Reference: Dan (1)
Fausets
("judge".) Jacob's fourth son, Bilhah's (maid of Rachel) first (Ge 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" (Ge 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 (Jg 15:20). Hushim (the plural implying a family) or Shuham alone is mentioned as Dan's son (Ge 46:23); but at the Exodus the tribe stood second of Israel in numbers (Nu 1:39), Nu 1:54,700; 64,400 at the close of the wilderness sojourn (Nu 26:43).
It occupied the N. side of the tabernacle, the hindmost in the march (Nu 2:25,31; 10:25), with Asher and Naphtali. Of Dan was Aholiab, associated with Bezaleel, in the construction of the tabernacle (Ex 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 Jos 15:33 with Jos 19:41. The Amorites previously "would not suffer them to come down into the valley" (Jg 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 (5/type/ylt'>Jg 13:25; 14:1,5,19; 16:4,31; 18:12). The Phoenician king Esmunazar made this rich plain his prize long after, as an inscription records if rightly deciphered. In Jos 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" (Jg 18:11,16-17), for the Philistines deprived all Israelites they could of arms, so that we find Samson using a donkey's jawbone as his only weapon (1Sa 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; Jg 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" (Jg 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 (1Ki 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; Ho 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 Ge 49:17; Jer 8:16; Am 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 (Ge 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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and enmity I put between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he doth bruise thee -- the head, and thou dost bruise him -- the heel.'
and enmity I put between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he doth bruise thee -- the head, and thou dost bruise him -- the heel.'
and Rachel saith, 'God hath decided for me, and also hath hearkened to my voice, and giveth to me a son;' therefore hath she called his name Dan.
and Rachel saith, 'God hath decided for me, and also hath hearkened to my voice, and giveth to me a son;' therefore hath she called his name Dan.
Dan doth judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel; Dan is a serpent by the way, An adder by the path, Which is biting the horse's heels, And its rider falleth backward.
Dan is a serpent by the way, An adder by the path, Which is biting the horse's heels, And its rider falleth backward.
'And I, lo, I have given with him Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, and in the heart of every wise-hearted one I have given wisdom, and they have made all that which I have commanded thee.
'And I, lo, I have given with him Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, and in the heart of every wise-hearted one I have given wisdom, and they have made all that which I have commanded thee.
their numbered ones, for the tribe of Dan, are two and sixty thousand and seven hundred.
their numbered ones, for the tribe of Dan, are two and sixty thousand and seven hundred.
And the sons of Israel do according to all that Jehovah hath commanded Moses; so they have done.
And the sons of Israel do according to all that Jehovah hath commanded Moses; so they have done.
The standard of the camp of Dan is northward, by their hosts; and the prince of the sons of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;
The standard of the camp of Dan is northward, by their hosts; and the prince of the sons of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;
All those numbered of the camp of Dan are a hundred thousand, and seven and fifty thousand, and six hundred; at the rear they journey, by their standards.
All those numbered of the camp of Dan are a hundred thousand, and seven and fifty thousand, and six hundred; at the rear they journey, by their standards.
And the standard of the camp of the sons of Dan hath journeyed (rearward to all the camps), by their hosts, and over its host is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
And the standard of the camp of the sons of Dan hath journeyed (rearward to all the camps), by their hosts, and over its host is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
all the families of the Shuhamite, by their numbered ones, are four and sixty thousand and four hundred.
all the families of the Shuhamite, by their numbered ones, are four and sixty thousand and four hundred.
And the border of the sons of Dan goeth out from them, and the sons of Dan go up and fight with Leshem, and capture it, and smite it by the mouth of the sword, and possess it, and dwell in it, and call Leshem, Dan, according to the name of Dan their father.
And the border of the sons of Dan goeth out from them, and the sons of Dan go up and fight with Leshem, and capture it, and smite it by the mouth of the sword, and possess it, and dwell in it, and call Leshem, Dan, according to the name of Dan their father.
And the Amorites press the sons of Dan to the mountain, for they have not suffered them to go down to the valley;
And the Amorites press the sons of Dan to the mountain, for they have not suffered them to go down to the valley;
Gilead beyond the Jordan did tabernacle, And Dan -- why doth he sojourn in ships? Asher hath abode at the haven of the seas, And by his creeks doth tabernacle.
Gilead beyond the Jordan did tabernacle, And Dan -- why doth he sojourn in ships? Asher hath abode at the haven of the seas, And by his creeks doth tabernacle.
and the Spirit of Jehovah beginneth to move him in the camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
and the Spirit of Jehovah beginneth to move him in the camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
And Samson goeth down to Timnath, and seeth a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines,
And Samson goeth down to Timnath, and seeth a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines,
And Samson goeth down -- also his father and his mother, to Timnath, and they come unto the vineyards of Timnath, and lo, a lion's whelp roareth at meeting him,
And Samson goeth down -- also his father and his mother, to Timnath, and they come unto the vineyards of Timnath, and lo, a lion's whelp roareth at meeting him,
And the Spirit of Jehovah prospereth over him, and he goeth down to Ashkelon, and smiteth of them thirty men, and taketh their armour, and giveth the changes to those declaring the riddle; and his anger burneth, and he goeth up to the house of his father;
And the Spirit of Jehovah prospereth over him, and he goeth down to Ashkelon, and smiteth of them thirty men, and taketh their armour, and giveth the changes to those declaring the riddle; and his anger burneth, and he goeth up to the house of his father;
And he judgeth Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
And he judgeth Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
And it cometh to pass afterwards that he loveth a woman in the valley of Sorek, and her name is Delilah,
And it cometh to pass afterwards that he loveth a woman in the valley of Sorek, and her name is Delilah,
And his brethren come down, and all the house of his father, and lift him up, and bring him up, and bury him between Zorah and Eshtaol, in the burying-place of Manoah his father; and he hath judged Israel twenty years.
And his brethren come down, and all the house of his father, and lift him up, and bring him up, and bury him between Zorah and Eshtaol, in the burying-place of Manoah his father; and he hath judged Israel twenty years.
And there journey thence, of the family of the Danite, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.
And there journey thence, of the family of the Danite, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war. And they go up and encamp in Kirjath-Jearim, in Judah, therefore they have called that place, 'Camp of Dan,' till this day; lo, behind Kirjath-Jearim.
And they go up and encamp in Kirjath-Jearim, in Judah, therefore they have called that place, 'Camp of Dan,' till this day; lo, behind Kirjath-Jearim.
(and the six hundred men girded with their weapons of war, who are of the sons of Dan, are standing at the opening of the gate), --
(and the six hundred men girded with their weapons of war, who are of the sons of Dan, are standing at the opening of the gate), -- yea, the five men, those going to traverse the land, go up -- they have come in thither -- they have taken the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image -- and the priest is standing at the opening of the gate, and the six hundred men who are girded with weapons of war --
yea, the five men, those going to traverse the land, go up -- they have come in thither -- they have taken the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image -- and the priest is standing at the opening of the gate, and the six hundred men who are girded with weapons of war --
And the sons of Dan raise up for themselves the graven image, and Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Manasseh, he and his sons have been priests to the tribe of the Danite, till the day of the removal of the people of the land.
And the sons of Dan raise up for themselves the graven image, and Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Manasseh, he and his sons have been priests to the tribe of the Danite, till the day of the removal of the people of the land. And they appoint for them the graven image of Micah, which he had made, all the days of the house of God being in Shiloh.
And they appoint for them the graven image of Micah, which he had made, all the days of the house of God being in Shiloh.
And an artificer is not found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, 'Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear;'
And an artificer is not found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, 'Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear;' and all Israel go down to the Philistines, to sharpen each his ploughshare, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock;
and all Israel go down to the Philistines, to sharpen each his ploughshare, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock; and there hath been the file for mattocks, and for coulters, and for three-pronged rakes, and for the axes, and to set up the goads.
and there hath been the file for mattocks, and for coulters, and for three-pronged rakes, and for the axes, and to set up the goads.
From Dan hath been heard the snorting of his horses, From the voice of the neighings of his mighty ones, Trembled hath all the land, And they come in and consume the land and its fulness, The city and the inhabitants in it.
From Dan hath been heard the snorting of his horses, From the voice of the neighings of his mighty ones, Trembled hath all the land, And they come in and consume the land and its fulness, The city and the inhabitants in it.
Joined to idols is Ephraim, let him alone.
Joined to idols is Ephraim, let him alone.
Those swearing by the guilt of Samaria, And have said, Live doth thy god, O Dan, And, Live doth the way of Beer-Sheba, And they have fallen -- and rise not again!'
Those swearing by the guilt of Samaria, And have said, Live doth thy god, O Dan, And, Live doth the way of Beer-Sheba, And they have fallen -- and rise not again!'