2618. Such were the posterity of Jacob that they exercised cruelty on the Gentiles, and hence derived their highest pleasantness; therefore they were most cruel, and for no other end than to exercise vengeance, as they said, and under the color of holy things, when such an end they had never in view, but only a cupidity of such a nature as may be plainly apparent from those things which are narrated of them when they became worse idolaters. As soon as it but entered their minds that [any people] was their enemy, whatever the cause, they supposed themselves permitted to exercise every cruelty upon them, their women, wives, [and] infants, as also appears from David's [enmity] against Nabal, who nevertheless was of their brethren; it [was] so in the rest. Besides which they had no other [pursuit] than the making of forays [excursiones] and carrying away everything, killing every living thing amongst men.