'Tribe of Dan'

The Tribe of Dan is one of the twelve tribes of Israel, named after Dan, the first of two sons born to Jacob and Bilhah, the maidservant of Jacob’s second wife, Rachel. The tribe is associated with early instances of idolatry in Israel, particularly during the reign of Jeroboam I, who established a shrine in the city of Dan that included a golden calf dedicated to Baal. Notably, the Tribe of Dan is absent from the list of the 144,000 sealed tribes of Israel in Revelation 7. This omission has led to various speculations and interpretations among scholars and theologians regarding the tribe’s spiritual significance and possible future role in prophecy. In the Bible, Dan is symbolically associated with a snake, based on the blessing Jacob gave him in Genesis 49. This serpent imagery has contributed to the tribe’s negative portrayal in biblical tradition. What other animal is associated with the Tribe of Dan? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #349.