not soon enough, being made a bedfellow to him whom she had not time to call her husband.

Genesis 34:3

And his soule clave] Lust, though it be a sinne of the flesh, makes the whole man carnall, both soule and body; and the soule rather then the body, for when the body is parted from uncleane society, the soule cleaveth still to the object of concupiscence, and sinneth with it when the body comes not neere it.

Genesis 34:4

to his father—saying] He asketh his fathers consent, and withall requireth him to be a meanes to make a marriage with Dinah. This proveth that the consent of parents is requisite in marriage, seeing the very Infidels did observe it.

damosell to wife] He had unlawfully lien with her before, and now he would have her to be his wife; thus are the wicked preposterous in their course; so many become mothers with shame who might first have beene wives with credit; and many first make vowes, and after the vow enquire whether it be lawfull or no, Proverbs 20:25. Yet in this the example of Shechem condemnes the practice of many, who are so loose in their desires, that they make no account of the bond of marriage, if they may have carrnall bedfellowes they care not for wives, contrary to Dut. 22. 28, 29.

Genesis 34:5

hld his peace] His wisdome kept silence though his griefe were great; for it could not be otherwise since Dinah was his onely daughter, and now as much lamented as an harlot, as before beloved as a virgin, yet he holds his peace; the sorrow is many times the greatest at the heart which is least in the mouth or eyes. See Job 2:13.

Genesis 34:6

to commune] For pacification of Jacob for the offence of his owne sonne, and for perswasion to a marriage with Jacobs daughter.

Genesis 34:7

folly] Sinne and folly in the Scripture phrase are names of the same naughtinesse; the sacriledge of Achan, Joshua 7:15. and the rape on the Levites Concubine, Judg. 20. 6. are called folly; and the most subtle act, if it be sinfull, deserves no better a title, for in all sinne there is an aversion, or turning from God, who is the soveraigne good, and the hazarding of the best thing within, viz. our soules, and the best without, the Kingdome of heaven, for it; so that the greatest politicians, if wicked withall, shall have cause to passe the censure of the Apostle upon themselves, that professing themselves wise they became fooles, Romans 1:22.

in Israel] In the precedent Chapter, vers. 20. and not many yeares before this, the name of Israel was a personall name of Jacob; now i is more generall, extending to the whole family descended from him: or these words may be the words, not of Jacobs sonnes, but of Moses who writeth this story according to the phrase or forme of speech in his time agreeable to the law, which saith, There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, Deuteronomy 23:17.

Genesis 34:11

find grace] Chap. 33. 15.

Genesis 34:12

I will give] Though the lust of Shechem to Dinah was lewd, yet his love to her (for now treating of a marriage his affection deserveth a better name then before) was in this respect commendable, that he set an high price upon her person after her prostitution, which was his fault if not onely, yet in a degree of excesse above hers; and because he had rob’d her of that which he could neither give nor restore, he would now put a great mulct upon himselfe, that he might buy him a right in her for the future whom by his former abuse he unjustly as well as unchastly possessed. Compare this dealing with that of Amnon towards Thamar, 2 Sam. 13. and Shechem will seeme an honest man. Upon this offer of his some observe that it was the manner of the Easterne Countreys for men to buy their wives, as now it is the manner with us for fathers to buy husbands for their daughters, by giving both them and money or some other dowry with them in marriage; and in some Countreys (as Herodotus reporteth) the manner was to bring all marriageable maides into a publique view, and such as were beautifull were bought by those that would give most for them, and the money paid for them was given in marriage with those that were not so amiable as to be desired meerly for their owne sakes; so they made provision for a numerous increase, that none might be barren by perpetuall virginitie, whether by voluntary resolution, or upon necessitie. Now whereas this example of Shechem is made the ground of the observation of the custome of the East fore-mentioned, to which some adde the Law, Exod. 22. 16, 17. Deut. 22. 28, 29. they do none of them reach to a generall practice of that kind: And it is to be noted that in all these cases the money comes in as a satisfaction for wrong done, not as a bargaine upon free and equall proceeding.

Genesis 34:13

the sonnes of Jacob] Simeon and Levi, who were brethren to Dinah by their mother Leab; Jacob it seemes having no mind to heare of the matter, because he was extremely grieved with what was done, and unwilling to treat of a marriage where he meant it not, (for the holy seed of his family might not mingle with the cursed Canaanites, Deut. 7. 3, 4.) suffered his sonnes to make answer to the motion of Shechem and Hamor.

deceitfully] Plainnesse and sinceritie was the praise of their father, Genesis 25:27. and deceitfull dealing is the reproch of the sonnes, though toward Idolaters, and Infidels; They then that teach and practise false dealing with Christians, holding that faith given to heretiques is not to be kept, may be Simeonites and Levites, brethren in evill, but not true Israelites as Jacob was.

Genesis 34:14

uncircumcised] They made the holy Ordinance of God a meane to compasse their wicked purpose: It is ill to deceive though in meere civill matters, but much worse to doe it under pretence of Religion, for that is to joyne impiety against God, with injurie to man; See Absoloms hypocrisie, 2 Sam. 15. 7, 8.

that were a reproach] Isaac and Jacob both tooke wives out of uncircumcised families, yet without reproach, but it was worse to give a daughter to an uncircumcised husband, for Circumcision was not an Epicene, or common, but onely a masculine sacrament, ordained for men onely, not for women; yet it was unlawfull for an Israelite, whether male or female, to match with a Canaanite; nor was Circumcision to be obtruded upon them, being unbeleevers, since it was a seale of the righteousnesse of faith, Romans 4:11.

Genesis 34:17

our daughter] If they had treated in their owne names they should have said, our sister, but it is like they used the name of their father.

Genesis 34:20

gate of their citie] For the people used to assemble there, and there was justice also ministred, Pro. 31. 5: 23.

Genesis 34:21

these men are peaceable] Thus many pretend to speake for the publique good, when they onely mind for their owne private gaine, and commoditie.

Genesis 34:23

shall not their cattell] To the wicked gaine is godlinesse, as to the good godlinesse is gaine, 1 Timothy 4:8. Many choose their Religion with meere worldly respects of profit and advantage, and these are they whose covetousnesse is Idolatry, and who are as easily changed from one Religion to another in time of persecution, as money their Idol being melted will take any stampe that is set upon it: Yet he might meane it not as a spoile from them, but in regard of gainfull commerce with them.

Genesis 34:25

the third day] Wounds received are most painefull to the wounded the third day.

sore] Circumcision put the circumcised to much paine, and for a time disabled them though at full age from bodily motion, or action. See Joshua 5:8. Yet was it exercised by Gods appointment upon little children; an argument of a Divine power, and authoritie going along with that Ordinance, else it would have beene thought by the wiser sort not a reproach to be without it, as the sonnes of Jacob said, vers. 14. but rather a reproach to receive it as a Sacrament; and being a great paine, not without some perill, especially to tender Infants, neither fathers, nor mothers, nor nurses, nor mid-wives, nor any that had power to refuse or resist, it, would have given way unto it; if Gods stampe had not beene upon it, though but meane metall in it selfe, to make it to passe for current Coine among men. Our entrance into Covenant with God by Baptisme by the sprinkling of water, not by the shedding of bloud, (as in the Sacrament of Circumcision) is an evidence of the Divine Indulgence to Christian Churches, and may be an inducement to a more generall Covenant with God, and a stronger obligation for lightsomenesse, and cheerfulnesse in his service under the Gospel then that of the Jewes living under the Law.

two of the sonnes of Jacob] Viz. Simeon and Levi; these are mentioned as they that were most offended for the wrong done unto their sister both by the fathers and the mothers side, but their other brethren mentioned without distinction, vers. 7. 13. may well be thought to have had their parts in this bloody plot, yea and it is likely Jacobs servants also, and that in their Masters name, as is observed on vers. 17.

all the males] Because the wrong their sister suffered came from the male kind; and though in respect of man it was not just to slay the innocent with the wicked in this case, yet all being guilty of sinne and of death before God, he might justly permit this rage to the ruine of that people; and many times he takes occasion upon the excesses or sinnes of Princes to punish their subjects with them, and for their sakes, as well as for their owne. See 2 Chronicles 32:25. 2 Samuel 24. See Annot. on Chap. 20. 5: 7.

Genesis 34:27

The sonnes of Jacob] In the twenty fifth verse the sonnes of Jacob are set downe by their number, two, and by their names, Simeon and Levi; here the sonnes of Jacob without distinction of names, o limitation of number are mentioned: and indeed Dinah had foure more brethren, besides these two, both by the fathers and mothers side, who might be zealous to revenge the wrong as well as Simeon and Levi, though these two in degree of rage and resolution might be leaders to the rest: and because the execution of the slaughter seemes too much for two, it may be probable that others besides those that were named, vers. 25. were drawne into the same bloody combination; and it may be they are here named the sonnes of Jacob for aggravation of their guilt, in that having so good a father as Jacob, they were authours and actors of so great a crime, which that good man so much detested, veas. 30. of this Chapter, and Chap. 49. 5, 6, 7. As then as a good sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of a wicked father, Ezek. 18. so a good father should not beare the infamie of a wicked sonne, or sonnes.

came upon the slain] Either to take from them their apparel and other appurtenances worth the taking away, and to spoile them generally of their goods; or to execute the remainder of their rage, which would not be satisfied with death onely; such was that of the enemies of Cicero, (towards his dead body) when then cut off his head and hands, set them upon the pulpit of Orations, and Fulvia not content with the crueltie of men took his head into her lappe, spit on his face, and pricked his tongue with pinnes, as in revenge upon the tongue that had uttered and the hand that had written those eloquent and vehement Invctives called Philippicks against Antonius. See Plut. life of Cicero, pag. 881, 882. & Stat. in Flor. 50: 4. cap. 5. The like barbarous inhumanity is recorded of the Antichristian, as well as of the heathen Romanes, as that which was practised upon the body of Pope Formosus by Pope Stephen his successour, who tooke him out of his grave, arraied him in his pontificall habit, cut off three of his fingers, and cast him into the River Tyber. Luit-Prand. hist. lib. 1. cap. 8. And upon the dead body of Zuinglius, Sleydan Com. lib. 8. fol. 123.

Genesis 34:29

in the house] That is, in every house; in this fact of Simeon, and Levi with their partakers, though as from God the Shechemites were justly punished partly for actuall guilt, partly for approbation of the sinne of Shechem, and their profanation of Gods Sacrament to serve their owne turnes, and for a purpose to spoile Gods people of all their goods, vers. 23. and albeit the wrathfull vengeance of Simeon and Levi argued either a great deale of zeale against the sinne, or a great deale of pride against the shame of their sisters rape, yet it was a wicked conspiracie, and execution, as being done without the knowledge or consent of their father, and so beyond the measure of regular justice, both in the number of persons (for all were not in the fault that were in the punishment) and in degree of severitie, being both murder, and rapine, and that at such a time as the Shechemites should rather have beene pitied, and all this brought in with treachery against man, and impietie against God in the abuse of the Sacrament; whereby the Booke of Judith is convicted of grosse errour, and so justly excluded out of the Canon of the Scripture, which approveth the slaughter of the Shechemites by Simeon and Levi, as done by the sword given them by God, and out of a divine zeale, vers. 2. 4. which their father accurseth as proceeding of a wicked, and cruell wrath, Genesis 49:7.

Genesis 34:30

And Jacob said] By this reproofe of Simeon and Levi, Jacob witnesseth his great dislike of their wickednesse; But he seemeth to take the matter upon himselfe, when he assigneth that which was gotten from the Shechemites to the power of his sword and bow for obtainment, and bequeatheth it for enjoyment unto Joseph, Genesis 49:22. Which words of Jacob are taken by some Interpreters as a Prophesie fulfilled in the expulsion of the Canaanites by his posteritie, whose bow he calls his bow, because they were then in his loynes, and speaks of the conquest as already made, because of the undoubted assurance of it upon Gods promise; but most take the words in an historicall sense, and so some referre them to this exploit of his sonnes Simeon and Levi against the Shechemites, wherein he approves of the fact, but so farre onely as it was the execution of Gods Justice for the injury to his daughter, and as God confirmed that title of what was taken from them by casting an awe upon the neighbouring Canaanites, that they durst not offer either revenge, or rescue of the prey out of his possession; this was Gods Sword and Bow, and he may be said to all it his because of the late great league betwixt God and him, whereof, see Genesis 32:28. & Genesis 33:20. but it is rather meant of that parcell of ground which Jacob bought of Hamor, Shechems father, who (Genesis 48:22.) might be called an Amorite, though he were an Hivite, either because he might be an Amorite by parentage, an Hivite by possession, or dwelling place; or the Amorites mingled with the Hivites, and being of more note then they might give the denomination for them both; and, (which is more then that) the Amorites were so famous among the Canaanites, as to give a name to all the people of the Land of Canaan, Genesis 15:16. This Land being Jacobs by particular purchase he bequeathed it with especiall favour as a Legacie to Joseph as a portion above his brethren, as he saith, Chap. 48. vers. 22. Object. But he bought this with his money or lambes, Chap. 33. vers. 19. How then did he take it with his sword and his bow?

Answ. It is not unusuall in Metaphoricall phrase to call that by the name of a sword, and a bow, which in effect and use is answerable to them now, Money is (as Solomon saith) answerable to all things, Ecclesiastes 10:19. it is a defence, Ecclesiastes 7:12. and can do as much as the sword, and the bow, thence was the saying of a publique Warrier, that no City was so strongly walled, but an Asse, laden with gold, might make a breach into it; so may gold be called Artillerie, and great Ordnance, and silver may be called an hooke to take fish, and he that buyes it may be said (according to the proverbe) To catch it with a silver hooke; in like manner Jacobs silver wherewith he bought the ground, may be said to be taken with the sword, and bow; and he may use this phrase in this sense, with particular opposition to the bloody sword, and bow of his sonne Simeon and Levi: Or that which Jacob thus purchased might be violently invaded by the Amorite when he departed thence towards Hebron, and might by force of Armes of Jacob his sonnes and servants be recovered againe, as some conceive not without probabilitie; for though nothing of faith or life necessary to salvation be left out of the Scriptures, yet many particular actions, and occurrences are omitted in the History of both Testaments; and in this particular story of the slaughter and spoile of the Shechemites, though it be not set downe what became of the captives of women and children which were brought away by Simeon, and Levi, vers. 29. it is not unlike that many of them were by Jacob sent back to the Citie, (for he had not roome for them at home) with a proportion of the spoyle for their necessary maintenance, keeping what he thought sit to serve for a recompence of the wrong to his deflowred daughter.

ye have troubled me] A wicked man is a troublesome mn, troublesome not onely to others, as Achan, Joshua 7:25. Ahab,1 Kings 18:18. but to himselfe, and therefore he is compared to the troubled Sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt, Isaiah 57:20.

made me] Though with God the soule of the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father, nor the father the iniquitie of the sonne, Ezekiel 18:20. with men it is usually otherwise; for the miscarriage of the children is many times imputed to the reproach of the parents, though they deserve it no more then Jacob did here; the more must their care be by good example, and education, and by constant prayer to God, for his blessing upon it, to doe their best to make them unblameable in their wayes, and free from all scandall in their lives, and conversation; this would be a comfort and credit to both sides; and the contrary a double discomfort and disgrace, to parents, and children.

stinke] (Exodus 5:21. 1 Chronicles 19:6.) Crueltie and treacherie are odious, and abominable sinnes, both in the sight of God and men, good, and bad; in the sight of the good, by whomsoever they be committed; and in the sight of the bad, if committed by any, but by themselves: for this the Popish Religion is infamous, and the infamie of it should make us keepe aloofe from the ill sent of that abomination.

I being few] That is, I and my family consisting of a small number; The dwelling of a few faithfull among many Infidels is very dangerous; such is the condition of the Protestants with the Papists who are many for one in the Kingdome of Ireland, who now have shewed themselves as treacherous, and cruell as Simeon and Levi; who not under the check of a good father Jacob, but spurred on rather by the spirit of Esau, a man of the sword, Genesis 27:40. shew no moderation, or mercy in persecution, and pursuit of those, over whom the confidence in their overmatching number makes them insult, and with more intolerable Tyrannie to oppresse them; which will no doubt be a warning to our brethren, if they recover peace in that land, to be more curious in their course of life, that they may rather sweeten their reputation with pious, modest, temperate, chast, kind, and humble behaviour, then by any contrary excesses give any just cause of scandall to make them as it were to stinke and be abominable to those that live among or about them; It may be an admonition to England to use all good meanes to lessen the number of our English Papists, I meane not by putting them to the sword, for that is their way of advancing their Religion, but by driving out of Priests and Jesuits who seduce them; and by removall of the great scandals of lewd and unlearned Ministers, by setting up godly, able, and painfull Preachers, with especiall choice of them for their gifts and parts, for those places where Papists doe most abound; by taking the children of Papists, especially their heires, from the corrupt education of their owne parents, and placing them where they may be trained up in the truth of doctrine, and holynesse of life, and by other waies and meanes which the wisdome of the State conceiveth to be most meet to worke this effect.

Genesis 34:31

as with an harlot] The answering their father by such a question gives an echo or relish of their wrath against the Shechemites, and sheweth that they did not think themselves too rash, but mild towards them, as if they had beene more charie of their sisters chastitie, then her father; or had disliked the lewdnesse of Shechem more then he. Extremitie of passion takes notice of no meane betwixt carelesse connivence at sinne, and cruell violence against the sinner; this sheweth that yet their hearts were bloudy, though their hands were washed; and so in this passionate demand they bewray further wickednesse, to wit, impnitence for their bloudy fact, impatience at the just rebuke of their good minded, and much grieved father.