The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.
This verse describes the approaching enemy: 'The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan.' Dan, at Israel's northern border, would first detect invaders approaching via the Fertile Crescent trade route. 'Snorting' (nachrah, נַחְרָה) evokes powerful war horses, their breath and sounds preceding visible approach. 'The whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones' uses abirim (אַבִּירִים, mighty ones, stallions), emphasizing military power. The psychological impact of hearing an approaching army created terror before the battle began. 'For they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein'—the destruction is already certain, described in prophetic perfect tense as if completed.
Historical Context
Dan's location at the foot of Mount Hermon made it the traditional boundary of Israel ('from Dan to Beersheba'). Invading armies from Mesopotamia would enter Canaan through this northern corridor. The Babylonian army included significant cavalry forces, and the sound of approaching horses struck terror. Archaeological evidence of Babylonian military technology and strategy confirms their reliance on combined infantry, cavalry, and siege warfare.
Questions for Reflection
How does the certainty of coming judgment described in prophetic perfect tense challenge complacency about sin's consequences?
What 'sounds from Dan' might signal approaching spiritual danger in our lives?
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Analysis & Commentary
This verse describes the approaching enemy: 'The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan.' Dan, at Israel's northern border, would first detect invaders approaching via the Fertile Crescent trade route. 'Snorting' (nachrah, נַחְרָה) evokes powerful war horses, their breath and sounds preceding visible approach. 'The whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones' uses abirim (אַבִּירִים, mighty ones, stallions), emphasizing military power. The psychological impact of hearing an approaching army created terror before the battle began. 'For they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein'—the destruction is already certain, described in prophetic perfect tense as if completed.