EXCAVATIONS AT DAN (I KINGS 12:28-31)

 

The site of Dan at the far north of the territory of Israel was identified in 1838 by E. Robinson. One area at that site was tentatively felt to be the “high place” or sanctuary mentioned in I Kings 12. However, there was no real evidence other than the fact that it was dated to 800-750 BC.

In 1984, further excavations were carried out by Abraham Biran. They showed steps leading up to the sanctuary and also uncovered a number of chambers associated with the priests and worship, as evidenced by relics such as two small incense altars, fancy bronze bowl, and three iron incense shovels. These last items were pictured in mosaics in synagogues of the 4th-5^th century AD and also described in Exodus 27:3, but never before found. The hole containing the bowl had ashes which were tentatively identified as coming from frankincense and myrrh.

Altogether, Biran recovered the remains of three different layers from this center of worship covering the reigns of Kings Jeroboam I, Ahab, and Jeroboam II in the tenth, ninth, and eighth centuries BC, respectively. There is evidence that the earliest level was destroyed by fire “Perhaps by the Aramean king Ben Hadad I (I Kings 15:20, 2 Chron 6:14).” (Gilmour)

Another important find in the remains of Dan was the House of David Inscription on a stele with writing in Aramaic, discovered in 1993. It dates to the 9^th century BC and tells of Jehu's rebellion described II Kings 9, giving a slightly different take on that event. The mention of the House of David confirms the existence of a Davidic dynasty, which had been doubted by many liberal Bible scholars. In addition, the inscription provided evidence that David's kingdom did indeed spread as far north as Dan, also doubted by earlier scholars. Note the common reference in the Bible to the phrase “from Dan to Beersheba” (or “from Beersheba to Dan”) in passages such as Judges 20:1; I Samuel 3:20; I Chronicles 21:2, etc).

The final Israelite level in the city shows signs of destruction by fire, no doubt attributed to Tiglath-Pileser II and mentioned in II Kings 15:19,29 and I Chronicles 5:26.