• Gen 49:16 . . Dan shall govern his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
That prediction alludes to Dan's autonomous attitude towards the other tribes. In
point of fact, Dan's tribe didn't join forces with the others in the north to help repel
oppressors. (Judg 5:17)
A good example of Dan's autonomous attitude is Mr. Samson. During his tenure as
a Judge in Israel (Judg 13:1-16:31) Samson never mustered an army nor led his
own men in a charge up a San Juan hill. He fought alone, and he died alone; and
seemed to prefer it that way. Definitely neither a commander nor a team player.
• Gen 49:17 . . Dan shall be a serpent by the road, a viper by the path, that bites
the horse's heels so that his rider is thrown backward.
A number of poisonous snakes-- e.g. rattlesnakes --don't hunt for food by chasing
their prey in racy pursuit but choose rather to coil up and patiently wait along the
edges of paths for something to come along. They're typically sluggish on the move
but very speedy on the strike. Rattlers, especially, are powerful strikers that don't
even have to clamp down to bite. Their strike inertia is powerful enough to drive
their fangs into a target's flesh like sewing needles.
When rattlers bite large animals like horses, it's not for food, but generally a
reflexive response to a perceived threat; which suggests that Dan's tribe would
have hair-trigger tempers that flair up at every provocation-- real or imagined
totally surprising the objects of their fury. People like that are extremely reactive:
they're never rational and objective, no, they are emotional, thin-skinned and easily
insulted; they get mad over nothing, and every disagreement is an act of war.
It's conceivable that the viper-ish nature of Dan's tribe reminded Jacob of Gen
3:15's prediction to crush the head of the Serpent who caused Man's ruin; and
possibly prompted his next remark.
• Gen 49:18 . . I wait for your deliverance, O Lord!
Everyone becomes curious at one time or another how the Old Testament's
luminaries were saved prior to Christ's crucifixion. Well, the interesting thing is:
they were all aware that Christ was on the way.
"Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come
to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and
circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted
the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow." (1Pet 1:10-11)
A prophet is simply an inspired man-- the earliest known were Abel (Luke 11:50
51) Enoch (Jude 1:14) Noah (2Pet 2:5) and Abraham. (Gen 20:7)
In other words: pre-crucifixion believers looked forward to Christ, while post
crucifixion believers look back.
"Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and
was glad." (John 8:56)
• Gen 49:19 . . Gad shall be raided by raiders, but he shall raid at their heels.
Gad's tribe, along with Rueben and Manasseh, chose to settle on the wrong side of
the Jordan River instead of crossing over into Canaan (Num 32:1-32). Their
decision effectively isolated them from the other nine tribes and left their eastern
flank vulnerable to desert marauders; which were more nuisance than anything else
as Gad's tribe were competent warriors and able to hold their own. (cf. 1Chrn 5:18)
Though the major portion of Christ's ministry was confined within the national
borders of Israel, he crossed over the Jordan on occasion to visit the three tribes on
the east side (Matt 11:21, Mark 6:45). Gad was the region of the famous swine
herd suicide. (Mark 5:1-13)
• Gen 49:20 . . Asher's bread shall be rich, and he shall yield royal dainties.
Asher's tribe was apportioned land bordering Zebulun and Naphtali, along the
Mediterranean coastline in the region of ancient Tyre. The area was famed for its
fertility (Deut 33:24). Ashur was located in a Phoenician stronghold of political and
commercial activity. The phrase "he shall yield royal dainties" possibly alludes to
the tribe's best produce being sold to supply the homes of Phoenician dignitaries.
NOTE: This chapter in Genesis wasn't recorded in prose, but rather, Hebrew poetry,
making it difficult, if not impossible, for translators to correctly interpret some of
Jacob's sayings. The poem contains tricky metaphors rather than clear facts; which
only complicates the section even more; which serves to show that anybody can read
the Bible, and anybody can parrot the Bible, but not just anybody can explain it.
_
That prediction alludes to Dan's autonomous attitude towards the other tribes. In
point of fact, Dan's tribe didn't join forces with the others in the north to help repel
oppressors. (Judg 5:17)
A good example of Dan's autonomous attitude is Mr. Samson. During his tenure as
a Judge in Israel (Judg 13:1-16:31) Samson never mustered an army nor led his
own men in a charge up a San Juan hill. He fought alone, and he died alone; and
seemed to prefer it that way. Definitely neither a commander nor a team player.
• Gen 49:17 . . Dan shall be a serpent by the road, a viper by the path, that bites
the horse's heels so that his rider is thrown backward.
A number of poisonous snakes-- e.g. rattlesnakes --don't hunt for food by chasing
their prey in racy pursuit but choose rather to coil up and patiently wait along the
edges of paths for something to come along. They're typically sluggish on the move
but very speedy on the strike. Rattlers, especially, are powerful strikers that don't
even have to clamp down to bite. Their strike inertia is powerful enough to drive
their fangs into a target's flesh like sewing needles.
When rattlers bite large animals like horses, it's not for food, but generally a
reflexive response to a perceived threat; which suggests that Dan's tribe would
have hair-trigger tempers that flair up at every provocation-- real or imagined
totally surprising the objects of their fury. People like that are extremely reactive:
they're never rational and objective, no, they are emotional, thin-skinned and easily
insulted; they get mad over nothing, and every disagreement is an act of war.
It's conceivable that the viper-ish nature of Dan's tribe reminded Jacob of Gen
3:15's prediction to crush the head of the Serpent who caused Man's ruin; and
possibly prompted his next remark.
• Gen 49:18 . . I wait for your deliverance, O Lord!
Everyone becomes curious at one time or another how the Old Testament's
luminaries were saved prior to Christ's crucifixion. Well, the interesting thing is:
they were all aware that Christ was on the way.
"Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come
to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and
circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted
the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow." (1Pet 1:10-11)
A prophet is simply an inspired man-- the earliest known were Abel (Luke 11:50
51) Enoch (Jude 1:14) Noah (2Pet 2:5) and Abraham. (Gen 20:7)
In other words: pre-crucifixion believers looked forward to Christ, while post
crucifixion believers look back.
"Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and
was glad." (John 8:56)
• Gen 49:19 . . Gad shall be raided by raiders, but he shall raid at their heels.
Gad's tribe, along with Rueben and Manasseh, chose to settle on the wrong side of
the Jordan River instead of crossing over into Canaan (Num 32:1-32). Their
decision effectively isolated them from the other nine tribes and left their eastern
flank vulnerable to desert marauders; which were more nuisance than anything else
as Gad's tribe were competent warriors and able to hold their own. (cf. 1Chrn 5:18)
Though the major portion of Christ's ministry was confined within the national
borders of Israel, he crossed over the Jordan on occasion to visit the three tribes on
the east side (Matt 11:21, Mark 6:45). Gad was the region of the famous swine
herd suicide. (Mark 5:1-13)
• Gen 49:20 . . Asher's bread shall be rich, and he shall yield royal dainties.
Asher's tribe was apportioned land bordering Zebulun and Naphtali, along the
Mediterranean coastline in the region of ancient Tyre. The area was famed for its
fertility (Deut 33:24). Ashur was located in a Phoenician stronghold of political and
commercial activity. The phrase "he shall yield royal dainties" possibly alludes to
the tribe's best produce being sold to supply the homes of Phoenician dignitaries.
NOTE: This chapter in Genesis wasn't recorded in prose, but rather, Hebrew poetry,
making it difficult, if not impossible, for translators to correctly interpret some of
Jacob's sayings. The poem contains tricky metaphors rather than clear facts; which
only complicates the section even more; which serves to show that anybody can read
the Bible, and anybody can parrot the Bible, but not just anybody can explain it.
_