Serpents represent what we know from our bodily senses, and the reasoning based on our senses. Since the people of the Most Ancient Church had become more external, they were susceptible to the lure of trusting their senses more than they trusted the leading of the Lord. That was particularly true for the sense of self the people had been given, which is represented by the woman. Eating of the trees in the garden represented taking in desires for good and true ideas from the knowledge granted them by the Lord.

So here, for the first time, we see people, from their own senses, actually questioning the Lord. From their senses they wished to explore the knowledge represented by fruit of the garden, but wondered why they were denied the tree of knowledge.

(Odkazy: Arcana Coelestia 194, 195, 196, 197)

6395. Verses 16-18 Dan will judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan will be a serpent on the road, a darting serpent on the path, biting the horse's heels; and its rider will fall backwards. I wait for Your salvation, O Jehovah.

'Dan' means those who are guided by truth but not as yet by good. 'Will judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel' means that it is one of the truths in general which the tribes of Israel represent. 'Dan will be a serpent on the road' means their reasoning regarding truth, since good does not as yet lead them. 'A darting serpent on the path' means reasoning from truth regarding good. 'Biting the horse's heels' means false notions received from the lowest natural level. 'And its rider will fall backwards' means a receding from [truth]. 'I wait for Your salvation, O Jehovah' means unless the Lord brings them aid.