Bible Strands
Judges 5:17
Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger by the ships? Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The song addresses the Israelite tribes immediately after the military campaign, cataloging which clans mobilized for battle and which did not. The words — יָג֖וּר (ya.Gur) means "did he sojourn" or linger, while אֳנִיּ֑וֹת ('o.ni.Yot) translates literally to "ships," describing Dan’s geographic hesitation. The thread — The text notes Gilead’s location beyond the Jordan, echoing Joshua 13:25 and Joshua 13:31 where the region is assigned to the eastern tribes. Asher’s coastal inactivity parallels the territorial allotment recorded in Joshua 19:24. Why it lands — The verse demands a clear accounting of tribal loyalty by contrasting geographic comfort with battlefield commitment. It requires the reader to measure presence against absence without excusing withdrawal.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
Cross-references
- Joshua 13:25 The territory of Jazer, all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites as far as Aroer, near Rabbah;
- Joshua 13:31 half of Gilead; and Ashtaroth and Edrei, the royal cities of Og in Bashan. All this was for the clans of the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh, that is, half of the descendants of Machir.
- Joshua 19:24 The fifth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Asher: