Judges 18:29They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel: however the name of the city was Laish at the first.
The setting
Northern Israel, ~1200 BC. The Danites establish their new city on the ashes of Laish. They name it after their ancestor Dan, Jacob's fifth son born to Bilhah.
The emotion here: conflicted about recording both triumph and tragedy
The original word
דָּן (Dan) — judge or judgment, from the root meaning 'to judge'
Why it matters
Dan was the northernmost city of Israel, giving rise to the phrase 'from Dan to Beersheba'
Read with care
What most readers miss in Judges 18:29
Naming it 'Dan' (judgment) after destroying innocent people is deeply ironic
Common misconceptionPeople see this as a positive 'new beginnings' verse, but it's actually about building success on innocent blood — the 'new city' was built on genocide.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Judges 18:29
Bible Genome reading
Judges 18:29 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Judges 18:29 comes from the book of Judges, written during the judges period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is starting, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include naming, heritage. Notable phrases: called the name; Dan their father.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same starting
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
— Genesis 1:1
“God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.”
— Genesis 1:3
“I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”
— Philippians 4:13
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and t…”
— Acts 1:8
“Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receiv…”
— Acts 2:38
Your reflection
What does Judges 18:29 mean to you, today?
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