Genesis 49:16 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Dan shall judge his people— From the six sons of Leah, Jacob passes to those of Bilhah, Rachel's maid. He begins with intimating, that the sons of the handmaids shall have the same privilege with those of the mistresses, and be heads and judges of their own tribes. Accordingly, alluding to the name of Dan, a judge, he declares, "That he should judge his people, that is, his own tribe, like the rest of the twelve." Onkelos expounds it thus, a man shall arise out of the tribe of Dan, in whose days his people shall be delivered; referring to Samson, who was a Danite, Joshua 13:2 and judged Israel twenty years, Judges 15:20. Durell translates this, Dan shall avenge his people; and observes, that the verb דון don, besides its signification of judging and contending, certainly signifies to avenge or assist the injured. This might be inferred from the reason assigned by Rachel for giving the child this name; viz. because she said, God hath avenged me, and hath also heard my voice, for thus the words should be rendered; therefore she called his name Dan, i.e.. avenger, Genesis 30:6. If this verse has reference, according to the general opinion, to Samson, a native of this tribe, the title of avenger will, at least, be as suitable to him as that of judge, and will be also better connected with what is said in the next verse. But I should think it preferable to understand the whole of what is here said with greater latitude, viz. as a description of the genius and manners of all the Danites.