Topical Bible: The Danites

Topical Encyclopedia

The Danites were one of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Dan, the fifth son of Jacob and the firstborn of Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant (Genesis 30:5-6). The tribe of Dan is mentioned throughout the Old Testament, playing a significant role in the history and narrative of the Israelites.

Territory and Settlement

Initially, the tribe of Dan was allocated a portion of land in the southwestern part of Canaan, near the Philistine territory (Joshua 19:40-48). However, the Danites struggled to fully possess this land due to the strength of the Philistines and other Canaanite inhabitants. Judges 1:34 notes, "The Amorites forced the Danites into the hill country and did not allow them to come down to the plain."

Due to these challenges, a portion of the tribe sought a new territory. This led to the migration of some Danites to the north, where they captured the city of Laish, renaming it Dan (Judges 18:27-29). This relocation is significant as it marks the northernmost boundary of Israel, often referred to in the phrase "from Dan to Beersheba" (Judges 20:1).

Religious Practices and Idolatry

The Danites are notably associated with early instances of idolatry in Israel. Judges 18 recounts how the Danites, during their migration, seized a Levite priest and household idols from Micah, a man from the hill country of Ephraim. They established these idols in their new city of Dan, which became a center of idolatrous worship. Judges 18:30-31 states, "The Danites set up for themselves the carved image, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the captivity of the land."

This idolatry persisted, and the city of Dan later became one of the centers for the golden calf worship established by King Jeroboam I of Israel (1 Kings 12:28-30).

Notable Figures

One of the most famous Danites is Samson, a judge of Israel known for his extraordinary strength and his struggles against the Philistines (Judges 13-16). Samson's exploits and his eventual downfall highlight the complex relationship between the Danites and their Philistine neighbors.

Prophetic and Historical Significance

The tribe of Dan is notably absent from the list of tribes in Revelation 7, where the 144,000 are sealed. This omission has led to various interpretations and speculations regarding the tribe's fate and spiritual standing.

Throughout biblical history, the Danites exemplify both the struggles and failures of the Israelites in maintaining faithfulness to God amidst external pressures and internal temptations. Their account serves as a reminder of the consequences of idolatry and the importance of adhering to God's commandments.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The Danites

The descendants of Dan and the members of his tribe. (Judges 13:2; 18:1,11; 1 Chronicles 12:35)

Strong's Hebrew

4265. Machaneh-dan -- "camp of Dan," a place where the Danites ...
... "camp of Dan," a place where the Danites stayed. Transliteration: Machaneh-dan Phonetic
Spelling: (makh-an-ay'-dawn) Short Definition: Mahaneh-dan. ...
/hebrew/4265.htm - 6k

1839. Dani -- descendant of Dan
... 1838, 1839. Dani. 1840 . descendant of Dan. Transliteration: Dani Phonetic
Spelling: (daw-nee') Short Definition: Danites. ... of Dan NASB Word Usage Danites (5 ...
/hebrew/1839.htm - 6k

Library

The Historical Books.
... Among these are the conquest of Hebron (chap.15:16-19, compared with Judges
1:12-15), and especially the excursion of the Danites (chap.19:47), which must be ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xx the historical books.htm

Pamias. Paneas, the Spring of Jordan.
... "R. Isaac saith, Leshem is Pamias." The Gloss is, "Leshem is a city which the Danites
subdued (Judges 18:29): Pamias is a place whence Jordan ariseth.". ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 67 pamias paneas the.htm

How the Israelites after this Misfortune Grew Wicked and Served ...
... They also forced the Danites to fly into the mountainous country, and left them
not the least portion of the plain country to set their foot on. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 3 how the israelites.htm

The Disposition of the Tribes in Galilee.
... only two tribes, and those of the brethren, Ephraim and Manasses: Galilee four,
Issachar, Zebulun, Nephthalim, and Asher, and a part also of the Danites. ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 62 the disposition of.htm

Samson who did to Others as they did to Him
... TO HIM. There was a certain man of Zorah, of the clan of the Danites, named
Manoah; and he and his wife had no children. But the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/samson who did to others.htm

Index of Subjects.
... Daniel, apocryphal additions to, 359. Danites, their conquest of Laish, 243,
245. Darius Hystaspes, 261, 345. Darius the Median, 328. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barrows/companion to the bible/index of subjects.htm

CHAPTER III.
... "Then they (the Danites) said unto him (the Levite), Ask God, we pray thee, in order
that we may know whether our way in which we go shall be prosperous. ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chapter iii.htm

Although Certain as to the Number of the Name of Antichrist, yet ...
... Eccl., v. 8). [4702] Revelation 22:19. [4703] 1 Thess. v. 3. [4704] Jeremiah 8:16.
[4705] Revelation 7:5-7. [The Danites (though not all) corrupted the Hebrew ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxx although certain as to.htm

A Nation's Struggle for a Home and Freedom.
... The little tribe of the Danites, finding the pressure of their kinsmen on the north
and east and that of the Philistines on the west too strong, captured the ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study xii a nations struggle.htm

How Joshua, the Commander of the Hebrews, Made War with The
... The Danites' lot included all that part of the valley which respects the sun-setting,
and were bounded by Azotus and Dora; as also they had all Jamnia and Gath ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 1 how joshua the.htm

Resources

The: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus