19:47a
Later, when the territory of the Danites was lost to them: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the territory of the Danites was lost to them is more literally “the territory of the people of Dan went out from them.” The clan of Dan was not able to take over all the land that was given to them by lot. Judges 1:34 says that the Amorites fought against the people of Dan and so they could not take over the land that was on the plain near the sea.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
But the people of the Dan clan failed to conquer all the land they had received
-or-
But the tribe of Dan had trouble taking possession of their land (New Living Translation (2004))
19:47b
they went up and fought against Leshem: The town of Leshem was an ancient town that was at the source of the Jordan River. It was northeast of the other towns given to the people of Dan. In Judges 18:7 this town is called Laish. The clause they went up and fought against Leshem indicates that the members of the Dan clan attacked the town of Leshem.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
So the clan of Dan went ⌊northeast⌋ to the town of Leshem and attacked it
-or-
Because of that, the people of the Dan clan went up to Leshem and fought against it
19:47c
captured it, and put it to the sword: The clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as captured it, and put it to the sword indicates that the Dan people defeated and killed the people of Leshem town.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
They conquered the town and killed the people with the sword
-or-
They defeated and killed the people in the town
19:47d
So they took possession of Lethem, settled there: The clause they took possession of Lethem, settled there indicates that the people of the Dan clan moved into the town and began to live there.
19:47e
and renamed it: The phrase renamed it indicates that the Dan clan renamed the town of Leshem. They named it “Dan.”
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
Then they moved into that town and lived in it. They gave the town a new name, Dan.
-or-
Then they began to live in Leshem, and changed the name of the town to Dan (Translation for Translators)
after their father Dan: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
according to the name of their ancestor Dan
-or-
the man from whom their tribe descended (Translation for Translators)
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