John Calvin on Genesis 34:30-31

30. And Jacob said. Moses declares that the crime was condemned by the holy man, lest any one should think that he had participated in their counsel. He also expostulates with his sons, because they had caused him to stink among the inhabitants of the land; that is, they had rendered him so odious, that no one would be able to bear him. If then the neighboring nations should conspire among themselves, he would be unable to resist them, seeing he had so small a band, in comparison with their great number. He also expressly names the Canaanites and Perizzites, who, though they had received no wrong, were yet by nature exceedingly prone to inflict injury. But Jacob may seem to act preposterously, in overlooking the offense committed against God, and in considering only his own danger. Why is he not rather angry at their cruelty? why is he not offended at their perfidy? why does he not reprove their rapaciousness? It is however probable, that when he saw them terror — stricken at their recent crime, he suited miswords to their state of mind. For he acts as if he were complaining that he, rather than the Shechemites, was slain by them. We know that men are seldom if ever drawn to repentance, except by the fear of punishment: especially when they have any specious pretext as a covering for their fault. Besides, we know not whether Moses may not have selected this as a part out of a long expostulation, to cause his readers to understand that the fury of Simon and Levi was so outrageous, that they were more insensible than brute beasts to their own destruction and that of their whole family. This is clear from their own answer, which not only breathes a barbarous ferocity, but shows that they had no feeling. It was barbarous, first, because they excuse themselves for having destroyed a whole people and plundered their city, on account of the injury done by one man; secondly, because they answer their father so shortly and contumaciously; thirdly, because they obstinately defend the revenge which they had rashly taken. Moreover, their insensibility was prodigious, because they were not affected by the thought of their own death, and that of their parents, wives, and children, which seemed just at hand. Thus we are taught, how intemperate anger deprives men of their senses. We are also admonished, that it is not enough for us to be able to lay blame on our opponents; but we must always see how far it is lawful for us to proceed.

CHAPTER 35

Genesis 35:1-29

1. And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

1. Dixit autem Deus ad Iabacob, Surge, ascende in Beth-el, et mane ibi: et fac ibi altare Deo, qui visus est tibi, dum fugeres a facie Esau fratris tui

2. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

2. Et dixit Iahacob familiae suae, et omnibus qui erant secum, Removete deos alienos, qui sunt in medio vestri, et mundate vos, vestimentaque vestra mundate

3. And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

3. Et surgamus, et ascendamus in Beth-el, et faciam illic altare Deo, qui exaudivit me in die angustiae meae, et fuit mecum in via, qua ambulavi.

4. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

4. Dederunt ergo ipsi Iahacob omnes deos alienos, qui erant in manu sua, et inaures quae erant in auribus suis, et abscondit eos Iahacob subter quercum, quae erat apud Sechem.

5. And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob

5. Tune profecti sunt, et fuit terror Dei super urbes, quae erant in circuitibus eorum, et non persequuti sunt filios Iahacob

6. So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him.

6. Et venit Iahacob in Luz, quae est in terra Chenaan, haec est Bethel, ipse et omnis populus qui erat cum eo.

7. And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

7. Et aedificavit ibi altare, et vocavit locum El Beth-el: quia apparuerant ei Angeli, dum fugeret a facie fratris sui.

8. But Deborah Rebecca’s nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth.

8. Mortua est autem Deborah nutrix Ribcah, et sepulta est subter Beth-el sub quercu: et vocavit nomen ejus Allon Bachuth.

9. And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.

9. Porro visus fuerat Deus ipsi Iahacob adhue, dum veniret de Padan Aram, et benedixerat ei.

10. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

10. Atque dixerat ei ipse Deus, Nomen tuum est Iahacob: non vocabitur nomen tuum ultra Iahacob, sed Israel erit nomen tuum, et vocavit nomen ejus Israel.

11. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

11. Et dixit ei Deus, Ego sum Deus omnipotens, cresce, et multiplicare: gens, et coetus Gentium erit ex to, et reges e lumbis tuis egredientur.

12. And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.

12. Et terram, quam dedi Abraham et Isaac, tibi dabo, et semini tuo post to dabo terram istam.

13. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.

13. Et ascendit ab eo Deus e loco, in quo loquutus est cum eo.

14. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.

14. Tunc statuit Iahacob statuam in loco, in quo loquutus est cum eo, statuam lapindeam: et libavit super illam libamen, et effudit super illam oleum.

15. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel.

15. Et vocavit Iahacob nomen loci, in quo loquutus est cum ipso Deus, Beth-el.

16. And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.

16. Profecti vero sunt de Beth-el: erat autem adhuc ferme milliare terrae ad veniendum in Ephrath, et peperit Rachel, et difficultatem passa est, dum pareret.

17. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

17. Guit autem, ea difficultatem patiente dum pareret, dixit ei obstetrix, Ne timeas, wuia etiam iste tibi filius.

18. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.

18. Et fuit, egrediente anima ejus dum moreretur, vocavit nomen ejus Benoni: at pater ejus vocavit eum Benjamin.

19. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.

19. Mortua est itaque Rachel, et sepulta est in via Ephrath, haec est Bethlehem.

20. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day.

20. Et statuit Iahacob titulum super sepulcrum ejus: hic est titulus sepulcri Rachel usque ad diem hanc.

21. And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.

21. Et profectus est Israel, et tetendit tabernaculum suum trans turrim Eder.

22. And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

22. Et fuit quum habitaret Israel in terra ipsa, profectus est Reuben, et concubuit cum Bilhah concubina patris sui: et audivit Israel. Fuerunt autem filii Iahacob duodecim.

23. The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:

23. Filii Leah, primogenitus Iahacob, Reuben, et Simhon, et Levi, et Iehudah, et Issachar, et Zebulun.

24. The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:

24. Filii Rachel, Ioseph et Benjamin.

25. And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:

25. Et filii Bilhah ancillae Rachel, Dan et Nephthali.

26. And the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram.

26. Et filii Zilpah ancillae Leah, Gad et Aser. Isti sunt filii Iahacob, qui nati sunt in Padan Aram.

27. And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.

27. Et venit Iahacob ad Ishac patrem suum in Mamre civitatem Arbah: haec est Hebron, in qua habitavit Abraham et Ishac.

28. And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.

28. Et fuerunt dies Ishac, centum anni et octoginta anni.

29. And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

29. Et obiit Ishac, et mortuus est, et collectus est ad populos suos, senex et satur dierum: et sepelierunt eum Esau et Iahacob filii ejus.