יהושע, פרק י״ט, פסוק מ״א

The geographical placement of the Tribe of Dan reveals a complex relationship with the territories of its neighboring tribes. Rather than forming a completely independent region, Dan received the western portion of the land originally designated for the Tribe of Benjamin, as Benjamin only settled in the eastern section. Furthermore, Dan's territory included areas where the Tribe of Judah's land extended northward, which effectively shortened the boundary on the western side [מלבי״ם].

Within this region lay the cities of Zorah, Eshtaol, and Ir-shemesh. Zorah and Eshtaol are recognized as the famous locations that play a prominent role later during the era of the Book of Judges [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The exact tribal affiliation of these cities is a matter of discussion. One perspective suggests that these specific cities originally belonged to the Tribe of Judah, and the land lottery for the Tribe of Dan simply placed them right alongside these existing borders [רש״י]. Conversely, another approach proposes that these are entirely different cities from the ones found on Judah's border. Because Dan's inheritance was situated in the northwestern corner of Judah's territory, the cities mentioned here share the same names but are distinct locations [מצודת דוד].