Interesting Facts

• The name of Dan’s wife was ‘Egla’.
• Dan had multiple sons including Hushim, Samon, Asudi, ‘Ijaka, and Salomon; however, most of them died in Egypt in the same year they entered, leaving only Hushim.
• Jacob prophesied that Dan would judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel and likened him to a serpent by the way.
• Chushim, the son of Dan, who was deaf and dumb, understood the commotion surrounding Jacob’s burial and ultimately slew Esau.
• Dan died in Egypt at the age of one hundred and twenty years and was placed in a coffin in the hands of his children.

Genealogy

• Dan was the son of Jacob and Bilhah, who was Rachel’s handmaid. His full brother was Naphtali.
• His half-brothers through Leah were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, and his half-sister was Dinah.
• Through Rachel, his half-brother was Joseph and Benjamin.
• Through Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, his half-brothers were Gad and Asher.
• Dan married ‘Egla’.
• According to one source, his sons who went with him to Egypt were Hushim, Samon, Asudi, ‘Ijaka, and Salomon. However, these sons, except for Hushim, died the year they entered Egypt. Another source simply lists Chushim as the son of Dan.

Historical Context

Dan lived during the patriarchal period of the Israelites, experiencing the family’s sojourn in Canaan and their subsequent migration to Egypt due to famine. The narratives highlight the importance of family lineage and the beginnings of the Israelite tribes. Jacob’s blessings and prophecies over his sons, including Dan, reflect the perceived future characteristics and destinies of these tribes. The journey to Egypt was a significant event, shaping the early history of the Israelites. The account of Dan’s son, Chushim, intervening in the burial of Jacob underscores the continued tensions and conflicts with Esau’s descendants even in this later period. Dan’s death in Egypt marks a stage in the lifespan of Jacob’s sons within this foreign land before their eventual exodus.

Narrative

Dan’s personal narrative in the provided sources is somewhat limited, primarily focusing on genealogical details and the prophecy concerning his future tribe. He is listed among Jacob’s sons who journeyed to Egypt. A notable event connected to Dan is the action of his son, Chushim. During the burial of Jacob, when Esau and his sons attempted to prevent the burial in the cave of Machpelah, Chushim, despite being deaf and dumb, understood the distress and, driven by this understanding, killed Esau, ensuring Jacob’s burial. This act, though attributed to his son, highlights the potential for decisive action within Dan’s lineage. The prophecy of Dan being a judge and a serpent by the way suggests future characteristics of his tribe, although Dan himself does not actively participate in events that illustrate this within the current timeframe of the narrative. His death in Egypt at an advanced age concludes his personal story within these texts.