Saturday, June 24, 2006
10 verses about Dan
Here are 10 significant biblical references to Tel Dan...

Genesis 14:14 When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred eighteen of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.

There you have it. I'm going to the same place father Abraham chased down some bad guys.

Deuteronomy 34:1 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the LORD showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan.

Moses saw Dan as part of the Promised Land.

Judges 18:29 They named the city Dan, after their ancestor Dan, who was born to Israel; but the name of the city was formerly Laish.

So the city Dan is really named after some guy named Dan.

1 Samuel 3:20 And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the LORD.

The phrase "from Dan to Beersheba" is a pretty common expression in the OT like we might use "from Atlantic to Pacific." Dan is the far north; Beersheba the far south.

1 Kings 12:29-30 [Jeroboam I] set one [golden calf] in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. And this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one at Bethel and before the other as far as Dan.

If you know your Israelite history, this is a very bad day for the nation of Israel.

1 Kings 15:20 Ben-hadad listened to King Asa, and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

The historical record confirms that the city was destroyed in this time period, most likely by the Aramaens.

2 Kings 10:29 But Jehu did not turn aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to commit-- the golden calves that were in Bethel and in Dan.

Golden calves... still not a good thing.

Jeremiah 4:15 For a voice declares from Dan and proclaims disaster from Mount Ephraim.

Because Dan is the northern outpost of the kingdom, when the Assyrians come trouncing through in the 8th century, Dan is the frontline for the destruction.

Jeremiah 8:16 The snorting of their horses is heard from Dan; at the sound of the neighing of their stallions the whole land quakes. They come and devour the land and all that fills it, the city and those who live in it.

Again, the Assyrians are coming from the north, so the bad stuff has to come through Dan first.

Amos 8:14 Those who swear by Ashimah of Samaria, and say, "As your god lives, O Dan," and, "As the way of Beer-sheba lives"-- they shall fall, and never rise again.

This is what golden calves get you--judgment from a prophet.

posted by Peter at 11:48 AM
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