Dan means in the bible: Judge. Brother to Naphtali and son of Bilhah. The district that was assigned to Dan after Canaan’s settlement had a small area, but it enjoyed an admirable location, adjacent Ephraim and Benjamin. Some of its land is extremely fertile Josh. 19:40-48. It was difficult to hold it against the Amorites Judgedg. 1:34, and against the Philistines Judg. 13:2, 25; 18:1. The Danites established a settlement north of Palestine Judg. 18. They named it Dan because they built it around Laish. The northern limit of Palestine is known to this town, and it was named by Jeroboam to be the location for the 1 Kgs calf worship. 12:29; 2 Kgs. 10:29. Benhadad 1Kgs emptied the city. 15:20; 2 Chr. 16:4 and Jewish tradition record that the calf was taken to Assyria via Tiglath-pileser 2 Kgs. 15:29. Why is the tribe of Dan not included in John’s Rev. It is unknown why 7:5-7 was not included in John’s list in Rev. The blessings of Jacob, Moses and Deut. 49:16-18 describe its character. 33:22.
(in Bible Dictionary)
