Genesis 49:17

 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.

a. NLT: Dan will be a snake beside the road, a poisonous viper along the path that bites the horse’s hooves so its rider is thrown off. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: Dan shall be a serpent in the way, An adder in the path, That biteth the horse’s heels, So that his rider falleth backward. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: Dan is a serpent by the way, An adder by the path, Which is biting the horse's heels, And its rider falleth backward.  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: Dan shall be a serpent by the way, a horned snake in the path, that bites at the horse’s heels, so that his rider falls backward.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: And let Dan be a serpent in the way, besetting the path, biting the heel of the horse (and the rider shall fall backward),

f. Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: Dan will be a serpent on the highway, a viper by the path, that bites a horse’s heels so it rider falls backward.  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

1. “Dan shall be a serpent by the way…”

a. Dan [Strong: 1835 Dan dawn from 1777; judge; Dan, one of the sons of Jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory; likewise a place in Palestine colonized by them:--Dan.]

b. [shall] be [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

c. [a] serpent [Strong: 5175 nachash naw-khawsh' from 5172; a snake (from its hiss):--serpent.]

d. by [Strong: 5921 `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

e. [the] way [Strong: 1870 derek deh'-rek from 1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb:--along, away, because of, + by, conversation, custom, (east-)ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-)way(-side), whither(-soever).]

2. “...an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.”

a. [an] adder [Strong: 8207 shphiyphon shef-ee-fone' from an unused root meaning the same as 7779; a kind of serpent (as snapping), probably the cerastes or horned adder:--adder.]

b. in [Strong: 5921 `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

c. [the] path [Strong: 734 'orach o'-rakh from 732; a well-trodden road (literally or figuratively); also a caravan:--manner, path, race, rank, traveller, troop, (by-, high-)way.]

d. [that] biteth [Strong: 5391 nashak naw-shak' a primitive root; to strike with a sting (as a serpent); figuratively, to oppress with interest on a loan:--bite, lend upon usury.]

e. [the] horse [Strong: 5483 cuwc soos or cuc {soos}; from an unused root meaning to skip (properly, for joy); a horse (as leaping); also a swallow (from its rapid flight):--crane, horse((-back, -hoof)).]

f. heels [Strong: 6119 `aqeb aw-kabe' or (feminine) hiqqbah {ik-keb-aw'}; from 6117; a heel (as protuberant); hence, a track; figuratively, the rear (of an army):--heel, (horse-)hoof, last, lier in wait (by mistake for 6120), (foot- )step.]

g. [so that the] rider [Strong: 7392 rakab raw-kab' a primitive root; to ride (on an animal or in a vehicle); causatively, to place upon (for riding or generally), to despatch:--bring (on (horse-)back), carry, get (oneself) up, on (horse-)back, put, (cause to, make to) ride (in a chariot, on, -r), set.]

h. [shall] fall [Strong: 5307 naphal naw-fal' a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.]

i. backward [Strong: 268 'achowr aw-khore' or (shortened) achor {aw-khore'}; from 299; the hinder part; hence (adverb) behind, backward; also (as facing north) the West:--after(-ward), back (part, -side, -ward), hereafter, (be-)hind(-er part), time to come, without.]

1). William Varner, Jacob’s Dozen: Bilhah was Rachel’s maid whom she gave to Jacob because of her own inability to conceive (Genesis 30:1-4). When a son was born to Bilhah, Rachel exclaimed, “God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan (Genesis 30:5, 6)...This action was not commanded by God, but he did permit it as a social custom…Most interpreters of this passage have seen a graphic fulfillment of this prophecy in Dan’s greatest son, the famous strong man-judge Samson…The exploits of Samson recorded in Judges 13-16 are famous examples of nontraditional warfare demonstrating the success of the few against the many and the small against the large. Jacob’s words in Genesis 49:17 graphically described Samson’s tactics: “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.”