Deuteronomy 33:22 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 22. And of Dan he said— Moses seems here to prophesy, that part of this tribe, too closely confined within the bounds of the portion originally assigned them, would attack, like lions, the secure inhabitants of a place, of whose situation he gives them a general idea; and thereby intimates that they would form a colony distinct from the rest of the Danites. The words, therefore, may be rendered "Dan is a lion's whelp:—he shall leap or make excursions, beyond Bashan." Bashan was a large country to the south of Libanus, belonging to the half tribe of Manasseh. This was the most northern part (at least eastward of Jordan), in the possession of the twelve tribes, till a party of the Danites surprised Laish, and settled there; which city they afterwards called Dan; hence we meet frequently with this expression, from Dan to Beer-sheba, i.e. the two extremities to the north and south of Palestine. The exact time when this expedition was undertaken, is not easily fixed. We have an account of it at the end of the books of Joshua and Judges; but in both it is out of its proper chronological place. It is most probable, that it happened during the anarchy which ensued on Joshua's death. See Joshua 19:47. Judges 18 and Calmet on the place. Durell.