Cursed be their anger] He curseth not their persons, but their wrath; we must pray rather against the wickednesse of the persons, then against the persons of the wicked, as David prayed not against the person of Ahitophel, (as that he might come to nought and hang himselfe as he did) but that God would turne his counsell into foolishnesse, 2 Samuel 15:31. Yet sometimes he curseth wicked persons, Psal. 109. from the 17. to the 20. and else-where, whereof we may say, that his cursing might be either a prediction, not an imprecation; or if so, yet conditionall, (upon supposall of their perseverance in sin, or unlesse they repented) not absolute; or if absolute, Davids judgement, and zeale being guided by Gods Spirit, (as Jacobs now was) that might be lawfull to them, which to persons not so qualified would be unlawfull: much lesse is it lawfull to do as Simeon and Levi did, for that of Solomon is a good rule in the generall, Say no, I will recompence evill, but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee, Proverbs 20:22. And if Jacob by this meant any evill to the persons or posterity of these two sons, it was but a temporall evill, and that not without the condition of impenitence. I will divide them in Jacob] By Jacob and Israel here must be meant not the person, but the posterity of Jacob, or Israel; and whereas he saith, I will divide them, he meaneth, God, by whose Spirit he spake, would divide them, or that he would divide them by his prediction, or prophesie, as it were, passing his word they should be divided; as Ezekiel is said to come to destroy the City, Ezekiel 43:3. where the meaning is, (as in the marginall variation on that place it is rendered) [when I came to prophesie, that the City should be destroyed] Now Simeon and Levi, they were not only divided from each other, (for so it was with the other Tribes) but their separation was different from the rest; First, for the Tribe of Levi it is cleare, and certain, that it had no distinct portion of the Land of Canaan, but only certain Cities allotted, dispersedly placed among the other Tribes, which were to the number of forty eight, Joshua 21:41. but the Levites themselves had none inheritance, Joshua 13:14. but tithes and oblations, which was an occasion of dispersing them abroad, when they went about to gather them. But after their zealous execution of the command of God (by Moses) upon the principall offenders in the Idolatry of the golden Calfe, Exodus 32:26. &c. this dispersing of theirs was converted to a blessing, for they were consecrated to teach Jacob Gods Judgements, and Israel his Law, Deuteronomy 33:10. So the people had the benefit of their instruction. and they the honour and acceptation due to that office. And for the Tribe of Simeon, as it was lesse honourable then the rest, and had in the more contempt for the wicked act of Zimri the son of Salu, a Prince of a chiefe house among the Simeonites, Numb. 25. vers. 6. 14. (for which cause it is conceived Moses would not vouchsafe to blesse it with the other Tribes, Deuteronomy 33.) so it was divided; for first, it was not provided for by a distinct portion, but was as it were an Inmate to the Tribe of Judah; and that, not so much for Simeons sake, as because Judah had too much, ou of the portion of the children of Judah, was the inheritance of the children of Simeon, Joshua 19:9. So that the Tribe of Simeon was under Judah, till God gave them the place of the Amalekites, 1 Chronicles 4:43. Thus they were divided, part living there, & part in the Tribe of Judah, as hath been said. This curse of their division is denounced as a meet punishment for their cursed union. It so falls out many times by the distribution of divine Justice, turning many wicked conspiracies into mutuall hostilities. And w see by experience, none are more bitter against each other, then those whose society hath been too sweet, and communion too neere, that hate being mutuall, and reciprocall; which was but on one side in the businesse of Amnon, and Thamar, 2 Samuel 13. In setting down this curse so fully, we may observe the sincerity of the sacred Writer, who (though he were descended of the stock of Levi) committeth to perpetuall record the crime, and curse of his progenitor: if his pen had been guided by any motion of flesh and blood, he would not have blazed his sinne, and shame in this sort; but this is the manner of those who are guided by Gods Spirit, to dishonour themselves to honour God; So doth Moses againe, Exod. Chap. 4. and so did David, 2 Samuel 6:21-22. Jonab, Chap. last, Paul and Barnabas, Acts 14. verse 14, 15.