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DAN

Volume 17 · 205 words · 1810 Edition

or JOR-DAN, which last literally denotes "the river Dan;" so named from the people where it has its source, which is a lake called Phiala, from its round figure, to the north of its apparent rising from the mountain Panium or Paneum, as was discovered by Philip, tetrarch of Trachonites; for on throwing light bodies into the Phiala, he found them to emerge again at Paneum (Josephus). From Paneum it runs in a direct course to a lake called Samachbonites, as far as which it is called Jordan the Left; and thence to the lake lake Genefareth, or of Tiberias, where it comes increased by the lake Samachonites and its springs, and is called the Greater Jordan; continuing its direct course southwards, till it falls into the Aphilalites.

Dan, in Ancient Geography, a town to the west of the source of the Jordan; formerly called Laia (Joshua, Judges, Josephus). This was the north, as Beerheba was the south, boundary of the Israelites; as appears from the common expression in Scripture, from Dan to Beerheba. At Dan Jeroboam erected one of the golden calves (1 Kings xii.)

Dan, the tribe, extended itself westward of Judah, and was terminated by Azotas and Dora on the Mediterranean (Josephus).