The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse reveals the precariousness of the Danites' situation; they were literally squeezed out of their allotted fertile plains and confined to the highlands, a constant reminder that their conquest was incomplete and their security fragile. This pressure, the text implies, was the very catalyst that later drove them to seek new territory in the north.
The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The tribe of Dan, assigned fertile plains in their inheritance, finds themselves pushed into the hills by the Amorites, a powerful people who refuse to let them access the lowlands. This military setback and lack of territory directly leads to the Danites later undertaking an expedition northward to find new land, as recorded in later chapters. This struggle highlights the ongoing challenge Israel faced in fully possessing the land promised to them, often due to their own compromises and the strength of the inhabitants.
The Amorites weren't just a passive presence; they were an active, formidable force. Learn why they were uniquely positioned to resist.
The Amorites were known for their mountainous strongholds. This gave them a strategic advantage, allowing them to "squeeze" or "press" the Danites further into the hills.
A Strategic High Ground
Think of it like this: the Amorites held the high ground, both literally and figuratively. Their established presence in the hilly regions of Canaan made them difficult to dislodge.
Pushed into a Corner
Instead of conquering their allotted territory, the Danites found themselves confined. The Amorites wouldn't let them access the fertile plains, leaving the Danites with limited options and space.
This wasn't the end of the story for the tribe of Dan. Discover how this 'pressing' led them on an unexpected journey.
The situation described in Judges 1:34 was a critical turning point for the tribe of Dan. They were assigned territory in the fertile plains but were unable to secure it.
A Tribe on the Move
Unable to establish themselves in their inheritance, the Danites faced immense pressure. This forced them to look elsewhere for a home, a decision that would have lasting consequences.
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The Northern Expedition
This very struggle eventually led to a daring expedition north, where a sizable group of Danites conquered the city of Laish and renamed it Dan. This narrative is detailed later in Judges 18, showing how God can use even our failures and setbacks to lead us to unexpected provisions.
Understand the original words
Emori · Hebrew Noun
A powerful and warlike group of people occupying parts of the land of Canaan, often representing a significant military threat or a persistent pagan influence that hindered Israel’s full settlement.
This verse highlights the ongoing struggle of the Israelites to fully possess the land promised by God, illustrating that incomplete obedience and engagement with Canaanite peoples led to their own displacement and hardship.
c. 1400 BC
Israelite Conquest of Canaan Begins
Following the death of Moses, Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land, beginning a period of military conquest and tribal land allocation.
c. 1375 BC
Joshua Distributes Land to Tribes
The land of Canaan is divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, with the tribe of Dan receiving territory in the fertile coastal plain and foothills.
c. 1375-1300 BC
Danites Fail to Fully Conquer Territory
The tribe of Dan is unable to drive out the native Amorites and other Canaanite groups from their allotted land, particularly the lowlands.
c. 1300 BC— this verse
Amorites Push Danites into Mountains
The Amorites exert pressure on the Danites, forcing them out of the more desirable plain areas and restricting them to the hill country.
c. 1290 BC
Danites Seek New Homeland
Displaced and lacking sufficient territory, a Danite detachment undertakes an expedition north, eventually conquering the city of Laish and renaming it Dan.
This passage describes the Danites' original inheritance, which was largely inhabited by Amorites and proved difficult to fully possess, setting the stage for the pressure mentioned in Judges.
Judges 18:1-2This directly follows the events in Judges 1:34, showing the Danites' desperate need to find new territory because they were 'pressed' and could not secure their assigned land.
Numbers 13:29This verse describes the Amalekites as dwelling in the Negeb and in the hill country, while the Amorites are mentioned as dwelling in the hill country, showing their historical presence in mountainous regions which aligns with them forcing the Danites into the hills.
Romans 8:37This verse speaks of being more than conquerors through Christ, offering a spiritual parallel to the struggle for possession and the challenges faced by the people of God against opposing forces.
1 Kings 20:28This passage tells of a similar confrontation where the Israelites were initially pushed back, but God granted victory, highlighting a recurring theme of struggle and divine intervention in securing the Promised Land.
wesleyJudges 1:34: "And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:"
1:34 The valley - That is, into the plain country; which was the occasion of that expedition for the getting new quarters, of which we read Josh 19:47,48 and chap.Jud 18:1 - 31.
gillJudges 1:34: "And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:"
And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain,.... Into the mountainous part of the tribe of Dan; the most noted mountains in it were Sear and Baalah, which lay on the border of Judah, Joshua 15:10 ; Joppa in this tribe was built on an high rock, and so Gibbethon, as its name seems to import, perhaps was built on a hill or mountain, as were the…
This verse reveals the precariousness of the Danites' situation; they were literally squeezed out of their allotted fertile plains and confined to the highlands, a constant reminder that their conquest was incomplete and their security fragile. This pressure, the text implies, was the very catalyst that later drove them to seek new territory in the north.
The tribe of Dan, assigned fertile plains in their inheritance, finds themselves pushed into the hills by the Amorites, a powerful people who refuse to let them access the lowlands. This military setback and lack of territory directly leads to the Danites later undertaking an expedition northward to find new land, as recorded in later chapters. This struggle highlights the ongoing challenge Israel faced in fully possessing the land promised to them, often due to their own compromises and the strength of the inhabitants.
The tribe of Dan, assigned fertile plains in their inheritance, finds themselves pushed into the hills by the Amorites, a powerful people who refuse to let them access the lowlands. This military setback and lack of territory directly leads to the Danites later undertaking an expedition northward to find new land, as recorded in later chapters. This struggle highlights the ongoing challenge Israel faced in fully possessing the land promised to them, often due to their own compromises and the strength of the inhabitants.
"The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain." — This verse reveals the precariousness of the Danites' situation; they were literally squeezed out of their allotted fertile plains and confined to the highlands, a constant reminder that their conque…
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Last reviewed October 2026