Judg 18:29-31 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Judg 18:29-31: 18:29-31 The city of Dan became the northernmost landmark of Israel’s territory (e.g., 20:1 ; 2 Sam 3:10 ; 1 Kgs 4:25 ; 2 Chr 30:5 ). Its identity as a center of idolatry continued throughout its history (see 1 Kgs 12:28-30 ; Amos 8:14 ).

Summary for Judg 18:29-31: 18:29-31 ^a The city of Dan became the northernmost landmark of Israel’s territory (e.g., 20:1 ^b; 2 Sam 3:10 ^c; 1 Kgs 4:25 ^d; 2 Chr 30:5 ^e). Its identity as a center of idolatry continued throughout its history (see 1 Kgs 12:28-30 ^f; Amos 8:14 ^g).
18:30 ^h The wandering Levite is now called Jonathan; he was a descendant of Moses through Gershom (Exod 2:21-22 ⁱ).

• The Exile is traditionally understood to have begun with the fall of the northern kingdom in 722 BC. In light of the reference to Shiloh (Judg 18:31 ^j), the exile of the Ark from Shiloh (1 Sam 4–6 ^k) might be in view.
18:31 ^l The religious infidelity of the tribe of Dan continued at least through the period of the judges; whether it was corrected by Samuel, Saul, or David is nowhere stated.

• Joshua took Shiloh, a town in the hill country of Ephraim, as his command post and central shrine (Josh 18:1 ^m) during the conquest and distribution of the land (Josh 18–22 ⁿ). The priest Eli and his sons ministered before the Lord at Shiloh (1 Sam 1:3 ^o). The town and sanctuary were probably destroyed by Philistines about 1050 BC (see 1 Sam 4:1-11 ^p). Shiloh was later remembered as an example of God’s judgment on false worship conducted in his name (see Jer 7:12-14 ^q; 26:6 ^r; cp. Ps 78:60 ^s).