Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.
Ver. 16. Then will we give our daughters.] Whether Jacob were present at this whole conference, it is not certain. It is probable that he was not. For surely, he would either have dissuaded them from thus doing; or, if he had consented, he would have said something more to the Shechemites, for their better assurance. It is a maxim in Maehiavel; Fidem tamdiu servandam esse, quamdiu expediat. But Jacob had not known this depth of the devil: his sons better could skill of it. They seem to be somewhat akin to those Thracians, of whom it was anciently said, Eos foedera nescire; that they knew no covenants: or the Turks at this day, whose covenants, grounded upon the law of nations, be they with never so strong capitulations concluded, or solemnity of oath confirmed, have, with them, no longer force, than standeth with their own profit; serving, indeed, but as snares to entangle other princes in. a There is no faith, say they, to be kept with dogs; that is, with Christians. b And this, perhaps, they have learned of those pseudo-Christians, the Papists, who dealt so perfidiously with them at the great battle of Varna; where Amurath, the great Turk, seeing the great slaughter of his men, in spite of the oath given him by king Ladislaus, dispensed with by the Pope's legate, and beholding the picture of the crucifix in the displayed ensigns of the voluntary Christians, he plucked the writing out of his bosom, wherein the late league was comprised, and holding it up in his hand, with his eyes cast up to heaven, said, Behold, thou crucified Christ, this is the league thy Christians, in thy Name, made with me, which they have, without cause, violated: Now, if thou be a God, as they say thou art, and as we dream, revenge the wrong now done to thy Name, and me; and show thy power upon thy perjurious people, who, in their deeds, deny thee their God. c And it happened out accordingly: for God hates foul and faithless dealing. Zechariah 5:4 Rom 1:31 Periurii poena divina exitium; humana, dedecus. This was one of the laws of the twelve tables in Rome. d
a Turk. Hist.
b Ibid., 755.
c Ibid., 297.
d Heu miser, etsi quis primo periuria celat, Sera tamen tacitus poena venit pedibus - Tibull.