Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 49:17
Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
17. shall be ] Rather, “let Dan become.”
adder ] or, horned snake. The horned snake, or , is a small, dangerous, and venomous serpent. The simile is that of a small serpent disturbed, and suddenly with deadly fangs striking a horse from behind. Dan is dangerous to his foes by ambuscades, secret raids, and guerilla warfare; cf. Jdg 18:27. The mention of the horse and horseman indicates the more wealthy, warrior class of the enemy.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 17. Dan shall be a serpent] The original word is nachash, and we have seen in Clarke’s note “Ge 3:1“ that this has a great variety of significations. It is probable that a serpent is here intended, but of what kind we know not; yet as the principal reference in the text is to guile, cunning, c., the same creature may be intended as in “Clarke’s note “Ge 3:1“.
A cerastes upon the track] The word shephiphon, which is nowhere else to be found in the Bible, is thus translated by the Vulgate, and Bochart approves of the translation. The cerastes has its name from two little horns upon its head, and is remarkable for the property here ascribed to the shephiphon. The word orach, which we translate path, signifies the track or rut made in the ground by the wheel of a cart, wagon, c. And the description that Nicander gives of this serpent in his Theriaca perfectly agrees with what is here said of the shephiphon.
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. v. 262.
It lies under the sand, or in some cart rut by the way.
It is intimated that this tribe should gain the principal part of its conquests more by cunning and stratagem, than by valour and this is seen particularly in their conquest of Laish, Judges xviii., and even in some of the transactions of Samson, such as burning the corn of the Philistines, and at last pulling down their temple, and destroying three thousand at one time, see Jdg 16:26-30.
18. For thy salvation have I waited, O Lord!
This is a remarkable ejaculation, and seems to stand perfectly unconnected with all that went before and all that follows though it is probable that certain prophetic views which Jacob now had, and which he does not explain, gave rise to it; and by this he at once expressed both his faith and hope in God. Both Jewish and Christian commentators have endeavoured to find out the connection in which these words existed in the mind of the patriarch. The Targum of Jonathan expresses the whole thus: “When Jacob saw Gideon the son of Joash, and Samson the son of Manoah, which were to be saviours in a future age, he said: I do not wait for the salvation of Gideon, I do not expect the salvation of Samson, because their salvation is a temporal salvation; but I wait for and expect thy salvation, O Lord, because thy salvation is eternal.” And the Jerusalem Targum much to the same purpose: “Our father Jacob said: Wait not, my soul, for the redemption of Gideon the son of Joash which is temporal, nor the redemption of Samson which is a created salvation; but for the salvation which thou hast said by THY WORD should come to thy people the children of Israel: my soul waits for this thy salvation.” Indeed these Targums understand almost the whole of these prophecies of the Messiah, and especially what is said about Judah, every word of which they refer to him. Thus the ancient Jews convict the moderns of both false interpretations and vain expectations. As the tribe of Dan was the first that appears to have been seduced from the true worship of God, (see Jdg 18:30), some have thought that Jacob refers particularly to this, and sees the end of the general apostasy only in the redemption by Jesus Christ, considering the nachash above as the seducer, and the Messiah the promised seed.
19. Gad, an army shall attack him,
And he shall attack in return.
This is one of the most obscure prophecies in the whole chapter; and no two interpreters agree in the translation of the original words, which exhibit a most singular alliteration: –
gad gedud yegudennu;
vehu yagud akeb.
The prophecy seems to refer generally to the frequent disturbances to which this tribe should be exposed, and their hostile, warlike disposition, that would always lead them to repel every aggression. It is likely that the prophecy had an especial fulfillment when this tribe, in conjunction with that of Reuben and the half tribe of Manasseh, got a great victory over the Hagarites, taking captive one hundred thousand men, two thousand asses, fifty thousand camels, and two hundred and fifty thousand sheep; see 1Ch 5:18-22. Dr. Durell and others translate the last word akeb, rear – “He shall invade their rear;” which contains almost no meaning, as it only seems to state that though the army that invaded Gad should be successful, yet the Gadites would harass their rear as they returned: but this could never be a subject sufficient consequence for a prophecy. The word ekeb is frequently used as a particle, signifying in consequence, because of, on account of. After the Gadites had obtained the victory above mentioned, they continued to possess the land of their enemies till they were carried away captive. The Chaldee paraphrasts apply this to the Gadites going armed over Jordan before their brethren, discomfiting their enemies, and returning back with much spoil. See Jos 4:12-13, and Jos 22:1-2, Jos 22:8.
20. From Asher his bread shall be fat,
And he shall produce royal dainties.
This refers to the great fertility of the lot that fell to Asher, and which appears to have corresponded with the name, which signifies happy or blessed. His great prosperity is described by Moses in this figurative way: “Let Asher be blessed with children, let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil;” De 33:24.
21. Naphtali is a spreading oak,
Producing beautiful branches.
This is Bochart’s translation; and perhaps no man who understands the genius of the Hebrew language will attempt to dispute its propriety; it is as literal as it is correct. Our own translation scarcely gives any sense. The fruitfulness of this tribe in children may be here intended. From his four sons Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem, which he took down into Egypt, Ge 46:24, in the course of two hundred and fifteen years there sprang of effective men 53,400: but as great increase in this way was not an uncommon case in the descendants of Jacob, this may refer particularly to the fruitfulness of their soil, and the especial providential care and blessing of the Almighty; to which indeed Moses seems particularly to refer, De 33:23: O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the Lord. So that he may be represented under the notion of a tree planted in a rich soil, growing to a prodigious size, extending its branches in all directions, and becoming a shade for men and cattle, and a harbour for the fowls of heaven.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
An adder in the path, which covereth and hideth itself in the sand or dust of the highway, watching for men or beasts that pass that way. He notes the subtlety of that tribe, which should conquer their enemies more by craft and cmlning, than by strength or force of arms.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. Dan“a judge.”
a serpent . . . an adderAserpent, an adder, implies subtlety and stratagem; such waspre-eminently the character of Samson, the most illustrious of itsjudges.
Ge49:19. GADThistribe should be often attacked and wasted by hostile powers on theirborders (Jdg 10:8; Jer 49:1).But they were generally victorious in the close of their wars.
Ge49:20. ASHER”Blessed.”Its allotment was the seacoast between Tyre and Carmel, a districtfertile in the production of the finest corn and oil in allPalestine.
Ge49:21. NAPHTALIThebest rendering we know is this, “Naphtali is a deer roaming atliberty; he shooteth forth goodly branches,” or majestic antlers[TAYLOR, ScriptureIllustrations], and the meaning of the prophecy seems to be thatthe tribe of Naphtali would be located in a territory so fertile andpeaceable, that, feeding on the richest pasture, he would spread out,like a deer, branching antlers.
Ge49:22-26. JOSEPH
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path,…. Or be like that sort of serpents called the adder; or rather, that which has the name of Cerastes, which lies among sand, and being of the same colour is not easily discerned, and is often trampled upon unawares, and bites at once, unexpected; as Bothart h from various writers has shown; particularly Diodorus Siculus i says, of this kind of serpents, that their bites are deadly, and being of the same colour with the sand, few discern them, so that many ignorantly treading on them fall into danger unawares; and so Onkelos paraphrases it, that lies in wait by the way; and is by another writer k interpreted, a very grievous and hurtful serpent as the adder is:
that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward; for this sort of serpents lying in horse ways and cart ruts, snaps at and bites horses as they pass along, which bites affecting their legs and thighs, cause them to fall and throw their riders: this, by the Jewish writers, who are followed by many Christian interpreters, is applied to Samson, who by craft and policy managed the Philistines, as in the affair of the foxes, and especially in his last enterprise, when he got placed between the two pillars of the house, which answer, as some think, to the horse heels, as the multitude on the roof of the house to the riders: but though this may be illustrated in a particular person in this tribe, as a specimen of the genius and disposition of the whole tribe, yet the prophecy respects the whole tribe, and points at the situation of it, which was “by the way”, at the extreme part of the country; so that they had need of craft and policy as well as power to defend themselves against encroachers and invaders, and describes the general temper and disposition of this tribe, of which an instance may be seen in Jud 18:1 and it may have respect to the stumblingblocks and offences laid in this tribe to the rest of the tribes, by the idol of Micah, and more especially by the golden calf set up in Dan by Jeroboam.
h Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 3. c. 12. col. 418, 419, 420. i Bibliothec. l. 3. p. 183. k R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed. fol. 57. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
17. Let Dan become The emphatic position of the verb is best expressed by translating it thus imperatively . And the comparison with the serpent need not be construed as necessarily a curse or condemnation . The account in Judges xviii, of the Danite conquest in the north, illustrates the subtlety and prowess of this tribe; and so, also, does the whole history of Samson . His stratagems to overthrow his enemies might well be compared with the habits of the viper that hides by the wayside, and bites the horse’s heels, and causes him to throw his rider . The horned viper is generally regarded as the cerastes, “the very poisonous horned serpent, which is of the colour of the sand, and as it lies upon the ground merely stretching out its feelers, inflicts a fatal wound upon any who may tread upon it unawares. (Diod. Sic., 3:49; Pliny, 8:23.”) Keil. Comp. also Deu 33:22.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 49:17. Dan shall be a serpent The next word points out a particular kind of serpent: the Vulgate takes it for the cerastes, a kind of horned serpent, of a very subtle nature, which, Pliny says, hides its whole body in the sand, shewing only its horns as a bait to catch the birds: and this translation Bochart supports. Our version of adder seems as probable as any; because it is well known that this kind of reptile stings all sorts of cattle. Be that as it may, the comparison intimates, that the Danites were to be remarkable for stratagems of war, defeating their enemies more by policy than open force, like those serpents which lie in the road, and unexpectedly bite horses’ heels, and make them throw their riders. Moses gives them the same character, by comparing Dan to a lion’s whelp, leaping unexpectedly out of a thicket, Deu 33:22. We have instances of the Danites’ policy in Samson’s dealing against the Philistines, Jdg 15:16 : in their sending the five spies to discover what part of their enemies’ lands was weakest, and might most safely be attacked; and the destruction of the careless and confident inhabitants of Laish, or Leshem, is well represented by the rider’s falling backward from his horse.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jos 19:40 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 49:17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
Ver. 17. Dan shall be a serpent by the way. ] He shall subtly set upon his enemies, and suddenly surprise them: as they did the men of Laish; and as Samson, of this tribe, did the Philistines. Moses saith, “Dan is a lion’s whelp.” Deu 33:22 But when his lion’s hide would not serve his turn, he could piece it out with his fox skin or serpent’s slough; a he could, if not outfight his enemies, outwit them: and –
“ dolus, an virtus, quis in hoste requirat?” – Virg.
Of Decebalus, king of Dacians, it is reported, to his singular commendation, that he could, optime insidias facere, proelium committere, optime uti victoria, et acceptam cladem ferre moderate. b All which were the parts and points of an excellent warrior.
a Leoninae pelli vulpinam assuere.
b , – Dio, in Vita Domit.
a serpent. Beguiling to idolatry. The first tribe to do so. See note on Jdg 18:30. Hence omitted in Rev 7:4 (compare Deu 29:18-21. Lev 24:10-16; 1Ki 12:30. 2Ki 10:29).
heels. Compare Gen 3:15. Jer 8:16, Jer 8:17.
shall be: Jdg 14:1 – Jdg 15:20, Jdg 16:22-30, Jdg 18:22-31, 1Ch 12:35
an adder: Heb. an arrow-snake
Reciprocal: Gen 3:15 – thou Gen 30:6 – Dan Gen 46:23 – Dan Num 1:38 – General Num 10:25 – the camp Deu 33:22 – General Psa 49:5 – heels
Gen 49:17. An adder, shepipon A cerastes, probably, or kind of horned serpent, of a subtle nature, which, according to Pliny, hides its whole body in the sand, showing only its horns to catch birds. This is intended to signify the subtlety of that tribe, which should conquer its enemies more by craft than by strength or force of arms, and by art, and policy, and surprise, gain advantages against them, like a serpent suddenly biting the heels of a traveller. These words, says Bishop Sherlock, lead us to expect, in the history of this tribe, an account of some very dishonourable and perfidious transaction. And the history will justify this expectation, for though the house of Israel were in general a stubborn and disobedient people, yet it was the peculiar infamy of the tribe of Dan, to be the ringleaders in idolatry, the first who erected publicly a molten image in the land of promise, and, by their example and perseverance in this iniquity, infected all the tribes of Israel. This idolatry began soon after the days of Joshua, and continued till the day of the captivity of the land, Jdg 18:30.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments