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Gen_34:5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come.
Ver. 5. And Jacob heard.] To his very great grief and regret: for she was his only daughter; a damsel of not more than fifteen years of age. The Hebrews say she was afterwards given to Job in marriage; but that is not likely; for she is reckoned anong those that went down to Egypt. {Gen_46:15}
And Jacob held his peace.] He felt God’s hand upon his back; he therefore lays his own hand upon his mouth. And herein he did better in "ruling his own spirit," than his sons did, that "took the city." {Pro_16:32} "He sitteth alone, and is silent," {Lam_3:28} saith the prophet of the afflicted person. So was Aaron; {Lev_10:3} so was David; {Psa_39:9} so was the Lord Christ, as a sheep dumb before the shearer. The Romans placed the image of their goddess Angeronia upon the altar of Volupia, with her mouth shut, and sealed up; to signify, saith Macrobius, {a} that they that bridle their grief, and say nothing, shall, by their patience, soon attain to greatest pleasure. Patience in the soul, as the town clerk at Ephesus, {Act_19:35-36} sends away mutinous thoughts, as he did the many headed multitude; it quiets the boiling spirit, as Christ becalmed the raging sea, with ‘"Peace," and "Be still"; it makes a David dumb - a dumb show, but a very good one; it says, Cedamus: leve fit, quod bene fertur onus.
{a} Macrob., lib. i., in Som. Scip .