Shofetim 18:12

12 And they went up, and encamped in Kiryat-Yearim, in Yehudah; wherefore they called that place Machaneh Dan unto this day; hinei, it is behind Kiryat-Yearim.

Shofetim 18:12 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 18:12

And they went up and pitched in Kirjathjearim in Judah
Of which place see ( Joshua 15:9 Joshua 15:60 ) . According to Bunting ^F1 it was sixteen miles from Zorah and Eshtaol, and this was their first day's march:

wherefore they called the name of that place Mahanehdan unto this day;
which signifies the camp of Dan, or of the Danites; so it was called in the times of Samson, ( Judges 13:25 ) and is a proof that this expedition was before his time; and it was so called, it seems, in the time of Samuel, the writer of this book:

behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim;
to the west of it; for though they are said to pitch in that place, the meaning is, that they pitched near it, in the fields adjacent to it, which were the most proper and convenient for a camp.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Ut supra. (Travels of the Patriarchs p. 112.)

Shofetim 18:12 In-Context

10 When ye go, ye shall come unto an Am bote’ach (unsuspecting people), and to ha’aretz rachavat; for Elohim hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no lack of any thing that is in ha’aretz.

11 And there went from thence of the mishpakhat HaDani, out of Tzorah and out of Eshta’ol, 600 men armed with keli milchamah.

12 And they went up, and encamped in Kiryat-Yearim, in Yehudah; wherefore they called that place Machaneh Dan unto this day; hinei, it is behind Kiryat-Yearim.

13 And they passed thence unto har Ephrayim, and came unto the bais Mikhah.

14 Then answered the five anashim that went to spy out ha’aretz Layish, and said unto their achim, Do ye know that there is in these batim ephod, teraphim, pesel, and maskhah? Now therefore consider what ye have to do.