Thematic Bible: The tribe of Dan


Thematic Bible



(The Danites failed to conquer their territory, so they went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. They put the sword to it, took possession of it, and lived in it. They renamed it Dan after their ancestor.)

Now the Danites took what Micah had made, as well as his priest, and came to Laish, where the people were undisturbed and unsuspecting. They struck them down with the sword and burned the city. No one came to the rescue because the city was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone. The city was in a valley near Beth Rehob. The Danites rebuilt the city and occupied it. They named it Dan after their ancestor, who was one of Israel's sons. But the city's name used to be Laish.

When the Danites returned to their tribe in Zorah and Eshtaol, their kinsmen asked them, "How did it go?" They said, "Come on, let's attack them, for we saw their land and it is very good. You seem lethargic, but don't hesitate to invade and conquer the land. When you invade, you will encounter unsuspecting people. The land is wide! God is handing it over to you -- a place that lacks nothing on earth!" read more.
So six hundred Danites, fully armed, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol. They went up and camped in Kiriath Jearim in Judah. (To this day that place is called Camp of Dan. It is west of Kiriath Jearim.) From there they traveled through the Ephraimite hill country and arrived at Micah's house.


The five men who had gone to spy out the land broke in and stole the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, while the priest was standing at the entrance to the gate with the six hundred fully armed men. When these men broke into Micah's house and stole the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, the priest said to them, "What are you doing?" They said to him, "Shut up! Put your hand over your mouth and come with us! You can be our adviser and priest. Wouldn't it be better to be a priest for a whole Israelite tribe than for just one man's family?" read more.
The priest was happy. He took the ephod, the personal idols, and the carved image and joined the group. They turned and went on their way, but they walked behind the children, the cattle, and their possessions.

Now the Danites took what Micah had made, as well as his priest, and came to Laish, where the people were undisturbed and unsuspecting. They struck them down with the sword and burned the city.


There was a man named Manoah from Zorah, from the Danite tribe. His wife was infertile and childless.

Manoah's wife gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The child grew and the Lord empowered him. The Lord's spirit began to control him in Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.


All those numbered of the camp of Dan are 157,600. They will travel last, under their standards."

The standard of the camp of the Danites set out, which was the rear guard of all the camps by their companies; over his company was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.


Gilead stayed put beyond the Jordan River. As for Dan -- why did he seek temporary employment in the shipyards? Asher remained on the seacoast, he stayed by his harbors.

and casks of wine from Izal they exchanged for your products. Wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were among your merchandise.


Azarel son of Jeroham led Dan. These were the commanders of the Israelite tribes.


From Dan there were 28,600 men prepared for battle.


And these other tribes must stand for the curse on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.


Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. May Dan be a snake beside the road, a viper by the path, that bites the heels of the horse so that its rider falls backward.


The Danites worshiped the carved image. Jonathan, descendant of Gershom, son of Moses, and his descendants served as priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the exile. They worshiped Micah's carved image the whole time God's authorized shrine was in Shiloh.


From the descendants of Dan: According to the records of their clans and families, all the males twenty years old or older who could serve in the army were listed by name. Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Dan were 62,700.


On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Amishaddai, leader of the Danites, presented an offering. His offering was one silver platter weighing 130 shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing 70 shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each of them full of fine flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; one gold pan weighing 10 shekels, full of incense; read more.
one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a purification offering; and for the sacrifice of peace offerings: two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Amishaddai.


The seventh lot belonged to the tribe of Dan by its clans. Their assigned land included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, read more.
Elon, Timnah, Ekron, Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, the waters of Jarkon, and Rakkon, including the territory in front of Joppa.


from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli;


and from the tribe of the Danites, a leader, Bukki son of Jogli.


In those days Israel had no king. And in those days the Danite tribe was looking for a place to settle, because at that time they did not yet have a place to call their own among the tribes of Israel. The Danites sent out from their whole tribe five representatives, capable men from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. They said to them, "Go, explore the land." They came to the Ephraimite hill country and spent the night at Micah's house.


All the families of the Shuhahites according to those numbered of them were 64,400.


These are the Danites by their families: from Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These were the families of Dan, according to their families.


from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;


"On the north will be the divisions of the camp of Dan, under their standards. The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.


Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me. He has responded to my prayer and given me a son." That is why she named him Dan.


The Amorites forced the people of Dan to live in the hill country. They did not allow them to live in the coastal plain.


Gilead stayed put beyond the Jordan River. As for Dan -- why did he seek temporary employment in the shipyards? Asher remained on the seacoast, he stayed by his harbors.


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