BSN: “From Dan to Beersheba”

Dan – OT – Northernmost city in Israel. It had been named Laish when the Canaanites controlled the land, but was renamed by the tribe of Dan who conquered it. See Judg 18, especially verses 27-29.
Beersheba – OT – Southernmost city in Israel. “Beer” means “well” (but is sometimes translated “pit”). As for “sheba,” it means the number “seven.” The place received its name when Abraham made a covenant with Abimelech involving seven ewe lambs at a well (Gen 21:22-33, especially verses29-32.
“From Dan to Beersheba” (or vice versa, or some variation thereof) was a way of saying, “From one end of Israel to the other.” This expression is used ten times in the Old Testament, spread across 7 different books. – Judg 20:1; 1 Sam 3:20; 2 Sam 3:10; 17:11; 24:2, 15; 1 Kgs 4:25; 1 Chr 21:2; 2 Chr 30:5; Amos 8:14
- Judg 20:1
- 1 Sam 3:20
- 2 Sam 3:10; 17:11; 24, 2, 15
- 1 Kings 4:25
- 1 Chronicles 21:2
When the kingdom of Israel divided between Israel and Judah (The Divided Kingdom), Bethel (just north of Jerusalem) was the northern kingdom’s southernmost point. King Jeroboam placed a golden calf in Bethel, telling the people to worship there rather than travel to Jerusalem, which was the capital of the southern kingdom. Jeroboam’s intention was to keep his people from going to temple in Jerusalem where they might strengthen their ties with God instead of with him. For good measure, Jeroboam placed an additional golden calf at the northern kingdom’s northern border in Dan. All of Israel’s (the Northern Kingdom’s) kings maintained these two idolatrous calves. You could say that they were trying to turn “From Dan to Beersheba”into “From Dan to Bethel” in the public consciousness. All it did was hasten the northern kingdom’s demise. It fell in 722 BC, but the southern kingdom didn’t fall until 586 BC. (Keys Dates for Ancient Israel).