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 Paneum 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 Samachonitis, as far as which it is called Jordan the less; and thence to the lake lake Genesareth, 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 fall into the Asphaltites.

Dan, in Ancient Geography, a town to the west of the source of the Jordan; formerly called Laish (Joshua, Judges, Josephus). This was the north, as Beersheba was the south, boundary of the Israelites; as appears from the common expression in Scripture from Dan to Beersheba. 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).