|
|
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| == Holman Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_39652" /> == | | == Fausset's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_35065" /> == |
| Judges 1:1 Genesis 30:6 <p> 2. The biblical city of Dan is often mentioned in the description of the land of Israel , namely “from Dan even to Beersheba” ( Judges 20: 1 ). It has been identified with modern tell el-Qadi (or tell Dan). The tel, which covers about 50 acres, is situated at the northern end of the richly fertile [[ Huleh]] Plain at the base of Mt. Hermon. The abundant springs of the site provide one of the three main sources of the [[ Jordan]] [[River.]] </p> <p> The city was formerly named [[Laish]] ( Judges 18: 7 or [[Leshem]] in Joshua 19:47 ) when occupied by the Canaanites. This city is mentioned in the [[ Egyptian]] execration texts and [[Mari]] tablets from the eighteenth century B.C. Later [[ Thutmose]] III listed Laish among the cities conquered in his 1468 B.C. campaign. The name Dan was applied to the city conquered by the [[ Israelite]] tribe in its northern migration ( Judges 18:1 ). </p> <p> Excavation of tell Dan has been led by A. Biran of [[Hebrew]] University in [[ Jerusalem]] since 1966. Laish was founded at the end of the Early [[Bronze]] II Age ( about 2700 B. C. ) near the springs and flourished until about 2300 B. C. [[ Significant]] pottery remains of this era were uncovered along with remains of floors and walls. The city probably remained unoccupied until the Middle Bronze II period (about 2000 B.C.), when a large, well-fortified city was constructed. A massive earthen rampart similar to that of [[ Hazor]] was built for defensive purposes, and set into the rampart ( about 1750 B.C.) was a well-preserved, mudbrick “triple-arched gate. ” The fifteen meter square gate system stood twelve meters above the surrounding plain and contained the earliest arched entryways known in the world. The gate was blocked and covered within a century for reasons unknown. The earthen ramparts continued to be the primary defense fortification through several wars and conquests until the Israelite period. Other significant finds from the period include jar burials, tombs, and pottery. </p> <p> The Late Bronze Age is represented by a richly-supplied tomb containing Mycenaean and Cypriote imported wares; ivory inlaid cosmetic boxes; gold, silver, and bronze objects; and forty- five skeletons of men, women, and children. </p> <p> Iron Age Laish was rebuilt by local inhabitants in the late thirteenth century B.C. but destroyed about 1100 B.C. by the migrating tribe of Dan. [[ Scripture]] describes the conquest of the city as if the local people were unsuspecting of the coming invasion. [[ Danites]] utilized the earlier rampart for defense and built their homes on the ruins of the previous city. The first [[ Danite]] city, which contained some [[Philistine]] pottery remnants, was destroyed a century after its founding. The city was soon rebuilt and became a prominent Israelite city of the Iron Age. </p> <p> Following the establishment of the Israelite kingdom under David and Solomon, [[ Jeroboam]] led the Northern tribes in revolt against [[ Rehoboam]] (about 925 B.C.). As an alternative to worship in Jerusalem, Dan and [[ Bethel]] were fortified as border fortress/sanctuaries ( 1 Kings 12: 29 ) with temples containing golden calf representations of Yahweh. This may have represented a combination of [[ Baal]] worship with worship of Yahweh. The extent to which the Baal cult influenced Northern [[ Israel]] is seen in the reign of Jehu, who did not destroy the altars at Dan and Bethel, despite eradicating the Baal priests from the land ( 2 Kings 10: 32 ). Excavations at Dan have uncovered the “high place” of Jeroboam along with a small horned altar, the city gate (with royal throne) and walls (12 feet thick), hundreds of pottery vessels, buildings, and inscribed objects. This city was soon taken by Ben-hadad of [[Aram]] and then recaptured by Jeroboam II in the eighth century B.C. ( 2 Kings 14:25 ). The Israelite city of Dan fell to the [[ Assyrians]] under Tiglath-pileser III (Pul of Old Testament) about 743 B.C. ( 2 Kings 15:29 ). He annexed the city into an [[Assyrian]] district. Many Danites were deported to Assyria, Babylon, and Media following the fall of [[ Samaria]] in 722 or 721 B.C. ( 2 Kings 17 :6 ) to [[ Sargon]] II. [[ Foreigners]] were brought in from Babylon, Aram, and other lands to settle Israel's territory. The writer of Kings ascribed the fall of the kingdom to the worship of gods other than [[ Yahweh]] ( 2 Kings 17: 7-20 ), and Dan was one of the key centers of this idolatry. </p> <p> As [[Josiah]] came to the throne of Judah in 639 B.C., [[ Assyria]] was on the decline. Josiah incorporated the former Northern [[Kingdom]] territories into a united country, restoring the classical borders of Israel to “from Dan to Beersheba.” An upper gate to the city was built during this period, and the inscription found at this level, “belonging to Ba' alpelet, ” demonstrates that Baal worship continued to influence this area after the Assyrian destruction. The partially rebuilt city survived until the onslaught of the [[ Babylonian]] army of [[Nebuchadnezzar]] ( about 589 B.C.; compare Jeremiah 4: 14-18 ) . </p> <p> Dan again was occupied in the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods. In the area of the high place, statues and figurines of Greco-Roman and Egyptian gods such as Osiris, Bes, and Aphrodite have been excavated. The Greek and [[Aramaic]] inscription, “To the god who is in Dan, Zoilos made a vow,” further evidences the religious significance of the city. </p> <p> Dennis Cole </p> | | <p> ("judge".) Jacob's fourth son, Bilhah's (maid of Rachel) first ( Genesis 30:6 ), own brother to Naphtali. The female corresponding name is [[Dinah]] ("judgment".) Rachel's exclamation originated the name, "God hath judged me," i.e. vindicated my cause by giving me a son. Jacob on his deathbed said, "Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel " ( Genesis 49: 16) , i. e., having the full tribal standing as much as Leah's descendants. (See [[ Concubine]] . ) The judgeship of [[ Samson]] may also be a fulfillment of Jacob's words ( Judges 15: 20). [[ Hushim]] (the plural implying a family) or [[ Shuham]] alone is mentioned as Dan 's son ( Genesis 46:23); but at the Exodus the tribe stood second of [[ Israel]] in numbers ( Numbers 1: 39), Numbers 1 :62,700; 64,400 at the close of the wilderness sojourn ( Numbers 26:43). </p> <p> It occupied the N. side of the tabernacle, the hindmost in the march ( Numbers 2:25; Numbers 2:31; Numbers 10:25), with [[ Asher]] and Naphtali. Of Dan was Aholiab, associated with Bezaleel, in the construction of the tabernacle ( Exodus 31:6, etc. ). Its allotment was on the coast W. of Judah and Benjamin, S. of Ephraim, N. of Simeon; small, but most choice, extending from [[ Joppa]] on the N. to [[ Ekron]] on the S., 14 miles long, part of the shephelah ( or vale sweeping along the whole coast, the N. part of which is Sharon). The powerful [[Philistines]] near them drove them partly toward the mountainous region bordering on Judah, so as to encroach on Judah's towns, [[Zorah]] and [[Eshtaol]] and Ir-shemesh or Beth-shemesh; compare Joshua 15:33 with Joshua 19:41. The [[Amorites]] previously "would not suffer them to come down into the valley" ( Judges 1:34). </p> <p> Hence, Samson resides at [[Mahaneh- Dan]] (the camp of Dan) in the hills, between Zorah and Eshtaol, behind [[Kirjath]] Jearim, and thence "comes down" to the vineyards of [[ Timnath]] and the valley of Sorek. There too was his final resting place ( Judges 13:25; Judges 14:1; Judges 14:5; Judges 14:19; Judges 16:4; Judges 16:31; Judges 18:12). The Phoenician king Esmunazar made this rich plain his prize long after, as an inscription records if rightly deciphered. In Joshua 19:47," the coast of Dan went out (too little)' for them," rather "went out from them" (Hebrew meehem ), i.e. to a distance from their original allotment, namely, to [[ Leshem]] or Laish, (which 600 of their warriors armed went forth from Zorah and Eshtaol to seize on, in the far N.) and named Dan after their father, at the W. source of the [[ Jordan]] River, four miles W. of Paneas. </p> <p> [[Thrice]] stress is laid on the 600 being "appointed with weapons of war" ( Judges 18:11; Judges 18:16-17), for the Philistines deprived all [[ Israelites]] they could of arms, so that we find Samson using a donkey's jawbone as his only weapon ( 1 Samuel 13:19-21). Hence, as being so occupied with the [[ Philistine]] warfare, [[Danites]] were not among Barak's and Deborah's helpers against [[ Sisera]] ( Judges 4; Judges 5: 17, where allusion occurs to Dan's possession of the only [[Israelite]] port, "Why did Dan remain in ships?".) The N. Danites of [[ Laish]] (named by them Dan) carried with them Micah the Ephraimite's [[ Levitical]] family priest (Judges 17; 18) and graven image, which they worshipped" until the day of the captivity of the land " ( Judges 18: 30-31) , i. e. until the Israelite reverse whereby the Philistines carried away the ark; what aggravated their idolatry was it was at the very time "that the house of God was in Shiloh, " within their reach. </p> <p> This probably suggested the city Dan to [[ Jeroboam]] as one of the two seats of the golden calf worship ( 1 Kings 12:29). Dan's genealogy is not given in 1 Chronicles 2-12. Its unsettled state audits connection with the far N. Dan, the headquarters of idolatry, may have caused the loss of the genealogy. Dan is omitted among the sealed in Revelation 7 as having been the first to lapse into idolatry, for which cause [[ Ephraim]] also is omitted ( Judges 17; Hosea 4:17) and [[ Joseph]] substituted. [[ Arethas]] of the 10th century suggests that Dan's omission is because [[ Antichrist]] is to be from him, or else to be his tool ( compare Genesis 49:17 ; Jeremiah 8:16; Amos 8: 14), as there was a [[Judas]] among the twelve. </p> <p> Jacob's prophecy, "Dan shall be a serpent in the way, ... that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward," alludes primarily to Dan's local position in front of the royal Judah ; so ready to meet the horse, forbidden in Israelite warfare, with the watchword "I have waited for [[ Thy]] salvation," and to fall unawares on the advancing enemy by the way Dan's mode of warfare is illustrated in its attack on the men of Laish," careless, quiet, and secure, " as also in their great judge Samson' s mode of attack, watching for an opportunity and striking an unlooked for, stealthy, sudden blow. Mainly perhaps, by the Spirit, he has in view the old serpent which was to "bruise the heel" of the promised [[ Savior]] ( Genesis 3: 15), but ultimately to have its head bruised by Him; therefore he adds the desire of all believers, "I have waited for Thy salvation, " which abrupt exclamation is thus clearly accounted for. </p> |
| | | |
| == Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible <ref name="term_50578" /> == | | == International Standard Bible Encyclopedia <ref name="term_2935" /> == |
| <p> < strong> DAN </ strong> . According to the popular tradition, Dan was the fifth son of Jacob, and full brother of Naphtali, by Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid ( [[Genesis]] 30:6; Genesis 30:8 ). Rachel, who had no children, exclaimed <em> ‘dananni </em> ’ (‘God hath judged me’), and, therefore, he was called <em> Dan </em> . As in the case of so many names, this is clearly a ‘popular etymology. ’ It is probable that Dan was an appellative, or titular attribute, of some deity whose name has not come down to us in connexion with it, or it may even be <em> the name </em> of a god as [[Gad]] was ( cf. the Assyr. [Note: Assyrian.] proper names <em> Ashur-dân </em> [‘Ashur is judge’], <em> Aku-dâna </em> [‘the moon-god is judge’] of the period of Hammurabi). Its feminine counterpart is <em> [[Dinah]] </em> ( Jacob’s daughter by Leah) , which as the name of the half-sister of Dan is probably reminiscent of some related clan that early lost its identity. </p> <p> Of this eponymous ancestor of the tribe tradition has preserved no details, but some of the most interesting stories of the Book of Judges tell of the exploits of the Danite Samson, who, single-handed, wrought discomfiture in the ranks of the Philistines. These are heroic rather than historical tales, yet suggestive of the conditions that prevailed when the tribes were establishing themselves. </p> <p> P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] makes Dan a large tribe. With his characteristic love of large numbers he gives the fighting strength of Dan in the [[Wilderness]] census as 62,700, more than that of any other except Judah ( Numbers 1: 33; cf. Numbers 26: 43 , [[Moab]] census). All the other data point in the opposite direction. J [ Note: Jahwist.] ( Judges 18: 11 ) speaks of it as a ‘family’; elsewhere Dan is said to have had only one son, [[ Hushim]] or [[ Shuham]] ( Genesis 46:23 , Numbers 26: 42 ). The tribe at first occupied the hill-country in the S.W. of Ephraim, and thence attempted to spread out into the valleys of [[ Aijalon]] and Sorek. That it ever reached the sea, either here or in its later northern home, is unlikely, notwithstanding the usual interpretation of Judges 5: 17 , a passage which yields no wholly satisfactory meaning. (But see Moore, <em> Judges, ad loc </em> .). In this region the Danites were severely pressed by the ‘Amorites’ = ( Canaanites). The major portion were compelled to emigrate northward, where they found at the foot of Mt. Hermon an isolated city, Laish or Leshem, situated in a fertile tract of country ( Joshua 19: 47 , Judges 18:1-31 ). This city with its unsuspecting inhabitants the Danites ruthlessly destroyed. A new city was built, to which they gave the name of Dan. In this colony there were only 600 armed men with their families. On their way thither they induced the domestic priest of an Ephraimite, Micah, to accompany them with his sacred paraphernalia, an ephod, a graven and a molten image, and the <em> teraphim </em> . These were duly installed in a permanent sanctuary, in which the descendants of Moses are said to have ministered until the [[Captivity]] ( Judges 18: 30 ). That the remnant of the family left in the South was either destroyed by its enemies, or, more likely, absorbed by the neighbouring tribes, is made probable by Judges 1:35 , which ascribes the victory over their enemies to the ‘house of Joseph. ’ Genesis 49: 17 says ‘Dan shall be a serpent in the way, an adder in the path’; and Deuteronomy 33:22 , ‘Dan is a lion’s whelp,’ etc. These characterizations are more applicable to a small tribe of guerilla fighters, versed in cunning strategy, wont to strike a quick blow from ambush at a passing troop, than they are to the more sustained measures of warfare of a large and powerful body. See also Tribes. </p> <p> James A. Craig. < /p> <p> <strong> DAN </strong> . A city in northern Palestine, once called <strong> Laish </strong> ( Judges 18:29 ) or <strong> Leshem </strong> ( Joshua 19:47 ), though the ancient record of the battle of four kings against five gives the later name ( Genesis 14:14 ). It was a city remote from assistance, and therefore fell an easy prey to a band of marauding Danites, searching for a dwelling-place. It was in the north boundary of Palestine. The story of the Danites stealing the shrine of Micah is told to account for its sanctity, which Jeroboam I. recognized by setting up here one of his calf-shrines ( 1 Kings 12:29 ). It was perhaps the same as <strong> Dan- jaan </strong> , one of the borders of Joab’s census district ( 2 Samuel 24: 6 ). It was captured by Ben-hadad ( 1 Kings 15:20 ). It is identified with <em> Tell el-Kadi </em> on account of the similarity of meaning of the names ( Arabic <em> kadi </em> = Hebrew <em> dan </em> = ‘judge’) a very dangerous ground for such speculations. The site, however, would suit the geographical context of the narratives. </p> <p> R. A. S. Macalister. </p> | | <p> (דּן , < i> '''''dān''''' </ i> , "judge"; Δάν , <i> '''''Dán''''' </i> ). </p> 1. Name <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> 2. The [[Tribe]] <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> 3. Territory <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> 4. The Danite Raid <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> |
|
| |
| == Morrish Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_65718" /> ==
| |
| <p> Fifth son of Jacob, and first of Bilhah, Rachel's maid. Genesis 30:6 , etc. Little is recorded of him personally: only one son is mentioned in Genesis 46:23 . The tribe of Dan was, however, numerous: at the Exodus there were 62,700 fighting men, exceeding all the tribes except Judah; and at the second numbering they had increased to 64,400. Numbers 1:39; Numbers 26:42,43 . Yet when in the land the [[Amorites]] forced the children of Dan into the mountains: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley. Judges 1:34 . This showed great want of faith in the DANITES (as they are called in Judges 13:2; Judges 18:1,11; 1 Chronicles 12:35 ); and [[Deborah]] in her song said, 'Why did Dan remain in ships,' when the Lord's enemies were being destroyed? </p> <p> Their portion fell on the sea-coast between those of [[Manasseh]] and Judah. It was small in comparison with their numbers, which occasioned some going north and building the city of Dan, <i> q.v. </i> Dan was not conspicuous among the tribes, but Aholiab, who helped [[Bezaleel]] in the work of the tabernacle, was of the tribe, Exodus 31:6; and [[Samson]] also. </p> <p> When Jacob blessed his sons he said, "Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward." Genesis 49:16,17 . This tribe was guilty of setting up very early in the land the idolatry, which continued until the people were carried into captivity. Judges 18:30,31 . One naturally associates 'the adder that biteth the heels' with the serpent that would bruise the heel of the seed of the woman. Genesis 3:15 . It seems to suggest that the [[Antichrist]] will arise out of the tribe of Dan, and this indeed has been the judgement of [[Christians]] from the earliest times. Moses said, "Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan," Deuteronomy 33:22 , which may be a prophecy that Dan would do the work of Satan: cf. Psalm 22:12,13 . This thought is confirmed by Dan's name being absent from 1 Chronicles 2 - 8 (the book that records much of grace and blessing), and being omitted also from the list of tribes from each of which twelve thousand will be sealed in a future day. Revelation 7:3-8 . Still God's promises to the twelve tribes will be kept, and the tribe of Dan will have its portion in the land as prophesied in Ezekiel 48:1,2,32 . </p>
| |
|
| |
| == Smith's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_72192" /> ==
| |
| <p> '''Dan.''' ''(A Judge).'' </p> <p> 1. The fifth son of Jacob, and the first of Bilhah, Rachel's maid. Genesis 30:6. (B.C. After 1753). The origin of the name is given in the exclamation of Rachel. The records of Dan are unusually meagre. Only one son is attributed to him, Genesis 46:23, but his tribe was, with the exception of Judah, the most numerous of all. In the division of the [[Promised]] Land, Dan was the last of the tribes to receive his portion, which was the smallest of the twelve. Joshua 19:48, But notwithstanding its smallness, it had eminent natural advantages. </p> <p> On the north and east, it was completely embraced by its two brother tribes, [[Ephraim]] and Benjamin, while on the southeast and south, it joined Judah, and was thus, surrounded by the three most powerful states of the whole confederacy. It was a rich and fertile district; but the Amorites soon "forced them into the mountain," Judges 1:34, and they had another portion granted them. Judges 18. In the "security" and "quiet," Judges 18:7; Judges 18:10, of their rich northern possession, the Danites enjoyed the leisure and repose which had been denied them in their original seat. </p> <p> In the time of David, Dan still kept its place among the tribes. 1 Chronicles 12:35. [[Asher]] is omitted, but the "prince of the tribe of Dan" is mentioned in the list of 1 Chronicles 27:22. But from this time forward, the name as applied to the tribe vanishes; it is kept alive only by the northern city. In the genealogies of 1 Chronicles 2-12, Dan is omitted entirely. Lastly, Dan is omitted from the list of those who were sealed by the angel in the vision of St. John. Revelation 7:5-7. </p> <p> 2. The well-known city, so familiar as the most northern landmark of Palestine, in the common expression "from Dan even to Beersheba." The name of the place was originally [[Laish]] or [[Leshem]] . Joshua 19:47. After the establishment of the Danites at Dan, it became the acknowledged extremity of the country. It is now ''Tell El-Kadi,'' a mound, three miles from Banias, from the foot of which gushes out one of the largest fountains in the world, the main source of the Jordan. </p>
| |
|
| |
| == Bridgeway Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_18514" /> ==
| |
| <p> The tribe of Dan was descended from the elder of two sons whom Rachel’s maid [[Bilhah]] bore to Jacob ( Genesis 30:1-6). In the original division of Canaan, Dan received its tribal portion on the Philistine coast between Judah and Ephraim ( Joshua 19:40-48; Judges 5:17; Judges 13:1-2; Judges 14:1; Judges 16:23; for map see [[Tribes]] ). </p> <p> Besides being squeezed between Israel’s two most powerful tribes, the Danites were pushed back from the coast by the [[Philistines]] and the Amorites. The tribe therefore sent representatives north to look for a better place to live ( Judges 1:34; Judges 18:1-2). The place they decided upon was Laish, located in the fertile region of the Jordan headwaters in the far north of Canaan. With the swiftness and ruthlessness that had characterized the tribe from the beginning, they slaughtered the people of Laish and seized the town for themselves, renaming it Dan ( Judges 18:7-10; Judges 18:27-29; cf. Genesis 49:16-17; Deuteronomy 33:22). </p> <p> From that time on, the towns of Dan and [[Beersheba]] marked respectively the northern and southern limits of the land of Israel ( Judges 20:1; 1 Samuel 3:20; 2 Samuel 17:11; 2 Samuel 24:2). When the nation was split in two after the death of Solomon, the southern tribes of Judah and [[Benjamin]] were separated from the northern tribes, who still called themselves Israel. The new limits of Israel were now Dan in the north and Bethel in the south. The breakaway king of Israel set up his own shrines in these two towns, in opposition to Judah’s shrine in Jerusalem ( 1 Kings 12:28-30). </p> <p> Dan’s isolated location meant that it was open to enemy attack from the north ( 1 Kings 15:20). It was one of the first parts of Israel to fall when Assyria conquered the land and took the people into captivity ( 2 Kings 15:29). </p>
| |
|
| |
| == People's Dictionary of the Bible <ref name="term_69933" /> ==
| |
| <p> [[Dan]] (''Dăn'' ), Judges 1:1-36. A son of Jacob by bis concubine Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid. Genesis 30:6; Genesis 35:25; Exodus 1:4; 1 Chronicles 2:2. Of Dan's personal history we know nothing, except that he had one son, Hushim or Shuham. Genesis 46:23; Numbers 26:42. He shared with Ms brethren the prophetic blessing of Jacob, Genesis 49:16-17, fulfilled, perhaps, in the administration of Samson, and in the craft and stratagem which his descendants used against their enemies. Other explanations, however, have been given. Those descendants multiplied largely; for at the first census after quitting Egypt the tribe numbered 62,700 males above 20 years of age; and, when numbered again on their coming to Jordan, they were 64,400. Numbers 1:38-39; Numbers 26:42-43. Moses ere his death, like Jacob, pronounced a prophetic blessing on the tribe: "Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan," Deuteronomy 33:22, fulfilled in the predatory expeditions of which one at least is recorded in their subsequent history. ''2,'' The territory in [[Canaan]] allotted to Dan was on the seacoast, west of Benjamin and between Ephraim and Judah. It embraced a broad plain, 14 miles long, near the sea. The Amorites kept them from the plain and forced them into the mountains. Hence they had another portion granted them, near Mount Hermon, Judges 18:1-31, where they set up a graven image stolen from Micah 3:1-12. Dan, city of, the chief city of the northern district held by this tribe. Judges 20:1. It was originally called Laish, Judges 18:29; noted for idolatry, Judges 18:30; now called Tel-el-Kâdy, or "Mound of the Judge," three miles from Banias, north of the waters of Merom. 4. The Dan of Ezekiel 27:19, R. V. "Vedan." is possibly the same as No. 2. but some identify it with Dedar, others with Aden, in Arabia. </p>
| |
|
| |
| == American Tract Society Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_15873" /> ==
| |
| <p> A judge, </p> <p> 1. A son of Jacob by Bilhah, Genesis 30:3 35:25 . The tribe of Dan was second only to that of Judah in numbers before entering Canaan, Numbers 1:39 26:43 . A portion was assigned to Dan, extending southeast from the seacoast near Joppa. It bordered on the land of the Philistines, with whom the tribe of Dan had much to do, Judges 13:1-16:31 . Their territory was fertile, but small, and the natives were powerful. A part of the tribe therefore sought and conquered another home, Joshua 19:1-51 Judges 18:1-31 </p> <p> 2. A city originally called Laish, Judges 18:29 , at the northern extremity of Israel, in the tribe of Naphtali. "From Dan to Beersheba" denotes the whole extent of the land of promise, Dan being the northern city, and Beersheba the southern one. Dan was seated at the foot of Mount Hermon, four miles west of Paneas, near one source of the Jordan, on a hill now called Tell-el-Kady. Laish at one time belonged to Zidon, and received the name of Dan from a portion of that tribe who conquered and rebuilt it, Judges 18:1-31 . It was an idolatrous city even then, and was afterwards the seat of one of the golden calves of Jeroboam, 1 Kings 12:28 Amos 8:14 . Though once and again a very prosperous city, Judges 18:10 Ezekiel 27:19 , only slight remains of it now exist. </p>
| |
|
| |
| == Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary <ref name="term_47657" /> ==
| |
| <p> The fifth son of Jacob, and by Bilhah, the handmaid of Rachel. ( Genesis 30:4-6) I notice this man more with a view to make an observation on his father's prophecy concerning his tribe, than from any thing particularly to be recorded relative to Dan himself. Jacob, when dying, prophesied concerning Dan in these remarkable words: ( Genesis 49:16-17) "Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse's heels, so that his rider shall fall backward." This prophecy was accomplished in the person of Samson, who descended from Dan. It is worthy farther remark, that though in the first instance of Dan there were no very promising prospects of a numerous race, Dan himself having but one son, ( Genesis 46:23) yet, at the children of Israel's leaving Egypt, the tribe of Dan amounted to "threescore and two thousand, seven hundred men," all that were able to go forth to war. ( Numbers 1:38) </p>
| |
|
| |
| == Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary <ref name="term_80544" /> ==
| |
| <p> the fifth son of Jacob, Genesis 30:1-6 . Dan had but one son, whose name was Hushim, Genesis 46:23; yet he had a numerous posterity; for, on leaving Egypt, this tribe consisted of sixty-two thousand seven hundred men able to bear arms, Numbers 1:38 . Of Jacob's blessing Dan, see Genesis 49:16-17 . They took Laish, Judges 18:1; Joshua 19:47 . Whey called the city Dan, after their progenitor. The city of Dan was situated at the northern extremity of the land of Israel: hence the phrase, "from Dan to Beersheba," denoting the whole length of the land of promise. Here Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, set up one of his golden calves, 1 Kings 12:29; and the other at Bethel. </p>
| |
|
| |
| == Easton's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_31136" /> ==
| |
| <li> This name occurs in Ezekiel 27:19 , Authorize Version; but the words there, "Dan also," should be simply, as in the Revised Version, "Vedan," an [[Arabian]] city, from which various kinds of merchandise were brought to Tyre. Some suppose it to have been the city of Aden in Arabia. (See MAHANEH-DAN.) <div> <p> '''Copyright Statement''' These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by [[Thomas]] Nelson, 1897. Public Domain. </p> <p> '''Bibliography Information''' Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Dan'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/d/dan.html. 1897. </p> </div> </li>
| |
|
| |
| == Webster's Dictionary <ref name="term_107613" /> ==
| |
| <p> '''(1):''' ''' (''' n.) A title of honor equivalent to master, or sir. </p> <p> '''(2):''' ''' (''' n.) A small truck or sledge used in coal mines. </p>
| |
|
| |
| == King James Dictionary <ref name="term_59394" /> ==
| |
| <p> DAN, n. A title of honor equivalent to master used by Shakspeare, Prior, &c., but now obsolete. </p>
| |
|
| |
| == Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature <ref name="term_15446" /> ==
| |
| <p> Son of Jacob </p> <p> Dan, son of Jacob by the concubine Bilhah , and founder of one of the tribes of Israel. Dan had but one son, called Hushim : notwithstanding which, when the [[Israelites]] came out of Egypt, this tribe contained 62,700 adult males , which made it the second of the tribes in number, Judah only being above it. Its numbers were less affected in the desert than those of many other tribes; for at the census, before entering Canaan, it mustered 64,400 , being an increase of 1700, which gave it still the second rank in population. But there is nothing in the history of the tribe corresponding to this eminence in population: the most remarkable circumstance in its history, however, is connected with this fact. The original settlement assigned to the tribe in south-western [[Palestine]] being too small for its large population, a body of them went forth to seek a settlement in the remote north, and seized and remained in permanent occupation of the town and district of Laish, the inhabitants of which dwelt in greater security and were more easily conquered than the neighbors of the tribe in its own proper territory (;; Judges 18). The district regularly allotted to the tribe, although contracted, was very fertile. It had the country of the Philistines on the west, part of Judah with Benjamin on the east, Ephraim on the north, and [[Simeon]] on the south. The territory proved inadequate chiefly from the inability of the Danites to expel the Philistines and Amorites, who occupied parts of the land assigned to them. There is no doubt that the territory as allotted, but not possessed, extended to the [[Mediterranean]] through the country of the Philistines. Samson was of this tribe, and its proximity to the Philistines explains many circumstances in the history of that hero. It appears from that history that there was an under-current of private and social intercourse between the Philistines and the Danites, notwithstanding the public enmity between Israel and the former (Judges 13-16). </p> <p> Town of Dan </p> <p> Dan, the town, anciently called Laish, or Leshem, mentioned in the preceding article as having been conquered by a warlike colony of Danites, who named it after their tribe. The terms in which the condition of Laish is described, previously to the conquest, indicate that the place belonged to the Sidonians, and that the inhabitants lived quiet and secure, 'after the manner of the Sidonians,' enjoying abundance of all things . They seem to have derived their security from the absence of any adverse powers in their neighborhood, and from confidence in the protection of Sidon, which was, however, too far off to render aid in the case of such a sudden assault as that by which they were overpowered. This distance of [[Sidon]] was carefully noted by the Danite spies as a circumstance favorable to the enterprise; and it does not appear that Sidon ever made any effort to dispossess the intruders. Dan afterwards became a chief seat of Jeroboam's idolatry, and one of the golden calves was set up there . It was conquered, along with other towns, by the [[Syrians]] and the name is familiar from the recurrence of the proverbial expression, 'from Dan to Beersheba,' to denote the extent of the Promised Land (;; ) [BEER-SHEBA.] In the days of Eusebius, Dan was still a small village, which is placed by him four miles from Paneas, towards Tyre. As this distance corresponds to the position of the fountain at Tel el-Kadi, which forms one of the sources of the Jordan, and is doubtless that which is called Dan by [[Josephus]] (Antiq.i. 10, 1), the situation of the city of Dan could not therefore have been that of Paneas itself, with which it has been in later times confounded [CAESAREA PHILIPPI]. There are no longer any ruins near the spring at Tel el Kadi, but at about a quarter of an hour north, [[Burckhardt]] noticed ruins of ancient habitations; and the hill which overhangs the fountains appears to have been built upon, though nothing is now visible. </p>
| |
|
| |
| == Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature <ref name="term_36262" /> ==
| |
| <p> '''Bibliography Information''' McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Dan'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and [[Ecclesiastical]] Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/d/dan.html. [[Harper]] & Brothers. New York. 1870. </p>
| |
| | | |
| ==References == | | ==References == |
| <references> | | <references> |
|
| |
|
| <ref name="term_39652"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/holman-bible-dictionary/dan Dan from Holman Bible Dictionary]</ref> | | <ref name="term_35065"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/fausset-s-bible-dictionary/dan+(1) Dan from Fausset's Bible Dictionary]</ref> |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_50578"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hastings-dictionary-of-the-bible/dan Dan from Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_65718"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/morrish-bible-dictionary/dan Dan from Morrish Bible Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_72192"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/smith-s-bible-dictionary/dan Dan from Smith's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_18514"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/bridgeway-bible-dictionary/dan Dan from Bridgeway Bible Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_69933"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/people-s-dictionary-of-the-bible/dan Dan from People's Dictionary of the Bible]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_15873"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/american-tract-society-bible-dictionary/dan Dan from American Tract Society Bible Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_47657"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hawker-s-poor-man-s-concordance-and-dictionary/dan Dan from Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_80544"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/watson-s-biblical-theological-dictionary/dan Dan from Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_31136"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/easton-s-bible-dictionary/dan Dan from Easton's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_107613"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/webster-s-dictionary/dan Dan from Webster's Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_59394"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/king-james-dictionary/dan Dan from King James Dictionary]</ref>
| |
|
| |
| <ref name="term_15446"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/kitto-s-popular-cyclopedia-of-biblial-literature/dan Dan from Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature]</ref>
| |
| | | |
| <ref name="term_36262"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/cyclopedia-of-biblical-theological-and-ecclesiastical-literature/dan Dan from Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature]</ref> | | <ref name="term_2935"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/international-standard-bible-encyclopedia/dan+(1) Dan from International Standard Bible Encyclopedia]</ref> |
| | | |
| </references> | | </references> |
Fausset's Bible Dictionary [1]
("judge".) Jacob's fourth son, Bilhah's (maid of Rachel) first ( Genesis 30:6), own brother to Naphtali. The female corresponding name is Dinah ("judgment".) Rachel's exclamation originated the name, "God hath judged me," i.e. vindicated my cause by giving me a son. Jacob on his deathbed said, "Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel" ( Genesis 49:16), i.e., having the full tribal standing as much as Leah's descendants. (See Concubine .) The judgeship of Samson may also be a fulfillment of Jacob's words ( Judges 15:20). Hushim (the plural implying a family) or Shuham alone is mentioned as Dan's son ( Genesis 46:23); but at the Exodus the tribe stood second of Israel in numbers ( Numbers 1:39), Numbers 1:62,700; 64,400 at the close of the wilderness sojourn ( Numbers 26:43).
It occupied the N. side of the tabernacle, the hindmost in the march ( Numbers 2:25; Numbers 2:31; Numbers 10:25), with Asher and Naphtali. Of Dan was Aholiab, associated with Bezaleel, in the construction of the tabernacle ( Exodus 31:6, etc.). Its allotment was on the coast W. of Judah and Benjamin, S. of Ephraim, N. of Simeon; small, but most choice, extending from Joppa on the N. to Ekron on the S., 14 miles long, part of the shephelah (or vale sweeping along the whole coast, the N. part of which is Sharon). The powerful Philistines near them drove them partly toward the mountainous region bordering on Judah, so as to encroach on Judah's towns, Zorah and Eshtaol and Ir-shemesh or Beth-shemesh; compare Joshua 15:33 with Joshua 19:41. The Amorites previously "would not suffer them to come down into the valley" ( Judges 1:34).
Hence, Samson resides at Mahaneh-Dan (the camp of Dan) in the hills, between Zorah and Eshtaol, behind Kirjath Jearim, and thence "comes down" to the vineyards of Timnath and the valley of Sorek. There too was his final resting place ( Judges 13:25; Judges 14:1; Judges 14:5; Judges 14:19; Judges 16:4; Judges 16:31; Judges 18:12). The Phoenician king Esmunazar made this rich plain his prize long after, as an inscription records if rightly deciphered. In Joshua 19:47," the coast of Dan went out (too little)' for them," rather "went out from them" (Hebrew meehem ), i.e. to a distance from their original allotment, namely, to Leshem or Laish, (which 600 of their warriors armed went forth from Zorah and Eshtaol to seize on, in the far N.) and named Dan after their father, at the W. source of the Jordan River, four miles W. of Paneas.
Thrice stress is laid on the 600 being "appointed with weapons of war" ( Judges 18:11; Judges 18:16-17), for the Philistines deprived all Israelites they could of arms, so that we find Samson using a donkey's jawbone as his only weapon ( 1 Samuel 13:19-21). Hence, as being so occupied with the Philistine warfare, Danites were not among Barak's and Deborah's helpers against Sisera (Judges 4; Judges 5:17, where allusion occurs to Dan's possession of the only Israelite port, "Why did Dan remain in ships?".) The N. Danites of Laish (named by them Dan) carried with them Micah the Ephraimite's Levitical family priest (Judges 17; 18) and graven image, which they worshipped" until the day of the captivity of the land" ( Judges 18:30-31), i.e. until the Israelite reverse whereby the Philistines carried away the ark; what aggravated their idolatry was it was at the very time "that the house of God was in Shiloh," within their reach.
This probably suggested the city Dan to Jeroboam as one of the two seats of the golden calf worship ( 1 Kings 12:29). Dan's genealogy is not given in 1 Chronicles 2-12. Its unsettled state audits connection with the far N. Dan, the headquarters of idolatry, may have caused the loss of the genealogy. Dan is omitted among the sealed in Revelation 7 as having been the first to lapse into idolatry, for which cause Ephraim also is omitted (Judges 17; Hosea 4:17) and Joseph substituted. Arethas of the 10th century suggests that Dan's omission is because Antichrist is to be from him, or else to be his tool (compare Genesis 49:17; Jeremiah 8:16; Amos 8:14), as there was a Judas among the twelve.
Jacob's prophecy, "Dan shall be a serpent in the way, ... that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward," alludes primarily to Dan's local position in front of the royal Judah; so ready to meet the horse, forbidden in Israelite warfare, with the watchword "I have waited for Thy salvation," and to fall unawares on the advancing enemy by the way Dan's mode of warfare is illustrated in its attack on the men of Laish," careless, quiet, and secure," as also in their great judge Samson's mode of attack, watching for an opportunity and striking an unlooked for, stealthy, sudden blow. Mainly perhaps, by the Spirit, he has in view the old serpent which was to "bruise the heel" of the promised Savior ( Genesis 3:15), but ultimately to have its head bruised by Him; therefore he adds the desire of all believers, "I have waited for Thy salvation," which abrupt exclamation is thus clearly accounted for.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [2]
(דּן , dān , "judge"; Δάν , Dán ).
1. Name
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.
2. The Tribe
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 ).
3. Territory
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 .
4. The Danite Raid
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 .
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).
References
