Difference between revisions of "Dan"

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<p> ( דּן , <i> '''''dān''''' </i> , "judge"; Δάν , <i> '''''Dán''''' </i> ). </p> <h4> 1. Name </h4> <p> The fifth of Jacob's sons, the first borne to him by Bilhah, the maid of Rachel, to whom, as the child of her slave, he legally belonged. At his birth Rachel, whose barrenness had been a sore trial to her, exclaimed "God hath judged me ... and hath given me a son," so she called his name Dan, i.e. "judge" ( [[Genesis]] 30:6 ). He was full brother of Naphtali. In Jacob's Blessing there is an echo of Rachel's words, "Dan shall judge his people" ( Genesis 49:16 ). Of the patriarch Dan almost nothing is recorded. Of his sons at the settlement in [[Egypt]] only one, Hushim, is mentioned ( Genesis 46:23 ). The name in Numbers 26:42 is Shuham. </p> <h4> 2. The [[Tribe]] </h4> <p> The tribe however stands second in point of numbers on leaving Egypt, furnishing 62,700 men of war ( Numbers 1:39 ); and at the second census they were 64,400 strong ( Numbers 26:43 ). The standard of the camp of Dan in the desert march, with which were [[Asher]] and Naphtali, was on the north side of the tabernacle ( Numbers 2:25; Numbers 10:25; compare Joshua 6:9 the King James Version margin, "gathering host"). The prince of the tribe was [[Ahiezer]] ( Numbers 1:12 ). Among the spies Dan was represented by [[Ammiel]] the son of [[Gemalli]] ( Numbers 13:12 ). Of the tribe of Dan was [[Oholiab]] (the King James Version "Aholiab") one of the wise-hearted artificers engaged in the construction of the tabernacle ( Exodus 31:6 ). One who was stoned for blasphemy was the son of a [[Danite]] woman ( Leviticus 24:10 f). At the ceremony of blessing and cursing, Dan and [[Naphtali]] stood on Mount Ebal, while the other [[Rachel]] tribes were on [[Gerizim]] ( Deuteronomy 27:13 ). The prince of Dan at the division of the land was [[Bukki]] the son of [[Jogli]] ( Numbers 34:22 ). </p> <h4> 3. Territory </h4> <p> The portion assigned to Dan adjoined those of Ephraim, [[Benjamin]] and Judah, and lay on the western slopes of the mountain. The reference in Judges 5:17 : "And Dan, why did he remain in ships?" seems to mean that on the West, Dan had reached the sea. But the passage is one of difficulty. We are told that the [[Amorites]] forced the children of Dan into the mountain ( Judges 1:34 ), so they did not enjoy the richest part of their ideal portion, the fertile plain between the mountain and the sea. The strong hand of the house of [[Joseph]] kept the Amorites tributary, but did not drive them out. Later we find Dan oppressed by the Philistines, against whom the heroic exploits of [[Samson]] were performed (Jdg 14ff). The expedition of the [[Danites]] recorded in Jdg 18 is referred to in Joshua 19:47 . </p> <h4> 4. The Danite Raid </h4> <p> The story affords a priceless glimpse of the conditions prevailing in those days. Desiring an extension of territory, the Danites sent out spies, who recommended an attack upon Laish, a city at the north end of the [[Jordan]] valley. The people, possibly a colony from Sidon, were careless in their fancied security. The land was large, and there was "no want of anything that was in the earth." The expedition of the 600, their dealings with Micah and his priest, their capture of Laish, and their founding of an idol shrine with priestly attendant, illustrate the strange mingling of lawlessness and superstition which was characteristic of the time. The town rebuilt on the site of [[Laish]] they called Dan - see following article. Perhaps 2 Chronicles 2:14 may be taken to indicate that the Danites intermarried with the Phoenicians. Divided between its ancient seat in the South and the new territory in the North the tribe retained its place in [[Israel]] for a time ( 1 Chronicles 12:35; 1 Chronicles 27:22 ), but it played no part of importance in the subsequent history. The name disappears from the genealogical lists of Chronicles; and it is not mentioned among the tribes in Revelation 7:5 . </p> <p> Samson was the one great man produced by Dan, and he seems to have embodied the leading characteristics of the tribe: unsteady, unscrupulous, violent, possessed of a certain grim humor; stealthy in tactics - "a serpent in the way, an adder in the path" ( Genesis 49:17 ) - but swift and strong in striking - "a lion's whelp, that leapeth forth from Bashan" ( Deuteronomy 33:22 ). [[Along]] with Abel, Dan ranked as a city in which the true customs of old Israel were preserved ( 2 Samuel 20:18 Septuagint). </p>
<p> A city familiar as marking the northern limit of the land of [[Israel]] in the common phrase "from Dan even to Beer-sheba" ( Judges 20:1; 1 Samuel 3:20 , etc.). Its ancient name was [[Laish]] or [[Leshem]] ( Judges 18:7 , etc.). It was probably an outlying settlement of Tyre of Sidon. Its inhabitants, pursuing the ends of peaceful traders, were defenseless against the onset of the [[Danite]] raiders. Having captured the city the [[Danites]] gave it the name of their own tribal ancestor (Jdg 18). It lay in the valley near Beth-rehob ( Judges 18:28 ). [[Josephus]] places it near Mt. [[Lebanon]] and the fountain of the lesser Jordan, a day's journey from [[Sidon]] ( <i> Ant. </i> , V, iii, 1; VIII, viii, 4; <i> BJ </i> , IV, i, 1). Eusebius, <i> Onomasticon </i> says it lay 4 [[Roman]] miles from [[Paneas]] on the way to Tyre, at the source of the Jordan. This points decisively to <i> '''''Tell el''''' </i> - <i> '''''Ḳāḍy''''' </i> , in the plain West of Banias. The mound of this name - <i> '''''Ḳāḍy''''' </i> is the exact Arabic equivalent of the [[Hebrew]] <i> '''''Dan''''' </i> ̌ - rises from among the bushes and reeds to a height varying from 40 to 80 ft. The largest of all the springs of the [[Jordan]] rises on the west side. The waters join with those of a smaller spring on the other side to form <i> '''''Nahr el''''' </i> - <i> '''''Leddān''''' </i> which flows southward to meet the streams from <i> '''''Bāniās''''' </i> and <i> '''''Ḥasbeiyeh''''' </i> . The mound, which is the crater of an extinct volcano, has certain ancient remains on the south side, while the tomb of <i> '''''Sheikh Marzuk''''' </i> is sheltered by two holy trees. The sanctuary and ritual established by the Danites persisted as long as the house of God was in Shiloh, and the priesthood in this idolatrous shrine remained in the family of [[Jonathan]] till the conquest of Tiglath-pileser ( Judges 18:30; 2 Kings 15:29 ). Here [[Jeroboam]] I set up the golden calf. The ancient sanctity of the place would tend to promote the success of his scheme ( 1 Kings 12:28 f, etc.). The calf, according to a [[Jewish]] tradition, was taken away by Tiglath-pileser. Dan fell before Benhadad, king of [[Syria]] ( 1 Kings 15:20; 2 Chronicles 16:4 ). It was regained by Jeroboam Ii ( 2 Kings 14:25 ). It shared the country's fate at th hands of Tiglath-pileser ( 2 Kings 15:29 ). </p> <p> It was to this district that [[Abraham]] pursued the army of [[Chedorlaomer]] ( [[Genesis]] 14:14 ). For Dr. G. A. Smith's suggestion that Dan may have been at <i> '''''Bāniās''''' </i> see <i> HGHL </i> 1, 473, 480 f. </p>

Revision as of 12:34, 6 October 2021

A city familiar as marking the northern limit of the land of Israel in the common phrase "from Dan even to Beer-sheba" ( Judges 20:1; 1 Samuel 3:20 , etc.). Its ancient name was Laish or Leshem ( Judges 18:7 , etc.). It was probably an outlying settlement of Tyre of Sidon. Its inhabitants, pursuing the ends of peaceful traders, were defenseless against the onset of the Danite raiders. Having captured the city the Danites gave it the name of their own tribal ancestor (Jdg 18). It lay in the valley near Beth-rehob ( Judges 18:28 ). Josephus places it near Mt. Lebanon and the fountain of the lesser Jordan, a day's journey from Sidon ( Ant. , V, iii, 1; VIII, viii, 4; BJ , IV, i, 1). Eusebius, Onomasticon says it lay 4 Roman miles from Paneas on the way to Tyre, at the source of the Jordan. This points decisively to Tell el - Ḳāḍy , in the plain West of Banias. The mound of this name - Ḳāḍy is the exact Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew Dan ̌ - rises from among the bushes and reeds to a height varying from 40 to 80 ft. The largest of all the springs of the Jordan rises on the west side. The waters join with those of a smaller spring on the other side to form Nahr el - Leddān which flows southward to meet the streams from Bāniās and Ḥasbeiyeh . The mound, which is the crater of an extinct volcano, has certain ancient remains on the south side, while the tomb of Sheikh Marzuk is sheltered by two holy trees. The sanctuary and ritual established by the Danites persisted as long as the house of God was in Shiloh, and the priesthood in this idolatrous shrine remained in the family of Jonathan till the conquest of Tiglath-pileser ( Judges 18:30; 2 Kings 15:29 ). Here Jeroboam I set up the golden calf. The ancient sanctity of the place would tend to promote the success of his scheme ( 1 Kings 12:28 f, etc.). The calf, according to a Jewish tradition, was taken away by Tiglath-pileser. Dan fell before Benhadad, king of Syria ( 1 Kings 15:20; 2 Chronicles 16:4 ). It was regained by Jeroboam Ii ( 2 Kings 14:25 ). It shared the country's fate at th hands of Tiglath-pileser ( 2 Kings 15:29 ).

It was to this district that Abraham pursued the army of Chedorlaomer ( Genesis 14:14 ). For Dr. G. A. Smith's suggestion that Dan may have been at Bāniās see HGHL 1, 473, 480 f.

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