שופטים, פרק א׳, פסוק ל״ד

The struggle of the tribe of Dan to settle their allotted land stands out as a particularly difficult challenge, marked by fierce resistance that forced them into a defensive position in the mountains [מלבי״ם]. The Philistines living in the lowlands were not the only ones preventing the tribe from expanding. The Amorites, possibly acting as their allies, also severely restricted the movements of the tribe of Dan [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The Amorites actively pressured and squeezed the Israelites, trapping them much like a person backed against a wall [מצודת ציון]. They forced the tribe of Dan to remain strictly in the mountainous regions, completely blocking them from descending and spreading out into the valley below [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון].

This territorial struggle did not end there but escalated in distinct stages. Initially, the Amorites were satisfied with simply cutting off access to the valley. However, their ultimate plan was to drive out the tribe of Dan little by little. Once they realized their own military advantage, the Amorites advanced up the mountain itself, aiming to conquer that remaining territory and completely displace the tribe [אברבנאל, מלבי״ם].

This desperate situation finally moved the neighboring tribe of Joseph to pity. Stepping in to rescue their brothers, the tribe of Joseph fought back against the Amorites. They successfully subdued the enemy and subjected them to forced labor, although even with this intervention, they did not completely remove the Amorites from the land [אברבנאל].