Topical Bible: Tribe of Dan: Fail to Conquer the Amorites

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The Tribe of Dan, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, is notable for its struggles in securing its allotted inheritance in the Promised Land. According to the biblical narrative, the tribe faced significant challenges in conquering the Amorites, a formidable Canaanite people who inhabited the land.

Allotment and Initial Struggles

The land assigned to the Tribe of Dan is described in Joshua 19:40-48. The territory was located in the western part of the land of Canaan, bordered by the tribes of Judah, Ephraim, and Benjamin. Despite this allocation, the Danites found it difficult to establish control over their inheritance due to the presence of the Amorites and other Canaanite groups.

Judges 1:34-35 provides insight into the Danites' struggles: "The Amorites forced the Danites into the hill country and did not allow them to come down into the plain. The Amorites were determined to dwell in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim. But when the house of Joseph grew stronger, they were put to forced labor."

This passage highlights the initial failure of the Danites to conquer the Amorites, who were able to maintain control over key areas within Dan's territory. The Amorites' resistance forced the Danites to retreat into the hill country, limiting their ability to fully occupy and cultivate the land.

Migration and Conquest of Laish

Faced with these challenges, the Danites sought an alternative solution. Judges 18 recounts the migration of a portion of the tribe to the northern part of Canaan. The Danites sent spies to explore the land, and they discovered the city of Laish, which was inhabited by a peaceful and unsuspecting people. The spies reported back, encouraging their fellow Danites to seize the opportunity.

Judges 18:27-28 describes the subsequent conquest: "Then the Danites took what Micah had made, and his priest, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and unsuspecting, and struck them with the sword and burned the city with fire. There was no one to deliver them, because it was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone. It was in the valley that belongs to Beth-rehob. Then they rebuilt the city and lived in it."

This successful conquest allowed the Danites to establish a new settlement far from their original allotment. They renamed the city Dan, after their ancestor, and it became a significant center for the tribe.

Spiritual and Historical Implications

The failure of the Tribe of Dan to conquer the Amorites and their subsequent migration to Laish had lasting spiritual and historical implications. The relocation distanced the tribe from the central religious and political life of Israel, contributing to a pattern of idolatry and spiritual compromise. Judges 18:30-31 notes that the Danites set up a carved image for themselves, which remained in use throughout the period of the judges.

The narrative of the Tribe of Dan serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of incomplete obedience and the dangers of failing to fully trust in God's promises. Despite their initial setbacks, the Danites' account is a testament to the complexities and challenges faced by the tribes of Israel as they sought to establish themselves in the land God had given them.

Nave's Topical Index

Judges 1:34,35
And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... priestly office; they came in time to form a tribe by themselves ... The golden calves
at Dan and Bethel ... Syria by way of the Euphrates could hardly fail to overcome ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm