And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out.
Ver. 26. And they slew Hamor and Shechem.] This is commended in apocryphal Judith Jdt 9:2 for zeal; which the canonical Scripture condemneth for self-will; and Jacob, on his death bed, cursed it for cruelty, and blessed himself from their assembly. Gen 49:6-7 Quest. But why doth he not more sharply reprove it here? Ans. First, he considered God's just judgment on the Shechemites; who, without the knowledge and faith of God, had profaned the sacrament of circumcision. A sin that God suffers not to pass without a sensible check, 1Co 11:29-30 in his dearest children; how much less in strangers and enemies? The Donatists, that cast the holy elements of the Lord's Supper to dogs, were devoured of dogs. He that came without his wedding garment, was taken from the table to the tormerntor. Secondly, Jacob gave place, for present, to his sons' rage and fury. Discretion in the choice of seasons for reproving, is no less necessary than zeal and faithfulness in reproving. Good physicians use not to evacuate the body, in the extremities of heat and cold. Good mariners do not hoise up sail in every wind.