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Genesis 49:17

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He will be a snake by the road, a viper in the path that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backward.

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Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 17

This chapter is a prophecy; the likest to it we have yet met with was that of Noah, Gen 9:25, etc. Jacob is here upon his death-bed, making his will. He put it off till now, because dying men's words are apt to make deep impressions, and to be remembered long: what he said here, he could not say when he would, but as the Spirit gave him utterance, who chose this time, that divine strength might be perfected in his weakness. The twelve sons of Jacob were, in their day, men of renown, but the twelve tribes of Israel, which descended and were denominated from them, were much more renowned; we find their names upon the gates of the New Jerusalem, Rev 21:12. In the prospect of this their dying father says something remarkable of each son, or of the tribe that bore his name. Here is, I. The preface (Gen 49:1, Gen 49:2). II. Th prediction concerning each tribe (v. 3-28). III. The charge repeated concerning his burial (Gen 49:29-32). IV. His death (Gen 49:33).

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Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 17

דָּן (Dân, H1835) — Dan, one of the sons of Jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory;… נָחָשׁ (nâchâsh, H5175) — a snake (from its hiss) דֶּרֶךְ (derek, H1870) — a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb שְׁפִיפֹן (shᵉphîyphôn, H8207) — a kind of serpent (as snapping), probably the cerastes or horned adder אֹרַח (ʼôrach, H734) — a well-trodden road (literally or figuratively); also a caravan נָשַׁךְ (nâshak, H5391) — to strike with a sting (as a serpent); figuratively, to oppress with interest on a loan סוּס (çûwç, H5483) — a horse (as leaping); also a swallow (from its rapid flight) עָקֵב (ʻâqêb, H6119) — a heel (as protuberant); hence, a track; figuratively, the rear (of an army) רָכַב (râkab, H7392) — to ride (on an animal or in a vehicle); causatively, to place upon (for riding or… נָפַל (nâphal, H5307) — to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or… אָחוֹר (ʼâchôwr, H268) — the hinder part; hence (adverb) behind, backward; also (as facing north) the West

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Cross-references

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I Chronicles 12:35rank 4

From Dan: 28,600 prepared for battle.

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