The region of Dan is located in the northernmost part of Israel. The Bible often speaks of the region “from Dan to Beersheba” when speaking of the entire nation of Israel from north to south. 1 Kings 4:25 “And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.”
Dan takes it’s name from Jacob’s fifth born son, born to Rachel’s handmaid Bilhah. Genesis 30:5,6
The tribe of Dan originally dwelt in an area along the Mediterranean Sea, West of Jerusalem. They found it difficult to dwell among the Amorites and the Phillistines and sought out a new homeland. They conquered Leshem (Laish) in the far north of Israel, about 24 miles north of the Sea of Galilee.
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Joshua 19:47 And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
Dan in the Book of Judges.
Judges chapter 18 records the account of the Tribe of Dan sending out men to spy out the land of Laish. Along the way the spies passed through the land of Ephraim where they lodged in the house of Micah. There they met a Levite of Bethlehem-judah who signed on to be a priest in the house of Micah in exchange for “ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals.” Judges 17:10
The Danite spies sought God’s blessing on their planned takeover of Laish through Micah’s hired personal priest. He told them what they wanted to hear. “Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous. And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.” – Judges 18:5,6
The Danite spies departed from Ephraim and continued on to Laish. There they saw a people that would be easy to conquer and a lush and fertile land with an abundance of water.
At Tel Dan there is an abundance of spring water, flora, and fauna. “where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.” – Judges 18:10
Returning to their people, the Danite spies gave their report, after which “Six hundred men appointed with weapons of war” set out to conquer the land of Laish. On their journey to Laish, they passed through Ephraim and came to the house of Micah. From the house of Micah they took the graven image (idol) that Micah’s mother had made from 200 shekels of silver, the ephod (a priestly garment) , and his teraphim (family idol, household god). Judges 18:17 They convinced Micah’s personal Levite priest to come with them to Laish. “Go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?” – Judges 18:19
The Levite priest was more than happy to join the Danites. “And the priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people. So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them.”
“And they (the Danites) took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.
28 And there was no deliverer, because it (Laish) was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.
29 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.
30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
31 And they set them up Micah’s graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.”
“Ten Shekels and a Shirt” sermon preached in 1965 by Paris Reidhead. Sermon text: Judges chapters 17 and 18.
More Idolatry at Dan
1 Kings 12:28,29 “… the king (Jeroboam) took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.“
Jeroboam’s altar of sacrifice at Dan. Sacrifices were made to a golden calf which was placed on the platform behind the altar of sacrifice.
Canaanite Ruins at Tel Dan
Genesis 14:14-16 “And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.”
Travel notes:
We found it convenient to book a couple nights lodging near Chorazin while taking in the sites around the Sea of Galilee and Dan. The drive from the Sea of Galilee to Dan takes about 45 minutes. Caesarea Philippi (Banias) is less than 10 minutes by car from the Dan Nature Reserve. The Druze village of Mas Ada in nearby Golan is a great place to find some amazing cuisine.
- Appetizers at an eatery in Mas Ada. The flat bread and kebabs were amazing!
