The Tribe of Dan

[E_Thrower_II]

Rev. 7:4-8

And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

Why is not the tribe of Dan mentioned?

 

[roveau]

The simple answer is, no one knows why Dan was left out of the list of the 144,000 listed in Rev 7:4-8. The Bible itself doesn’t say anything directly about it.

The most popular speculation is that Dan had early dealings with idolatry (Judges 18:30) and hence were left out considering that Israel were given the land belonging to those worshipping idols. There are other more convoluted or even wacky theories (such as the antichrist was to be a descendant of the tribe of Dan).

The ‘half tribe’ of Manasseh (half of Joseph) was included to make up for twelve tribes, in place of Dan.

 

[Nita]

Rev. 7:4-8

And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

Why is not the tribe of Dan mentioned?

Here are some links you will find interesting.
I started with the Jewish Encyclopedia jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/4866-dan
(Scroll 3/4 down to “Dan, Type of Antichrist”)

That led to Irenaeus’ “Against Heresies” - Book V Chapter 30.
newadvent.org/fathers/0103530.htm
2. …And Jeremiah does not merely point out his sudden coming, but he even indicates the tribe from which he shall come, where he says, We shall hear the voice of his swift horses from Dan; the whole earth shall be moved by the voice of the neighing of his galloping horses: he shall also come and devour the earth, and the fullness thereof, the city also, and they that dwell therein. (Jeremiah 8:16) This, too, is the reason that this tribe is not reckoned in the Apocalypse along with those which are saved.

and Hippolytus’ “On Christ and Antichrist”
newadvent.org/fathers/0516.htm
(Scroll down to #14.)

 

[Nelka]

Genesis 49:16-18

Dan will govern his people like any other of the tribes of Israel. May Dan be a snake on the road, a viper on the path, who bites the horse on the hock so that its rider falls off backwards! I long for your deliverance, Yahweh!

 

[NotWorthy]

The significance is that 12 tribes were listed. Don’t get upset about who i s left out, the important thing is that the 12 tribes show a re-united Israel. So much of OT prophecy revolved around the restoration of the 12 tribes of Israel when the Messiah comes.

As far as how did they get to 12 tribes? When Levi was set apart by Moses, the tribe of Joseph was split up into two tribes - Manasseh and Ephraim. Now, that Joseph is listed, as well as Menasseh, you have the issue of what to do with Levi? Do you include Gad or do you include Levi?

In my opinion, it was important to include Levi to show that the priesthood is still a part of the New Covenant Church.

 

[NotWorthy]

Genesis 49:16-18

Dan will govern his people like any other of the tribes of Israel. May Dan be a snake on the road, a viper on the path, who bites the horse on the hock so that its rider falls off backwards! I long for your deliverance, Yahweh!

Many of the sons were cursed in Jacob’s words, weren’t they? Shouldn’t they have been removed form this list as well?

 

[E_Thrower_II]

Ok, this is what I’ve got so far, many of you touched on it already.

From what I’ve gathered, Joshua shows Dan’s inheritance too little for them so they took Leshem and named it Dan. Then in Judges 18 it says Dan was the only tribe who’s inheritance had not fallen unto them and they sought a land to take for a possession. God had already given them a land to take for a possession but they forsook it to worship idols. They also destroyed and murdered a city full of people who were peaceful and quiet. They took a priest to minister unto them in the name of their idol. It says they did this all the days the house of the Lord was in Shiloh (also a reference to Jesus) until the day of captivity.

The old covenant is a shadow of the new. God gave them an inheritance in the “Promised Land.” They rejected it, murdered a city full of peaceful and quiet people and took it instead, AND took a corrupted priest to minister to them in the name of a false god.

Looking at the large picture, that says a lot about them.

The idea of a destination is stressed by the phrase “the Holy Spirit of Promise” by which we are sealed.

I also noticed Amos 8:11-14. Verse 14 says They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.