John Calvin Commentary Genesis 34:7

"And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob`s daughter; which thing ought not to be done." — Genesis 34:7 (ASV)

And the sons of Jacob came out of the field. Moses begins to relate the tragic outcome of this history. Shechem, indeed, had acted wickedly and impiously; but it was far more atrocious and wicked that the sons of Jacob should murder a whole people to avenge themselves for the private fault of one man.

It was by no means fitting to seek a cruel compensation for the levity and rashness of one youth by the slaughter of so many men. Again, who had appointed them judges, that they should dare, with their own hands, to execute vengeance for an injury inflicted upon them? Perfidy was also added, because they proceeded, under the pretext of a covenant, to perpetrate this enormous crime.

In Jacob, moreover, we have an admirable example of patient endurance; who, though afflicted with so many evils, yet did not lose heart under them. But chiefly we must consider the mercy of God, by which it happened that the covenant of grace remained with Jacob’s posterity.

For what seemed less suitable than that a few men, in whom such furious rage and such implacable malice reigned, should be counted among the people and the sons of God, to the exclusion of the rest of the world? We certainly see that it was not through any power of their own that they had not altogether fallen away from the kingdom of God.

From this it appears that the favor God had granted them was gratuitous, and not founded upon their merits. We also require to be treated by Him with the same indulgence, since we would utterly fall away if God did not pardon our sins.

The sons of Jacob, indeed, have a just cause for offense. They are not only affected by their own private ignominy but are also tormented by the indignity of the crime, because their sister had been dragged out from the house of Jacob, as from a sanctuary, to be violated. For they chiefly argue that it would have been wickedness to allow such disgrace among the elect and holy people.

However, out of hatred for one sin, they themselves rush furiously forward to greater and more intolerable crimes. Therefore, we must beware that, after becoming severe judges in condemning the faults of others, we do not rush heedlessly into evil. Above all, we must abstain from violent remedies that exceed the evil we desire to correct.

Which thing ought not to be done. Interpreters commonly explain this passage as meaning, “It is not fitting that such a thing should be done.” However, in my judgment, it applies more properly to the sons of Jacob, who had determined among themselves that the injury was not to be tolerated. Yet they wrongfully claim for themselves the right to take revenge. Why do they not rather reflect in this way: “God, who has received us under His care and protection, will not allow this injury to go unavenged. In the meantime, it is our role to be silent, and to leave the act of punishing, which is not placed in our hands, entirely to His sovereign will”? From this we may learn, when we are angry at the sins of other men, not to attempt anything that is beyond our own duty.