Judges 18:29

29 They named the city Dan, after the name of their ancestor Dan, who was born to Israel. The city was formerly named Laish.

Judges 18:29 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 18:29

And they called the name of the city Dan
The name of their tribe, and to show that though they were at the furthest part of the land northward, and at such a distance from their tribe, which lay to the southwest, yet they belonged to it:

after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel;
one of the twelve sons of Jacob or Israel:

however, the name of the city was Laish at first;
which signifies a "lion", and might be so called from its being infested with lions, which might come from the mountain of Lebanon, near to which it was, and whither Dan, as a lion's whelp, leaped, ( Deuteronomy 33:22 ) and now the prophecy had its accomplishment. This place was also called Leshem, ( Joshua 19:47 ) and it is remarkable that Leshem is the name of the precious stone in the high priest's breastplate, on which the name of Dan was engraved, which was done many years before this city fell into the hands of the Danites, though that might portend it.

Judges 18:29 In-Context

27 After they had taken the gods Micah had made and the priest that belonged to him, they went to Laish, to a quiet and unsuspecting people. They killed them with their swords and burned down the city.

28 There was no one to save them, because it was far from Sidon and they had no alliance with anyone. It was in a valley that belonged to Beth-rehob. They rebuilt the city and lived in it.

29 They named the city Dan, after the name of their ancestor Dan, who was born to Israel. The city was formerly named Laish.

30 The Danites set up the carved image for themselves. Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the Danite tribe until the time of the exile from the land.

31 So they set up for themselves Micah's carved image that he had made, [and it was there] as long as the house of God was in Shiloh.