Cursed— The excessive anger and resentment here mentioned may be justly said to have produced cursed effects, and, in consequence, the curse which immediately follows. Job pours this execration not upon their persons, far less upon their posterity, but upon their boisterous passion; as much as to say, let the implacable desire of revenge, which they cherished in so settled and inflexible a manner, and the cruel and bloody issue of that revenge, for ever appear execrable in the eyes of all the world.
I will divide them in Jacob— Jacob, full of the Holy Spirit, speaks here as an oracle of GOD, attributing to himself what belonged to the Supreme Disposer of all things, and what did not come to pass till some generations after. By Jacob and Israel, he here means the land of Canaan and the other countries which were to be divided among his sons. In this division the Simeonites had only some towns and villages given them in the worst part of Judah's lot, Joshua 19:1; Joshua 19:51. which not finding large enough for them, they removed at different times, and formed colonies in different parts, which they conquered from the Idumeans and Amalekites. See 1 Chronicles 4:39; 1 Chronicles 4:43. The Levites had their forty-eight cities dispersed among the twelve tribes in proportion to their extent, Joshua 21. These two tribes, therefore, were not only separated from one another, but each from itself, in a great measure, according to Jacob's prediction. Bishop Newton observes from Fagius, that it hath been a constant tradition among the Jews, (which is also confirmed by the Jerusalem Targum,) that the tribe of Simeon were so straitened in their situation and circumstances, that great numbers were necessitated to seek a subsistence among the other tribes, by teaching and instructing their children. As maledictions of this kind are only temporary and conditional, this was, in future time, taken off the tribe of Levi for their zeal against idolaters, their dispersion being turned into a blessing.
We subjoin a paraphrase of these verses: "Simeon or Levi might have succeeded to the right of primogeniture, of which their brother's incest has justly deprived him, had they not proved such instruments of treacherous cruelty. May my soul be for ever preserved from such bloody counsels, and my honour unstained by such horrid guilt! for the fierceness of their anger hurried them to commit murder, and the impetuousness of their fury made them break through all obstacles which opposed them. Cursed be their anger, for it was violent, and their revenge, for it was cruel. This savage and inhuman society, which they contracted for such vile purposes, obliges me to divide their tribes, and, by the spirit of prophecy, to foretel that they shall be disunited, and scattered in Israel."
REFLECTIONS.—Simeon and Levi have still a severer judgment pronounced on them than Reuben. They were men of a bloody disposition, utterly unlike their peaceable father; and the murder of the Shechemites, though a prosperous wickedness, meets now its recompence: since they will not be restrained by their father's advice, they shall lie under his curse. With abhorrence of their deeds, he professes his innocence, and brands their cruel wrath with deepest detestation: though preserved by Providence from being scattered by the enraged Canaanites, yet God will visit them, and scatter them among the tribes. Note; (1.) The best fathers frequently cannot restrain their children from vile deeds. (2.) The greater dissimilarity of children from their parents is often observable; the meekest man has often a most passionate child. (3.) Though wickedness seems to succeed for a time, we may be assured the curse is coming. (4.) We must disdain all fellowship with wicked men and their deeds.