Topical Bible: Tribe of Dan: Commerce of

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The Tribe of Dan, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, is noted in biblical accounts for its involvement in commerce and trade. This tribe, descended from Dan, the fifth son of Jacob and Bilhah, was allocated a portion of land in the coastal region of Canaan, which played a significant role in its commercial activities.

Geographical Location and Influence

The initial allotment of land to the Tribe of Dan, as described in Joshua 19:40-48, was situated in a fertile and strategically significant area. This territory included cities such as Zorah, Eshtaol, and Ekron, extending to the Mediterranean coast. The proximity to the sea provided the Danites with opportunities for maritime trade and interaction with neighboring peoples, including the Philistines and Phoenicians, who were known for their seafaring and commercial prowess.

Maritime Activities

The Danites are often associated with maritime activities, as suggested by the Song of Deborah in Judges 5:17, which rhetorically asks, "Why did Dan linger by the ships?" . This implies that the tribe had a notable presence in seafaring and possibly engaged in trade across the Mediterranean. The coastal location facilitated the development of skills in shipbuilding and navigation, allowing the Danites to participate in the exchange of goods and cultural interactions with other maritime nations.

Trade and Economic Interactions

The Tribe of Dan's involvement in commerce is further evidenced by its interactions with the Phoenicians, who were renowned traders of the ancient world. The Phoenicians' influence likely extended to the Danites, who may have adopted similar trading practices and benefited from the exchange of goods such as timber, metals, and textiles. The economic activities of the Danites would have contributed to the wealth and sustenance of the tribe, enabling them to maintain their societal structure and fulfill their role within the larger confederation of Israelite tribes.

Challenges and Conflicts

Despite their commercial endeavors, the Tribe of Dan faced significant challenges, particularly from the Philistines, who were a dominant force in the region. The Philistines' control over key trade routes and their military strength often posed a threat to the Danites' economic activities. This tension is reflected in the biblical narrative, where the Danites are depicted as struggling to fully secure and maintain their allotted territory (Judges 1:34).

Relocation and Continued Commerce

Due to these pressures, a portion of the tribe eventually migrated northward, as recounted in Judges 18. This relocation to the city of Laish (later renamed Dan) allowed the tribe to establish a new center of commerce and influence. The northern location provided access to different trade routes and opportunities, further integrating the Danites into the economic fabric of the region.

In summary, the Tribe of Dan's involvement in commerce was shaped by its geographical location, maritime activities, and interactions with neighboring cultures. Despite facing challenges, the Danites leveraged their coastal position to engage in trade, contributing to their economic stability and cultural exchange within the ancient Near Eastern world.

Nave's Topical Index

Judges 5:17
Gilead stayed beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and stayed in his breaches.
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Ezekiel 27:19
Dan also and Javan going to and fro occupied in your fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in your market.
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Library

Results of Transgression
... of the tribe of Dan ... Huram, "the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his ... this
territory ran many natural highways of the world's commerce, and caravans ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 4 results of transgression.htm

Chapter xlix
... The products of this commerce shall be transmitted through Zebulon to the rest ... regard
as fantastic when they claimed that from the tribe of Dan Anti-Christ ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xlix.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... part of her trade with foreign countries was carried on through the mouths of the
Nile, and of this commerce the Phoenicians had ... The tribe of Dan at length ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... These were the Amorites which the tribe of Dan at a later period could not
dislodge from the lands which had been allotted to them. ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

The Mystery
... Dan. ... be, that such was the authority of the beast, that no tribe, tongue, nor ... of speaking
by synecdoche, by which, from the interdiction of commerce with others ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the mystery 2.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... Civilisation of the Hebrew kingdoms, their commerce, industries, private ... in time
to form a tribe by themselves ... the first and second Jeroboam, Dan, Bethel, Gilgal ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1824 to the ...
... men had a most powerful effect upon the whole tribe. ... possessed so many local advantages
for commerce, as before ... Dan Barnes, in giving an account of the Black ...
/.../chapter 8 from the close.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... its backbone subdivides it into isolated districts, and by thus restricting each
tribe to a ... and it was the key to the route by which the commerce of Babylon ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth evil from the hills of Ephraim: make
ye mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem!" The ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... to the service of the altar had ended, as among the Hebrews, by separating themselves
from the rest of the nation and forming a special tribe, that of the Magi ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm