Deuteronomy 33:22
And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.
Original Language Analysis
דָּ֖ן
And of Dan
H1835
דָּ֖ן
And of Dan
Strong's:
H1835
Word #:
1 of 8
dan, one of the sons of jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory; likewise a place in palestine colonized by them
דָּ֖ן
And of Dan
H1835
דָּ֖ן
And of Dan
Strong's:
H1835
Word #:
3 of 8
dan, one of the sons of jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory; likewise a place in palestine colonized by them
גּ֣וּר
whelp
H1482
גּ֣וּר
whelp
Strong's:
H1482
Word #:
4 of 8
a cub (as still abiding in the lair), especially of the lion
יְזַנֵּ֖ק
he shall leap
H2187
יְזַנֵּ֖ק
he shall leap
Strong's:
H2187
Word #:
6 of 8
properly, to draw together the feet (as an animal about to dart upon its prey), i.e., to spring forward
Cross References
Joshua 19:47And 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.Judges 18:27And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.
Historical Context
Dan received a small coastal territory squeezed between Judah, Ephraim, and the Philistines. Failing to secure it fully, the Danites sent spies northward who conquered Laish and renamed it Dan (Judges 18), establishing Israel's northern boundary ('from Dan to Beersheba'). This northern Dan was indeed near Bashan and became infamous as the site of Jeroboam's golden calf (1 Kings 12:28-30). The 'lion cub' blessing was fulfilled through bold migration, but later compromised by idolatry.
Questions for Reflection
- How can youthful courage ('lion's whelp') become either faithful initiative or presumptuous compromise, as Dan's history demonstrates?
- When circumstances constrain you, do you seek godly expansion ('leaping') or merely escape into new problems?
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Analysis & Commentary
Dan is a lion's whelp—Unlike Gad's mature lion (lavi), Dan is gur aryeh (a lion cub), suggesting youthful vigor, agility, and potential rather than established strength. This parallels Jacob's cryptic blessing where Dan is a serpent (Genesis 49:17)—both emphasize surprising, tactical strength despite small size. Dan's territory was initially confined, requiring expansive courage.
He shall leap from Bashan—Yezaneq (leap/spring forth) implies sudden, aggressive movement. Bashan, northeast of the Sea of Galilee, was far from Dan's original coastal allotment in southwest Canaan (Joshua 19:40-48). This blessing prophesies Dan's migration northward when Philistine pressure made their southern territory untenable. The Danites' conquest of Laish/Leshem (Judges 18) demonstrated the 'leaping' expansion from constrained circumstances to new territory near Bashan's vicinity.