The City of Dan
Location
The city of Dan, originally called Laish, is located in northern Israel. To the east are the remarkable slopes of Mount Hermon, and the city of Caesarea Phillippi. About 30 miles south of Dan lays the Sea of Galilee.
Archaeology
Archeologists have made a number of discoveries at Dan, including a stone with the only extra-biblical reference to King David. The high place built by King Jeroboam (1 Kings 12), a gate high place with several standing stones, and a gate dating from Abraham?s time (Gen. 14:14) have also been uncovered at Dan.
History
Dan was often referred to as the northern border of Israel during Old Testament history (2 Sam. 3:10). As the Israelites became attracted to fertility cults, Dan became a center of Baal worship in the region.
The city was settled by the Israelite tribe of Dan. Their inheritance had been an area of Israel's Shephelah, but the Danites feared the powerful Philistines who lived nearby. Eventually, they abandoned the land of their inheritance and decided to relocate in the north. The city they conquered and settled in was renamed Dan (Josh. 19:47).
