In Canaan Dan’s tribe divided, one portion on the coast and the other northeast of Galilee, but Dan was counted as one tribe in the ten-tribe House of Israel.  "Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel."  (Gen. 49:16). 

After King Solomon died, Jeroboam established the ten-tribe House of Israel.  "And he said to Jeroboam, Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you..." (1 Kings 11:31). 

Manasseh’s eastern half tribe was the tenth among the ten; "Now therefore, divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half tribe of Manasseh... beyond the Jordan eastward ..." (Joshua 13:7,8). 

Dan’s Galilee portion was Laish, a Canaanite city northeast of Galilee near Mount Hermon and near the half tribe Manasseh in Bashan.  The Danites were idolatrous.  Manasseh’s half tribe provided priests, so the tribes merged; "And they 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 formerly was Laish.  Then the children of Dan set up for themselves the carved image; and Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land." (Judges 18:29,30). 

Manasseh’s half tribe was big and had priests so Dan’s tribe absorbed into Manasseh; the city of Dan was part of Manasseh when Syria overran Galilee (1 Kg. 15:20).  Dan is not named when the ten tribes were taken captive to Assyria (1 Chron. 5:23,26; 2 Kg. 15:29) because Dan and Manasseh were then one tribe. 

At the time of the Assyrian captivity Dan was part of Manasseh East, so the ten tribes were taken eastward as nine tribes.  That is why the name Manasseh appears in Rev. 7:6 instead of Dan.  Thus we see that Dan is included but under Manasseh’s name.  In Rev. the name Manasseh actually refers to Manasseh East, because Manasseh West is included under the name Joseph together with Ephraim. 

Dan is not indicated in Rev. 7:5-8 but we know that Dan will be included in the future restoration: "Now these are the names of the tribes: ... one section for Dan ... on the east side... three gates: one gate for Joseph... Benjamin... Dan. (Eze. 48:1,2,32).  "And of Dan he said: Dan is a lion’s whelp; he shall leap from Bashan." (Deut. 33:22). 

Dan merged with Manasseh and Manasseh’s territory was in Bashan, so the prophecy that Dan shall leap from Bashan is historically correct (his name then being replaced by Manasseh).  The prophetic blessings given to Dan and Manasseh both remain valid; therefore it is reasonable to say that Dan's individual identity will be restored during the Millennium. 

Paul Phelps 

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