Genesis 49:16

16 Dan shall deem his people, as also another lineage in Israel. (Dan shall judge, or shall rule, his people, like another tribe in 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, a strong ass, lying betwixt [the] terms, (Issachar, like a strong donkey, lying between two burdens,)
15 saw rest, that it was good, and saw the land, that it was best, and he underset his shoulder to bear, and he was made serving to tributes . (saw that the resting place was good, and that the land was the best, and so he underset his shoulder to carry the burden, and was made to serve as a slave.)
16 Dan shall deem his people, as also another lineage in Israel. (Dan shall judge, or shall rule, his people, like another tribe in Israel.)
17 Dan be made a serpent in the way, and (a) cerastes, that is, an horned adder, in the path, and bite he the feet of an horse, that the rider of him fall backward; (Let Dan be made a serpent on the way, and a cerastes, or a horned adder, on the path, and bite he the horse's feet, so that his rider fall backwards;)
18 Lord, I shall abide thine health. (Lord, I wait for thy salvation!)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.