Judges 18:29 (KJV)

What does Judges 18:29 mean?

Judges 18:29 explains that the tribe of Dan renamed the city they conquered to "Dan," honoring their ancestor Dan, who was one of the sons of Israel (Jacob). The verse also notes that the city’s original name was Laish before this change.

This verse comes after the Danites, one of the tribes of Israel, captured the city of Laish. The text highlights the act of renaming as a way to claim the city’s new identity and connect it to their tribal heritage. The verse is a historical note, showing how the city’s name and ownership shifted as part of the tribe’s settlement in the land.

The Hebrew behind Judges 18:29

• "called" (קָרָא, qara): This word means to name, call out, or proclaim. Here, it emphasizes the deliberate act of assigning a new identity to the city.
• "name" (שֵׁם, shem): This word means "name" or "reputation." Naming the city after Dan ties its identity and legacy to the tribe’s ancestor.
• "Dan" (דָּן, Dan): This is both the name of the tribe and their forefather. The repetition in the verse underlines the importance of lineage and tribal belonging.
• "Laish" (לַיִשׁ, Laish): The original name of the city, meaning "lion." Mentioning the old name preserves the memory of the city’s past before the Danites’ conquest.

Why Judges 18:29 matters

• This verse clarifies the transition of the city’s identity from Laish to Dan, helping readers track changes in place names throughout Israel’s history.
• The emphasis on naming after an ancestor shows how the tribes of Israel reinforced their heritage and claims to the land.
• By noting the city’s former name, the verse connects the story to earlier events in Judges and helps readers understand the continuity and changes in the narrative.