Dan in the Torah
דן
The northernmost city of ancient Israel, marking the upper boundary in the expression 'from Dan to Beer Sheva.' Originally called Laish, it was conquered by the tribe of Dan and renamed. Abraham pursued the kings who captured Lot all the way to Dan. The site contains one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Israel — the 'House of David' inscription, the first extra-biblical reference to King David.
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בית השלום Original uploader was בית השלום at he.wikipedia (Attribution)
Key Verses
5 selected passages mentioning Dan
Abram pursues the kings who captured Lot as far as Dan
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם כִּ֥י נִשְׁבָּ֖ה אָחִ֑יו וַיָּ֨רֶק אֶת־חֲנִיכָ֜יו יְלִידֵ֣י בֵית֗וֹ שְׁמֹנָ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ וּשְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף עַד־דָּֽן׃
When Abram heard that his kinsmanbhis kinsman I.e., Lot and his household. had been taken captive, he mustered his retainers,cretainers Meaning of Heb. ḥanikh uncertain. born into his household, numbering three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
Jeroboam sets up a golden calf in Dan
וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־הָאֶחָ֖ד בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֑ל וְאֶת־הָאֶחָ֖ד נָתַ֥ן בְּדָֽן׃
He set up one in Bethel and placed the other in Dan.
All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew Samuel was a prophet
וַיֵּ֙דַע֙ כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִדָּ֖ן וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע כִּ֚י נֶאֱמָ֣ן שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל לְנָבִ֖יא לַיהֹוָֽה׃ {ס}
All Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, knew that Samuel was trustworthy as a prophet of GOD.
Go through all the tribes from Dan to Beer-sheba and count the people
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶל־יוֹאָ֣ב ׀ שַׂר־הַחַ֣יִל אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֗וֹ שֽׁוּט־נָ֞א בְּכׇל־שִׁבְטֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִדָּן֙ וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע וּפִקְד֖וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וְיָ֣דַעְתִּ֔י אֵ֖ת מִסְפַּ֥ר הָעָֽם׃ {ס}
The king said to Joab, his army commander,chis army commander Cf. 1 Chron. 21.2 “and to the officers of the army”; below, v. 4. “Make the rounds of all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and take a census of the people, so that I may know the size of the population.”
They named the city Dan, after their ancestor Dan son of Israel
וַיִּקְרְא֤וּ שֵׁם־הָעִיר֙ דָּ֔ן בְּשֵׁם֙ דָּ֣ן אֲבִיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוּלַּ֖ד לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאוּלָ֛ם לַ֥יִשׁ שֵׁם־הָעִ֖יר לָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃
and they named the town Dan, after their ancestor Dan who was Israel’s son. Originally, however, the name of the town was Laish.
873 more verses mention Dan across the Tanakh
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