12 They went up, and encamped in Kiriath Jearim, in Judah: therefore they called that place Mahaneh Dan, to this day; behold, it is behind Kiriath Jearim.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Kurjath-jearim - "City of forests," otherwise called "Kirjath-Baal" (marginal reference.), identified by Robinson with the modern "Kurit-el-Enab," on the road from Jaffa to Jerusalem and by Conder with Soba.
Mahaneh-dan - "The camp of Daniel;" so called from the circumstance of this armament encamping there. See Judges 13:25 (note), which affords some proof that this transaction was previous to the days of Samson.
And they went up and pitched in Kirjathjearim in Judah,.... Of which place see Joshua 15:9. According to Bunting (a) it was sixteen miles from Zorah and Eshtaol, and this was their first day's march:
wherefore they called the name of that place Mahanehdan unto this day; which signifies the camp of Daniel, or of the Danites; so it was called in the times of Samson, Judges 13:25 and is a proof that this expedition was before his time; and it was so called, it seems, in the time of Samuel, the writer of this book:
behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim; to the west of it; for though they are said to pitch in that place, the meaning is, that they pitched near it, in the fields adjacent to it, which were the most proper and convenient for a camp.
(a) Ut supra. (Travels of the Patriarchs, &c. p. 112.)
Mahaneh - dan - That is, the camp of Daniel.
*More commentary available at chapter level.