Judges 18:29

Translations

Modern

They named it Dan, after their forefather Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city was formerly named Laish.

Traditional

And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.

Literal

And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father who was born to Israel. But Laish was the name of the city formerly.

Latin

…vocato nomine civitatis Dan, juxta vocabulum patris sui, quem genuerat Israël, quæ prius Lais dicebatur.

Original

Hebrew

English

They named it Dan, after their forefather Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city was formerly named Laish.

Notes

Judges 18:29–31

The city of Dan became the northernmost point of Israel's territory (for example, Judges 20:1; 2 Samuel 3:10; 1 Kings 4:25; 2 Chronicles 30:5). It remained a center of idol worship throughout its history (see 1 Kings 12:28–30; Amos 8:14).

Judges 18:1–31

The migration of the Danites (compare Joshua 19:40–48) shows the tribe's failure to follow God's covenant and reflects Israel's decline. Micah's personal heresy (Judges 17:4–5) grew into the apostasy of the entire tribe (18:30–31). The initial covenant failure (Judges 17:19–36) led to social breakdown during the time of Jephthah and Samson (Judges 11–16). Eventually, law and order gave way to banditry and pillaging (Judges 18:27–28).

Judges 17:1–21:25

These two epilogues (Judges 17–18 and 19–21) show that inspired but unstructured leadership cannot last. As society moved toward chaos and civil war, the phrase, In those days there was no king in Israel appears four times. The phrase, everyone did what was right in his own eyes is added twice (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). The era of inspired leadership declined and ended in disorder. Something important was missing.

Theme notes and profiles

Social Chaos in Judges

Related verses

Joshua 19:47
(Later, when the territory of the Danites was lost to them, they went up and fought against Leshem, captured it, and put it to the sword. So they took possession of Leshem, settled there, and renamed it after their father Dan.)
1 Kings 15:20
And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and the whole land of Naphtali, including the region of Chinnereth.
Genesis 14:14
And when Abram heard that his relative had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men born in his household, and they set out in pursuit as far as Dan.
Judges 20:1
Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the congregation assembled as one man before the LORD at Mizpah.
Genesis 30:6
Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; He has heard my plea and given me a son.” So she named him Dan.
1 Kings 12:29–30
One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan.
Genesis 32:28
Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”
2 Samuel 17:11
Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beersheba—a multitude like the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, and that you yourself lead them into battle.

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Places

Dan: Israelite tribe; city in northern Israel; originally called Laish/Leshem

Glossary

Allotment of the Land Deliverance, Deliverer Eshtaol Idols, Idolatry Jeroboam Joshua, Book of Judges, Book of Laish (Place) Micah (Person) Priests and Levites Teraphim Travel Tribe of Dan

Topics

Cities were Called For: The Family of the Founder Jonathan: A Levite of Bethlehem, Who Becomes a Priest for Micah the Tribe of Dan: A Part of Tool Laish and Called It Dan Tribe of Dan: Conquests By

Judges 18:29

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