Contradiction with Joshua 19:47
This verse describes how the children of Dan expanded their territory because it was too small, contrasting Judges 18:1 where it mentions that Dan sought an inheritance to dwell in as they had not yet received their full allotment.
Joshua 19:47: And the coast of the children of Dan went out [too little] for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
Contradiction with Judges 1:34
In this verse, the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountains, conflicting with Judges 18:1 which implies the tribe was actively seeking new land due to lack of inheritance.
Judges 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:
Contradiction with Joshua 11:23
This verse states that Joshua took the whole land and divided it according to their tribes, which contrasts Judges 18:1's implication that the tribe of Dan had unsettled territorial issues.
Joshua 11:23: So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.
Contradiction with Joshua 21:43
Here, it mentions that the Lord gave Israel the land He had promised, seemingly contradicting Judges 18:1 which implies incomplete possession regarding the tribe of Dan.
Joshua 21:43: And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.
Contradiction with Judges 17:6
This verse states there was no king in Israel and every man did what was right in his own eyes, suggesting a lack of centralized leadership, while Judges 18:1 implies chaos in acquiring territorial inheritance.
Judges 17:6: In those days [there was] no king in Israel, [but] every man did [that which was] right in his own eyes.
Paradox #1
The contradiction or inconsistency in Judges 18:1 could be related to the mention of the tribe of Dan looking for a territory to settle in, which contrasts with earlier texts indicating that they had already been allocated land in a different area. This inconsistency raises questions about the timeline and the completeness of the tribal settlement accounts in different parts of the biblical narrative.