King James Version

Genesis 49:17

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

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Hebrew

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יְהִיyehibeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, an unfinished actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.דָן֙danDanielדָּןnoun, proper name — “Daniel”H1835Dan, one of the sons of Jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory; likewise a place in Palestine colonized by themDanielנָחָ֣שׁnachashserpentנָחָשׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “serpent”, the ordinary formH5175a snake (from its hiss)serpent.עֲלֵיaleaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…דֶ֔רֶךְderekhalongדֶּרֶךְnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “along”, the ordinary formH1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverbalong, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).שְׁפִיפֹ֖ןshefifonadderשְׁפִיפֹןnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “adder”, the ordinary formH8207a kind of serpent (as snapping), probably the cerastes or horned adderadder.עֲלֵיaleaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…אֹ֑רַחorachmannerאֹרַחnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “manner”, the ordinary formH734a well-trodden road (literally or figuratively); also a caravanmanner, path, race, rank, traveller, troop, (by-, high-) way.הַנֹּשֵׁךְ֙hanoshekhethe biteנָשַׁךְdefinite article, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “the bite”, a verb used as a describing wordH5391to strike with a sting (as a serpent); figuratively, to oppress with interest on a loanbite, lend upon usury.עִקְּבֵיiqveheelעָקֵבnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “heel”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6119a heel (as protuberant); hence, a track; figuratively, the rear (of an army)heel, (horse-) hoof, last, lier in wait (by mistake for H6120 (עָקֵב)), (foot-) step.ס֔וּסsushorse . Compare H6571סוּסnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “horse . Compare H6571”, the ordinary formH5483a horse (as leaping); also a swallow (from its rapid flight)crane, horse (-back, -hoof). Compare H6571 (פָּרָשׁ).וַיִּפֹּ֥לvayipoland fallנָפַלconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and fall”, the next action in the storyH5307to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for H6419 (פָּלַל…רֹכְב֖וֹrokhevvoon backרָכַבverb, qal, participle, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “on back”, a verb used as a describing wordH7392to ride (on an animal or in a vehicle); causatively, to place upon (for riding or generally), to despatchbring (on (horse-) back), carry, get (oneself) up, on (horse-) back, put, (cause to, make to) ride (in a chariot, on, -r), set.אָחֽוֹרachorafterאָחוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “after”, the ordinary formH268the hinder part; hence (adverb) behind, backward; also (as facing north) the Westafter(-ward), back (part, -side, -ward), hereafter, (be-) hind(-er part), time to come, without.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a horned snake in the path, that biteth the horse's heels, so that his rider falleth backward.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Dan shall be a serpent in the way, An adder in the path, That biteth the horse’s heels, So that his rider falleth backward.

Young’s Literal Translation

Dan is a serpent by the way, An adder by the path, Which is biting the horse's heels, And its rider falleth backward.

World English Bible

Dan will be a serpent on the trail, an adder in the path, that bites the horse’s heels, so that his rider falls backward.

Darby Translation

Dan will be a serpent on the way, A horned snake on the path, Which biteth the horse's heels, So that the rider falleth backwards.

Douay-Rheims

Let Dan be a snake in the way, a serpent in the path, that biteth the horse’s heels that his rider may fall backward.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a horned snake in the path, that biteth the horse's heels, so that his rider falleth backward.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And let Dan be a serpent in the way, besetting the path, biting the heel of the horse (and the rider shall fall backward),

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ γενηθητω Δὰν ὄφις ἐφʼ ὁδοῦ, ἐγκαθήμενος ἐπὶ τρίβου, δάκνων πτέρναν ἵππου· καὶ πεσεῖται ὁ ἱππεὺς εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω,