Genesis 49:16
ESV
"Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.
NIV
"Dan will provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel.
NASB
'Dan shall judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel.
CSB
Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.
NLT
'Dan will govern his people, like any other tribe in Israel.
KJV
Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
NKJV
“Dan shall judge his people As one of the tribes of Israel.
What does Genesis 49:16 mean?
Jacob is giving a deathbed blessing or prophesy about each of his sons and their descendants (Genesis 49:1–2). He now comes to Dan (Genesis 30:5–6), declaring Dan will "judge"—or, possibly, "vindicate"—his people alongside the other tribes of Israel. Not everything will be honorable in Dan's future, however. Jacob's prediction will include some uncomfortable descriptions (Genesis 49:17).Though the tribe of Dan will be smaller than the others, they will remain an independent group. In fact, Dan's people will play significant roles in fighting for Israel. This was especially true in the time of the judges before Israel had a king. Samson, from the tribe of Dan, perhaps the most famous of those judges, fought for Israel against the Philistines (Judges 13—16). However, not long after Samson, the tribe of Dan will be associated with idolatry (Judges 18:27–31).
Genesis 49:13–21 records Jacob's deathbed predictions, this time regarding six of his sons: Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, and Naphtali. These are relatively brief, and not entirely positive. While Jacob addresses the first four (Genesis 49:3–12) and last two (Genesis 49:22–27) of his sons in birth order, there is no obvious ranking in his comments here. As compared to other tribes, these would play lesser roles in Israel's future.
Genesis 49 contains Jacob's dying prophetic remarks. In the form of poetry, Jacob pronounces positive and negative "blessings" about each of his 12 sons and the people who will come from them. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi are each held to account for their past sins. Judah is described as a lion; the kingly line will come from his people. Joseph and his descendants are lavished with blessings. Once the oracle is completed, Jacob commands his sons to bury him with his fathers in Canaan. Then, the man God named "Israel" (Genesis 35:10–11) dies.
