Genesis 49:16

16 "1Dan shall 2judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel.

Genesis 49:16 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 49:16

Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.
] There is an elegant paronomasia, or an allusion to the name of Dan in those words, which signifies to judge, and the sense of them is, there should be heads, rulers, and judges of it, as the other tribes had; and this is the rather mentioned of him, because he is the first of the children of concubine wives as yet taken notice of; and what is here said of him is also to be understood of the rest of the sons of the concubines; for the meaning is not, that a judge should arise out of him as out of the other tribes, that should judge all Israel, restraining it to Samson, who was of this tribe, as the Targums and Jarchi; for no such judge did arise out of all the tribes of Israel; nor was Samson such a judge of Israel as David, who, according to Jarchi, is one of the tribes of Israel, namely, of Judah; for David did not judge as Samson, nor Samson as David, their form of government being different.

Genesis 49:16 In-Context

14 "Issachar is a strong donkey, Lying down between the sheepfolds.
15 "When he saw that a resting place was good And that the land was pleasant, He bowed his shoulder to bear burdens, And became a slave at forced labor.
16 "Dan shall judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel.
17 "Dan shall be a serpent in the way, A horned snake in the path, That bites the horse's heels, So that his rider falls backward.
18 "For Your salvation I wait, O LORD .

Cross References 2

  • 1. Deuteronomy 33:22; Judges 18:26, 27
  • 2. Genesis 30:6
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