Judges 18:29

29 They named it Dan. That's because they traced their family line back to Dan. He was a son of Israel. The city used to be called 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 The people of Dan took what Micah had made. They also took his priest. They continued on their way to Laish. They went there to fight against peaceful people who weren't expecting to be attacked. They struck them down with their swords. They burned their city down.

28 No one could save them. They lived a long way from Sidon. And they didn't think they would ever need help from anyone else. Their city was located in a valley near Beth Rehob. The people of Dan rebuilt the city. Then they settled down there.

29 They named it Dan. That's because they traced their family line back to Dan. He was a son of Israel. The city used to be called Laish.

30 There the people of Dan set up the statues of gods for themselves. Jonathan and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan. Jonathan was the son of Gershom, the son of Moses. Jonathan and his sons were priests until the time when the land was captured.

31 They continued to use the statues Micah had made. They used them during the whole time the house of God was in Shiloh.