The Book Of Joshua. Day 48, The Land West Of The Jordan: The Allotment For Dan

The seventh and final lot goes to the tribe of Dan.

"The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to its clans. The territory of their inheritance included: Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, Elon, Timnah, Ekron, Eltekah, Gibbethon, Baalath, Jehud, Bene Barak, Gath Rimmon, Me Jarkon and Rakkon, with the area facing Joppa." (Joshua 19:40-46) Below we find Dan on the lefthand side of the map above Judah.

This next verse is a postscript added to the book of Joshua sometime after the event described in it happened during the days of the judges of Israel. "(When the territory of the Danites was lost to them, they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshen and named it Dan after their ancestor.)" (Joshua 19:47) We'll read of this incident when we get to the book of Judges. 

Speaking of the judges of Israel, one of the most famous judges, Samson, was of the tribe of Dan. This fulfills the prophecy spoken by Jacob in Genesis 49:16: "Dan will provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel." 

Jacob also said this concerning the descendants of his son Dan: "Dan will be a snake by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horses' heels so that its rider tumbles backward." (Joshua 19:17) Some scholars interpret this prophecy as a reference to the cunning military strategy of the tribe of Dan and of its most famous judge, Samson. Others believe it's a reference to the apostasy into which the tribe of Dan will fall. There will be much idolatry within the tribe of Dan, including an image of a golden calf, and we could say that the idolatry of Dan slithered into Israel like a sly serpent, deceiving the people and leading them astray just as that old serpent slithered into the Garden of Eden.

"These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan, according to its clans." (Joshua 19:48) When Moses blessed the tribes of Israel he said of Dan: "Dan is a lion's cub, springing out of Bashan." (Deuteronomy 33:22) Bashan was not located within the territory of Dan but within the territory of East Manasseh. But according to ancient tradition, Bashan was an area frequented by prowling tribes of lions, so Moses' blessing is probably a reference to the military strength of Dan. He is comparing Dan's soldiers to strong lions lying in wait and then leaping upon their unsuspecting prey.

When we get to the first chapter of Judges we will see that the tribe of Dan, like the other tribes of Israel, did not drive out all the heathen idolaters from their land. Instead we will be told that the Amorites confined the Danites to the hill country and that the Danites were unable to come down and take possession of their inheritance in the plains. If the Danites were so cunning and strong later in the book of Judges that they took the heavily fortified city of Leshem (also known as Laish), could they not have driven the pagan peoples from the plains? Most scholars attribute their failure to take hold of their land to a lack of faith, just as these scholars attribute the inability of each tribe to take hold of all their land to a lack of faith brought about by spiritual complacency. It's not that they didn't believe at all; they obviously believed the Lord's promise enough to fight the initial battles for the promised land and to mark out a territory for each tribe. But, like all human beings do from time to time, they did not exercise their faith enough to fully obey the Lord and to receive all that He wanted them to have. 

We've made this point a number of times already in our study of the division of the land: we must exercise our faith in order to keep it strong. Our spiritual health works the same way as our physical health. If we don't exercise our bodies, our muscles become weak. We'll be soft and flabby. It's possible to become spiritually soft and flabby too! We need to provide ourselves with daily spiritual exercise by reading the word of God and meditating upon it and by spending time with the Lord in prayer. The Lord has so much He wants to bless us with but we need to have the spiritual strength to believe in it and take hold of it. 

Though David was a mighty warrior, he wasn't speaking only of physical strength when he penned the following words of praise to the Lord; he was speaking of spiritual strength as well. In fact, he is speaking primarily of spiritual strength. "It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He causes me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You make Your saving help my shield, and Your right hand sustains me; Your help has made me great. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed. I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet. You armed me with strength for battle; You humbled my adversaries before me. You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes." (Psalm 18:32-40) David had so many military successes in his life because he relied upon the Lord for his successes. David kept himself physically strong for battle but more importantly he kept himself spiritually strong for battle. No matter how much physical endurance we may possess, if we do not have strong faith we won't be able to fight and win some of the battles that allow us to take hold of all that the Lord wants to give us. Without strong faith we won't be able to recognize and reject the lies of the enemy of our souls. Daily spiritual exercise, like daily physical exercise, is vitally important for strength and endurance all our lives long.