Dan shal be a Serpent] That is, what he wants in strength, he shall make out in subtilty, and sodaine surprisall; making warre, and getting victory rather by politick stratagems, then by force of armes: Moses compareth him to a Lions whelpe, Deuteronomy 33:22. but (as to the condition of the Danites in generall) it is in regard rather of the suddennesse of a Lions leap, when he seeth the advantage of the prey, then of his strength or courage. So Samson of the Tribe of Dan, though extraordinary strong, and so might be likened to a Lion, yet as a Danite he dealeth with his enemies as well by his policie, as by his strength, See Judg. cap. 15. and cap. 18. of the Danites taking of the City of Laish. Some of the Ancients have conceived that Antichrist shall come of this Tribe, partly because it is likened to a Serpent, and an Adder, and partly because Dan is omitted in the sealing of the Tribes, Revel. 7. whereas the prediction of Antichrist, 2 Thess. 2. 3, &c. Revel. 17. and the accomplishment of it, as we find it by story and experience, plainly discover that conceit to be vaine and frivolous; and for the omission of Dan, it is rather to be referred to the Idolatry wherewith that Tribe was especially branded, Judg. 18. 30. 1 Kings 12:29. and that upon better ground then to the rising of Antichrist out of his Tribe, for which there is no probability either of Scripture, or reason; and they might as well say that Antichrist shall come of the Tribe of Simeon, because Moses in the 33. of Deut. maketh no mention of him in the benediction of the Tribes, as that he shall come of Dan, because he is omitted by John; but it is most like that the one was omitted by Moses, chiefly for his bloody treachery against the Shechemites; the other by John, for his notorious Idolatry. But the Fathers, good men, standing so farre off the achme, or full growth and progresse of Antichrist, are to be pardoned in their mistaking; which the Doway Translators should not in modesty (if they care not for truth or probability) have offered unto their Readers liking, (as they do in their Annotation on this verse) since that errour (as if it had been taken to use by some erroneous Writers of after-times) is so improved and increased in ridiculous repugnancies to Scripture, reason, and sometimes to it selfe, that whosoever is not extremely destitute of religion, and ingenuity, may be ashamed of it, as our Protestant Authours have plainly discovered, who have exactly discussed the question of Antichrist.