Dan in Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("judge".) Jacob's fourth son, Bilhah's (maid of Rachel) first (Genesis 30:6), own brother to Naphtali. The female corresponding name is Dinah ("judgment".) Rachel's exclamation originated the name, "God hath judged me," i.e. vindicated my cause by giving me a son. Jacob on his deathbed said, "Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel" (Genesis 49:16), i.e., having the full tribal standing as much as Leah's descendants. (See CONCUBINE.) The judgeship of Samson may also be a fulfillment of Jacob's words (Judges 15:20). Hushim (the plural implying a family) or Shuham alone is mentioned as Dan's son (Genesis 46:23); but at the Exodus the tribe stood second of Israel in numbers (Numbers 1:39), Numbers 1:62,700; 64,400 at the close of the wilderness sojourn (Numbers 26:43). It occupied the N. side of the tabernacle, the hindmost in the march (Numbers 2:25; Numbers 2:31; Numbers 10:25), with Asher and Naphtali. Of Dan was Aholiab, associated with Bezaleel, in the construction of the tabernacle (Exodus 31:6, etc.). Its allotment was on the coast W. of Judah and Benjamin, S. of Ephraim, N. of Simeon; small, but most choice, extending from Joppa on the N. to Ekron on the S., 14 miles long, part of the shephelah (or vale sweeping along the whole coast, the N. part of which is Sharon). The powerful Philistines near them drove them partly toward the mountainous region bordering on Judah, so as to encroach on Judah's towns, Zorah and Eshtaol and Ir- shemesh or Beth-shemesh; compare Joshua 15:33 with Joshua 19:41. The Amorites previously "would not suffer them to come down into the valley" (Judges 1:34)...