Commentaria in Genesim
Prophecy and Blessing of Simeon and Levi
5. SIMEON AND LEVI BRETHREN—not only brothers by birth, but most alike and joined in crime, namely in ferocity, daring, guile, cruelty toward the Sichemites.
VESSELS OF INIQUITY—that is, instruments of iniquity, and of the unjust slaughter and massacre of the Sichemites. For the Hebrews call any instrument keli, that is, vessel. The Chaldee wrongly and falsely renders: Simeon and Levi, most valiant men, did a deed of strength in the land of their sojourning; as though Jacob praised them for fortitude, when he is accusing their fury and cruelty, as is plain from what follows.
and pulled down its walls.
From this place, therefore, it appears that Simeon and Levi with their followers, when they furiously attacked the city of Sichem, not only killed its citizens but also overthrew its walls.
So allegorically the Scribes and priests, sprung from Simeon and Levi, through Titus overthrew Jerusalem, because by killing Christ they gave the cause of its destruction, and as it were summoned Titus to it.
Others, like Procopius, understand by walls Hemor and Sichem, the princes of the city, who defended it like a wall by their power. Hence the Septuagint, reading for shur, that is, wall, shor, that is, bull, translate, they hamstrung a bull, namely they cut down and killed Sichem himself. Sichem is called a bull, both because like a bull he rushed upon women rushed, and because he was a powerful and strong prince; for such are called “bulls,” Psalm 67:31 (4). Lastly, the Jerusalem Targum translates: they sold Joseph, who was likened to an ox: which if true, then Simeon and Levi were the leaders in the selling of Joseph, so that Joseph rightly shut up Simeon alone in prison, chapter 42, verse 24.
7. CURSED BE THEIR FURY.—This curse was taken away from Levi and the Levites by the zeal both of Moses and Aaron and the other Levites against those adoring the golden calf; and of Phinees the Levite, who killed the Hebrew committing fornication with the Madianite woman, and overthrew Beelphegor, Numbers 25:5 and 6; and therefore the tribe of Levi received both the priesthood and a blessing from Moses, Deuteronomy 33:10. But in Simeon this curse remained, on account of the fornication and idolatry of Zambri, who was leader of the tribe of Simeon, whom Phinees killed, Numbers 25. Whence Simeon alone was not blessed by Moses, Deuteronomy 33: so Procopius.
I WILL DIVIDE THEM IN JACOB, AND SCATTER THEM IN ISRAEL—lest, namely, they again put their heads together and by their counsel plot ruin for others. This was fulfilled in Levi, because to the Levites no lot fell in Chanaan, but they were dispersed through all the tribes; in Simeon also, because there was given him a lot and seat in the midst of the tribe of Juda, Josue 19:2 and 9. Again, when the tribe of Simeon had increased, it sought new seats, and part went to Gador, part to the mountain. Finally, the Scribes and men learned in the law, sprung from Simeon, were scattered, and like the priests were dispersed through all the tribes, to instruct the people in the law, God turning this punishment to their praise and the good of the people. And in this part this prophecy is at once a blessing of Simeon and Levi; although even the former rebuke, as paternal, can and ought to be reckoned a blessing, as I shall say at verse 28.