The boldness of Simeon and Levi in slaughtering the Shechemites

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Eustathius is contrasting Joseph's self-control with the murderous boldness of his brothers Simeon and Levi, who slaughtered the Shechemites.

They were such bold and reckless men that, like hunters on a scent, they slaughtered the Shechemites all alone, tribe by tribe (Genesis 34:25).

Greek

ἰχνευτικῶς, οὕτω δὲ τολμηροὶ καὶ προπετεῖς ἦσαν ἄνδρες ὥστε μόνοι τοὺς Σικιμίτας ἀπέσφαζον ἐθνηδόν.

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About this text

On Joseph attributed to Eustathius of Antioch.

This homily was written by Eustathius of Antioch (fl. c. 320–337). It is a moral exhortation on the story of Joseph, focusing on his self-control in the house of his master.

The occasion is a homiletic treatment of the Joseph story. Eustathius praises Joseph for preserving his self-control when the master's woman desired him for his beauty, and he contrasts Joseph's virtue with the violence of Simeon and Levi.

A reader will meet Joseph, his master described as a eunuch, the master's woman, and Joseph's brothers Reuben, Judah, Simeon, and Levi. Eustathius argues that Joseph, though sold to a eunuch and living before the written law, kept a pure conscience and defended a natural law of self-control. He cites the commandment 'You shall not commit adultery' as an unwritten law. The surviving fragments suggest a moral exhortation on self-control and the superiority of Joseph's conduct over his brothers' murder of the Shechemites. The biblical references are to Genesis.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 18 (Greek)

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