Genesis 49:17

Geneva Bible (1560)

Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder by the path, byting the horse heeles, so that his rider shall fall backward.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

יְהִי־דָן֙ נָחָ֣שׁ עֲלֵי־דֶ֔רֶךְ שְׁפִיפֹ֖ן עֲלֵי־אֹ֑רַח הַנֹּשֵׁךְ֙ עִקְּבֵי־ס֔וּס וַיִּפֹּ֥ל רֹכְב֖וֹ אָחֽוֹר

Transliteration

yəhî-dān nāḥāš upon-derek šəpîpōn upon-ʾōraḥ the-nōšēk ʿiqqəbê-sûs wa-yippōl rōkbô ʾāḥôr

Grammar Details

• *yəhî*: Qal imperfect jussive 3rd masculine singular - may he be
• *dān*: proper noun, masculine singular - Dan
• *nāḥāš*: noun masculine singular - serpent
• *derek*: noun masculine singular - way/road
• *šəpîpōn*: noun masculine singular - horned snake/adder
• *ʾōraḥ*: noun masculine singular - path
• *nōšēk*: Qal participle masculine singular with definite article - the one biting
• *ʿiqqəbê*: noun masculine plural construct - heels of
• *sûs*: noun masculine singular - horse
• *wa-yippōl*: waw consecutive + Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and he falls
• *rōkbô*: Qal participle masculine singular construct with 3rd masculine singular suffix - its rider
• *ʾāḥôr*: adverb - backward

Word Meanings

• *nāḥāš*: serpent/snake
• *šəpîpōn*: horned snake/adder/viper
• *nōšēk*: biting/striking
• *ʿiqqəbê*: heels/hooves

Referenced Verses

• 1 Chr 12:35 : 35 And of Dan expert in battell, eyght and twentie thousande, and sixe hundreth.
• Judg 14:1-9 : 1 Nowe Samson went downe to Timnath, and saw a woma in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistims, 2 And he came vp and told his father and his mother and saide, I haue seene a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistims: now therfore giue me her to wife. 3 Then his father and his mother sayde vnto him, Is there neuer a wife among the daughters of thy brethren, and among all my people, that thou must go to take a wife of the vncircumcised Philistims? And Samson sayd vnto his father, Giue mee her, for she pleaseth me wel. 4 But his father and his mother knewe not that it came of the Lorde, that he should seeke an occasion against the Philistims: for at that time the Philistims reigned ouer Israel. 5 Then went Samson and his father and his mother downe to Timnath, and came to ye vineyardes at Timnath: and beholde, a young Lyon roared vpon him. 6 And the Spirit of the Lorde came vpon him, and he tare him, as one should haue rent a kid, and had nothing in his hand, neither told he his father nor his mother what he had done. 7 And he went down, & talked with the woman which was beautifull in the eyes of Samson. 8 And within a fewe dayes, when he returned to receiue her, he went aside to see the karkeis of the Lion: and behold, there was a swarme of bees, and hony in the body of the Lyon. 9 And he tooke therof in his handes, and went eating, and came to his father and to his mother, and gaue vnto them, and they did eate: but hee told not them, that he had taken the hony out of the body of the lyon. 10 So his father went down vnto the woman, and Samson made there a feast: for so vsed the yong men to doe. 11 And when they sawe him, they brought thirtie companions to be with him. 12 Then Samson sayd vnto them, I will nowe put forth a riddle vnto you: and if you can declare it me within seuen dayes of the feast, and finde it out, I will giue you thirty sheetes, and thirtie change of garments. 13 But if you cannot declare it mee, then shall yee giue mee thirty sheetes and thirtie change of garments; they answered him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may heare it. 14 And he sayd vnto them, Out of the eater came meate, and out of the strong came sweetenesse: and they could not in three dayes expound the riddle. 15 And when the seuenth day was come, they said vnto Samsons wife, Entise thine husband, that he may declare vs the riddle, lest wee burne thee and thy fathers house with fire. Haue ye called vs, to possesse vs? is it not so?
• Judg 16:22-30 : 22 And the heare of his head began to growe againe after that it was shauen. 23 Then the Princes of the Philistims gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice vnto Dagon their god, and to reioyce: for they said, Our god hath deliuered Samson our enemie into our handes. 24 Also when the people saw him, they praysed their god: for they sayde, Our god hath deliuered into our hands our enemie and destroyer of our countrey, which hath slayne many of vs. 25 And when their heartes were mery, they said, Call Samson, that he may make vs pastime. So they called Samson out of the prison house, and he was a laughing stocke vnto them, and they set him betweene the pillars. 26 Then Samson saide vnto the seruant that led him by the hande, Lead me, that I may touch the pillars that the house standeth vpon, and that I may leane to them. 27 (Nowe the house was full of men and women, and there were all the princes of the Philistims: also vpon the roofe were about three thousande men and women that behelde while Samson played) 28 Then Samson called vnto the Lorde, and sayde, O Lord God, I pray thee, thinke vpon me: O God, I beseech thee, strengthen me at this time onely, that I may be at once auenged of the Philistims for my two eyes. 29 And Samson layd hold on the two middle pillars whereupon the house stood, and on which it was borne vp: on the one with his right hand, and on the other with his left. 30 Then Samson saide, Let me lose my life with the Philistims: and he bowed him with all his might, and the house fell vpon the princes, & vpon all the people that were therein. so the dead which he slewe at his death were mo then they which he had slaine in his life.
• Judg 18:22-31 : 22 When they were farre off from the house of Michah, the men that were in the houses neere to Michahs house, gathered together, and pursued after the children of Dan, 23 And cryed vnto the children of Dan: who turned their faces, and said vnto Michah, What ayleth thee, that thou makest an outcrie? 24 And hee saide, Yee haue taken away my gods, which I made, and the Priest, and go your wayes: and what haue I more? Howe then say ye vnto me, what ayleth thee? 25 And the children of Dan sayde vnto him, Let not thy voyce be heard among vs, least angrie fellowes runne vpon thee, and thou lose thy life with the liues of thine housholde. 26 So the children of Dan went their wayes: and when Michah saw that they were too strong for him, hee turned, and went backe vnto his house. 27 And they tooke the things which Michah had made, and the Priest which he had, and came vnto Laish, vnto a quiet people and without mistrust, and smote them with the edge of the sworde, and burnt the citie with fire: 28 And there was none to helpe, because Laish was farre from Zidon, and they had no businesse with other men: also it was in the valley that lyeth by Beth-rehob. After, they built the citie, and dwelt therein, 29 And called the name of the citie Dan, after the name of Dan their father which was borne vnto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the beginning. 30 Then the children of Dan set them vp the grauen image: and Ionathan the sonne of Gershom, the sonne of Manasseh and his sonnes were the Priestes in the tribe of the Danites vntil the day of the captiuitie of the lande. 31 So they set them vp the grauen image, which Michah had made, all the while the house of God was in Shiloh.