This verse demonstrates that every tribe, including Dan, had a part to play in God’s plan.
Of the tribe of the sons of Dan a leader, Bukki the son of Jogli. (v.22) In this passage, the LORD designates Bukki, a leader from the tribe of Dan, as one of the tribal chiefs responsible for overseeing the allocation of the Promised Land among the Israelites. Earlier in Numbers 34, the LORD instructed Moses on how Canaan should be divided, appointing leaders from each tribe to fairly distribute territories. The selection of Bukki here illustrates the orderly way in which God empowered distinct tribal representatives to manage communal responsibilities on behalf of the nation.
Dan was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Jacob through Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid (Genesis 30:6). Their original territorial allotment lay in the southwest portion of the land of Canaan, near the Philistine coast, but they later moved to the northern reaches of Israel and settled near the region of Bashan (Judges 18). This tribe’s history reveals both moments of strength—such as contributing to the defense of Israel—and moments of moral stumbling, including lapses into idolatry. Nevertheless, here in Numbers 34:22, Dan is treated like the other tribes, with a named leader, emphasizing that the covenant community included each tribe’s unique voice in stewarding God’s promise.
By singling out each tribe’s leader, the LORD reaffirmed the unity and order He desired among His people. Appointing Bukki “the son of Jogli” honored both family identity and clan structure, reminding Israel that God’s covenant blessings extended to every tribe and household. This verse thus shines a spotlight on how divine leadership and human administration worked in partnership to accomplish the LORD’s purposes for the nation.
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Numbers 34:22 meaning
Of the tribe of the sons of Dan a leader, Bukki the son of Jogli. (v.22) In this passage, the LORD designates Bukki, a leader from the tribe of Dan, as one of the tribal chiefs responsible for overseeing the allocation of the Promised Land among the Israelites. Earlier in Numbers 34, the LORD instructed Moses on how Canaan should be divided, appointing leaders from each tribe to fairly distribute territories. The selection of Bukki here illustrates the orderly way in which God empowered distinct tribal representatives to manage communal responsibilities on behalf of the nation.
Dan was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Jacob through Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid (Genesis 30:6). Their original territorial allotment lay in the southwest portion of the land of Canaan, near the Philistine coast, but they later moved to the northern reaches of Israel and settled near the region of Bashan (Judges 18). This tribe’s history reveals both moments of strength—such as contributing to the defense of Israel—and moments of moral stumbling, including lapses into idolatry. Nevertheless, here in Numbers 34:22, Dan is treated like the other tribes, with a named leader, emphasizing that the covenant community included each tribe’s unique voice in stewarding God’s promise.
By singling out each tribe’s leader, the LORD reaffirmed the unity and order He desired among His people. Appointing Bukki “the son of Jogli” honored both family identity and clan structure, reminding Israel that God’s covenant blessings extended to every tribe and household. This verse thus shines a spotlight on how divine leadership and human administration worked in partnership to accomplish the LORD’s purposes for the nation.