Chapter VII.
On the blessing of Dan, which prophesies the future coming of the Antichrist from that tribe. An exhortation is added to shake off the sleep of vices; after the same tribe is predicted to come to the faith.
And he shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a serpent by the path, that biteth the horse's heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. I wait for thy salvation, O LORD (Gen. XLIX, 16 et seq.). The simple meaning of this is that Dan also gave a judge to Israel. For after Joshua, judges were appointed for the people from the various tribes. Indeed, Samson was also from the tribe of Dan, and he judged Israel for twenty years. But this prophecy does not signify him, but the Antichrist who will come from the tribe of Dan, a fierce judge, and a monstrous tyrant, will judge his people. Like a serpent on the road, sitting in the path, he will try to overthrow those who walk in the way of truth, desiring to supplant the truth. This is indeed biting the horse's heel, so that the horse, wounded and poisoned by the serpent's bite, may lift its heel; just as Judas the betrayer, tempted by the devil, lifted his heel against the Lord Jesus, in order to overthrow the horseman, who threw himself down to lift everyone. Therefore, he fell not prostrate on his face as if sleeping, but backward, stretching himself from what is higher to what is lower, awaiting salvation from the Lord. For he knew that he would be raised up, and therefore he expected to lift up the fallen Adam.
Therefore, when we are going well on the road, let us beware that a snake does not hide in the path and overthrow the footprint of the horse, that is, of our body, and suddenly cast down the sleeping rider. For if we are watchful, we ought to be somewhat cautious and to avoid the bites of the serpent. Therefore, let not the sleep of negligence oppress us, the sleep of the world, let not the sleep of riches oppress us; lest it also be said of us: They have slept their sleep, and all the men of riches have found nothing (Psalm 75:6). But there are also sleeping knights, of whom it is written: Those who mounted the horses fell asleep (Ibid, 7). If greed wounds your heart, if lust inflames it, you sleep, knight, and therefore you cannot control your body, that is, your horse. Therefore, stay awake, so that even if you fall, that is, if you die, you do not fall asleep. For those who fall asleep in their sleep, find nothing. But you, wait for salvation from the Lord, look to the coming, so that you may find the grace of resurrection. Judas was sleeping: finally, he did not hear the words of Christ. Judas was sleeping, and indeed the sleep of riches, seeking a reward for his betrayal. The devil saw him sleeping, and oppressed by the heavy sleep of greed: he entered into his heart, wounded the horse, threw off the rider, whom he separated from Christ.
Moses blessed this tribe, saying: Dan is a lion's cub that shall leap forth from Bashan (Deut. XXXII, 22), that is, from confusion. Hence, according to the Greek translation, we should understand that Dan himself became a serpent sitting on the way. Dan means judgement. And therefore, this tribe underwent a grave risk of judgement, as the serpent, Antichrist, slipped in and wounded it with his venoms. But nevertheless, the Tribe itself will be freed from confusion, when it has confessed the rising Knight, who says: Whoever confesses me before men, I will confess him before my Father who is in heaven: but whoever denies me before men, I will deny him before my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33).