Genesis 49:16

“Dan will judge his people, as one of the offshoots (or rods or tribes) of Israel,

Dan will be a serpent in the way, an adder in the path,

Who bites the horses' heels, so that his rider falls backwards.

I have waited for your deliverance, Oh Yahweh.”

“Dan will judge his people.” The family tribe was split up into sub-tribes. This is evidenced by the fact that Exodus 1 speaks of ‘every man and his household' coming down to Egypt. This is what we would in fact expect as the sons married and built up their own groupings, as Jacob had himself done with Laban. Thus ‘Dan will judge his people' simply refers to the common fact that he is to be master over his own ‘household', successfully making independent major decisions and acting as arbiter when necessary (in part contrast to Issachar).

“As one of the offshoots (shivte) of Israel.” This is the first use of a phrase that would much later signify ‘the tribes of Israel'. But the latter is probably a developed meaning of shevet (used in verse 10 for ‘sceptre') with a specialised meaning and not strictly applicable at this stage. ‘Shevet' as translated ‘tribe' is in fact used exclusively of Israel in the Old Testament representing those who have ‘descended' from Israel. The one possible exception to this is Isaiah 19:13, but there it may mean ‘sceptres', or alternately simply arise from its later established use. It is thus, at least at this early stage, not a general word for a tribe. Its meaning is ‘rod', either as a symbol of rulership or as a means of punishment, or ‘offshoot'.

So in this early use it probably signifies ‘offshoot' referring to Dan himself as an offshoot of Jacob. Compare for this verse 28, where the sons are described as ‘shivte of Israel'. Jacob had all the pride of a patriarch who had produced a large family tribe.

An alternative possibility is that Dan is here being seen as one of Jacob's ‘rods' as the one who acts as leader and judge. Compare ‘the rod of men' in 2 Samuel 7:14 and ‘Oh Assyrian, the rod of my anger (Isaiah 10:5).'

If we do accept the translation ‘tribes' it may serve to demonstrate that the groupings in Egypt are enlarging and expanding to such an extent that they can now be called ‘tribes', although the word is never used of groupings other than Israel in the Pentateuch and thus has a specialist meaning. Their influence and wealth in Egypt, bolstered by having their brother as Vizier, might ensure such rapid expansion. They may well now be too large to be called ‘households'.

“Dan will be a serpent in the way ---”. Jacob's complaint is that in his leadership and as a dispenser of justice he is devious and untrustworthy. He is like a snake waiting to strike unexpectedly, thus bringing down a horse's rider. He will not deal fairly with his people. Alternately it may mean that although his sub-tribe is small and insignificant he will be able by subtlety to beat greater peoples than his own who are threatening him.

“I have waited for your deliverance, Oh Yahweh.” Jacob has waited for Yahweh to act to deal with the problem, and in his dying breath again calls on Him to do so. Is it not time now for Yahweh to act? This suggests that Dan's behaviour is actually contrary to the covenant and covenant ordinances to such an extent that Yahweh's intervention could be expected.

Alternately the prayer may reflect the large task facing Dan which he need Yahweh's help to cope with.

The mention of, and prayer to, Yahweh demonstrates that in Egypt the covenant is still holding and Jacob expects God to act in accordance with it.