Joshua 19 47

Joshua 19:47 kjv

And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.

Joshua 19:47 nkjv

And the border of the children of Dan went beyond these, because the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it; and they struck it with the edge of the sword, took possession of it, and dwelt in it. They called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.

Joshua 19:47 niv

(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 Leshem and named it Dan after their ancestor.)

Joshua 19:47 esv

When the territory of the people of Dan was lost to them, the people of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and after capturing it and striking it with the sword they took possession of it and settled in it, calling Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their ancestor.

Joshua 19:47 nlt

But the tribe of Dan had trouble taking possession of their land, so they attacked the town of Laish. They captured it, slaughtered its people, and settled there. They renamed the town Dan after their ancestor.

Joshua 19 verses

Joshua 19 47 Meaning

Joshua 19:47 details the tribe of Dan's relocation from their initial, allocated territory to the far north of Canaan. Due to the inadequacy or insecurity of their inherited land, the Danites launched a military expedition against the city of Leshem (also known as Laish). They conquered it completely, applying the 'edge of the sword' for utter destruction, and then settled there, renaming the city "Dan" in remembrance of their tribal ancestor. This account marks a significant geographical and socio-political shift for the tribe of Dan within the early Israelite settlement.

Joshua 19 47 Context

Joshua 19:47 is situated within the latter portion of the Book of Joshua, specifically within the detailed description of the division of the land among the twelve tribes of Israel (chapters 13-21). Following the major conquest campaigns led by Joshua, the book shifts to the fulfillment of God's promise by apportioning the inherited territory. Chapters 19 outlines the specific territories for the remaining tribes: Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan. Verse 47 then presents a peculiar outcome for Dan. While they were allocated a specific lot, historical context, particularly elaborated in Judges 18, suggests this territory, located near the Philistine plains and likely facing significant external pressure, proved untenable. Therefore, the verse records their initiative to migrate north, conquer Leshem, and establish a new settlement. This event underscores the dynamic and often challenging nature of the Israelite settlement process, highlighting instances where tribes deviated from their initial inheritance or resorted to independent military actions, setting the stage for the tumultuous period described in the Book of Judges.

Joshua 19 47 Word analysis

• וַיֵּצֵא֙ גּוֹרַ֣ל בְּנֵי־דָ֔ן מֵהֶ֖ם (vai-yei-tzei go-ral b'nei-Dan mei-hem): "But the territory/lot of the people of Dan went out from them."
  • וַיֵּצֵא (vai-yei-tzei): "and went out." From יָצָא (yatsa), to go out, come forth. Here, referring to the extent or drawing of their lot. The subsequent phrase מֵהֶ֖ם (mei-hem, from them) is key. It could mean "from among them" (i.e., from their number, their portion) or, more accurately in context, "its boundary was removed from them" or "its sphere became constrained for them." It emphasizes the negative perception of their inheritance.
  • גּוֹרַל (goral): "lot" or "allotment." The divinely sanctioned method for distributing the land, emphasizing God's sovereignty. The fact that their "lot" proved "too small" speaks not of God's miscalculation, but of Israel's inability or unwillingness to fully possess what was granted.
• צָר לָהֶם (tzar lahem): "too small for them."
  • צָר (tsar): From the root צרר (tsarar), meaning "narrow," "confined," "distressed," "troublesome." This is the crucial word here. It doesn't necessarily mean physically small in area, but rather that it was constrained, problematic, or difficult to secure and live in due to strong indigenous populations (e.g., Amorites and Philistines, as implied by Judg 1:34-35). It denotes a sense of being pressed or under pressure.
  • לָהֶם (lahem): "for them" or "to them." Indicates the experience was subjective to them.
• וַיַּעֲל֨וּ בְנֵי־דָ֜ן (va-ya'alu b'nei-Dan): "So the people of Dan went up."
  • וַיַּעֲלוּ (va-ya'alu): "and they went up." From עלה (alah), "to go up." Geographically accurate, as their original territory was in the Shephelah (lowlands) and coastal plain, and Leshem/Laish was in the mountainous region of northern Galilee, at the very source of the Jordan. This implies a significant vertical and horizontal migration.
• וַיִּלָּֽחֲמ֣וּ עַל־לֶ֗שֶׁם (va-yillachamu al-Leshem): "and fought against Leshem."
  • וַיִּלָּֽחֲמוּ (va-yillachamu): "and they fought." From לחם (lacham), "to fight." A clear military engagement.
  • לֶשֶׁם (Leshem): A Canaanite city in the extreme north, known as Laish in Judg 18. Its location at the headwaters of the Jordan was strategically important and fertile. Its isolation ("a people quiet and unsuspecting," Judg 18:7) made it an easy target.
• וַֽיִּלְכְּד֤וּ אֹתָהּ֙ (va-yilkh'du otah): "and took it."
  • וַיִּלְכְּדוּ (va-yilkh'du): "and they captured/seized it." From לכד (lakad), "to capture," "to seize." The successful outcome of their military campaign.
• וַיַּכּ֤וּ אֹתָהּ֙ לְפִי־חֶרֶב֙ (va-yakku otah l'fi-cherev): "and struck it with the edge of the sword."
  • וַיַּכּוּ (va-yakku): "and they struck/smote it." From נכה (nakah), "to strike," "to smite." Used frequently in accounts of warfare.
  • לְפִי־חֶרֶב (l'fi-cherev): "to the mouth of the sword." This is a Hebrew idiom indicating total destruction, often associated with the concept of cherem (devotion to destruction). It implies that every living thing was put to death. In the Judges account, it mentions only men, women, and children being smitten, implying a full annihilation of the inhabitants (Judg 18:27-28).
• וַיִּרְשׁ֤וּ אוֹתָהּ֙ וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ בָ֔הּ (va-yirshu otah va-yeish'vu vah): "and took possession of it and settled in it."
  • וַיִּרְשׁוּ (va-yirshu): "and they inherited/possessed." From ירש (yarash), "to inherit," "to possess," "to dispossess." Here it means they claimed and took full control.
  • וַיֵּשְׁבוּ (va-yeish'vu): "and they dwelled/settled." From ישב (yashav), "to sit," "to dwell," "to settle." Confirms their permanent occupation.
• וַיִּקְרְא֨וּ לְלֶ֤שֶׁם דָּן֙ שֵׁ֤ם דָּן֙ אֲבִיהֶ֔ם (va-yik'ru l'Leshem Dan shem Dan avihem): "calling Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their ancestor."
  • וַיִּקְרְאוּ (va-yik'ru): "and they called." From קרא (kara), "to call," "to proclaim," "to name." The act of renaming is significant, asserting new identity and claim.
  • דָּן (Dan): The tribal patriarch, son of Jacob and Bilhah. The renaming signifies continuity of tribal identity in a new geographical location.
  • אֲבִיהֶם (avihem): "their ancestor/father." Reinforces the lineal connection and the foundation of their identity in the tribal progenitor.

Words-group analysis

• "But the territory... was too small for them.": This phrase establishes the driving motive for the Danites' unconventional actions. It underscores a practical challenge (territorial constraints/insecurity) that led to their self-initiated solution, rather than seeking divine intervention for their original lot. This problem of the צָר לָהֶם ("too small/distressed for them") echoes throughout their subsequent narrative in Judges.
• "So the people of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword and took possession of it and settled in it.": This entire clause outlines a complete, self-directed conquest. It's a journey from perceived distress to successful, violent acquisition and establishment of a new home. The progression from "went up" to "settled in it" depicts a resolved act of migration and new beginnings, though one fraught with problematic theological implications according to the wider biblical narrative (especially Judges). The לְפִי־חֶרֶב ("edge of the sword") highlights the ferocity and totality of their conquest, common in Old Testament warfare, but here applied to an unprovoked attack on a "quiet and unsuspecting" people (Judges 18:7).
• "calling Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their ancestor.": This act of renaming symbolizes the completion of their re-establishment. It signifies their permanent claim to the land and reinforces their identity, now intrinsically tied to this northern outpost. It also reveals their desire to project their lineage and tribal name onto their new domain, solidifying their presence there for future generations.

Joshua 19 47 Bonus section

The seemingly straightforward account in Joshua 19:47 becomes far more significant when understood in the wider biblical narrative arc, particularly with Judges 18.

1. Departure from Divine Intent: The act of moving away from their divinely allotted territory can be seen as a symbolic departure from God's intended plan. While the land was given by lot, suggesting divine approval for its location, the Danites effectively chose their own path and their own territory, signaling a step towards self-reliance rather than dependence on God for help in their distress.
2. Irony of "Possession": Dan successfully "took possession" (יָרַשׁ, yarash) of Leshem, a word frequently used for the Israelite possession of Canaan as an inheritance from God. However, in this case, it was through an unauthorized, self-motivated expedition, and tragically, it led them to a new territory where idolatry (as seen in Judges) took root, contrasting with the divinely commanded purity of the land.
3. The Geographical Pole: The new city of Dan (Leshem) became the northernmost point of Israel, famously referred to in the phrase "from Dan to Beersheba" (Judg 20:1; 1 Sam 3:20). This highlights its status as a critical geographical boundary, but also tragically, a boundary of religious apostasy and a pathway for northern invaders (Jer 8:16).
4. Implications for Leadership and Unity: The account subtly critiques the period of the Judges, implying a lack of strong central leadership that allowed tribes to operate autonomously, often outside the spirit of the Law or the unified worship of Yahweh. The phrase "there was no king in Israel" (Judg 18:1) looms over the full account of Dan's migration.
5. Exclusion from Revelation 7: Though highly debated, the absence of the tribe of Dan from the list of sealed tribes in Revelation 7 is a point of academic and theological discussion, with some linking it to the historical idolatry originating from this specific relocation event described in Joshua 19:47 and detailed in Judges 18. This potential symbolic exclusion underscores the profound, long-term implications of Dan's actions.

Joshua 19 47 Commentary

Joshua 19:47 concisely describes a pivotal moment in the history of the tribe of Dan. Faced with the inability or unwillingness to secure their initially allotted inheritance in the central lowlands—perhaps due to formidable Philistine or Amorite opposition—they undertook an independent and decisive military action. This action, migrating northward to conquer Leshem and renaming it Dan, reveals a resourceful yet perhaps pragmatically driven solution to their predicament. While the Book of Joshua presents this simply as another territorial acquisition, the detailed parallel account in Judges 18 casts a deeper, more somber light on the event. It reveals the Danites' lack of faith, their adoption of idolatry even before establishing their new home, and their unprovoked attack on a peaceful community. Thus, what appears as a successful pragmatic relocation in Joshua hints at deeper spiritual compromises that would ultimately define Dan's role as a source of idolatry in later Israelite history, making them the geographical and spiritual boundary marker of the Northern Kingdom, a site of apostasy (1 Ki 12:28-30; Amos 8:14). The verse is a testament to the tribes' independent actions within the larger narrative of Israel's settlement, often leading to unforeseen spiritual and historical consequences.