Land of Israel define different but similar borders which include the whole of contemporary Lebanon, both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and Israel, except for the South Negev and Eilat. Small parts of Syria are also included. The common biblical phrase used to refer to the territories actually settled by the Israelites (as opposed to military conquests) is "from Dan to Beersheba" (or its variant "from Beersheba to Dan"), which occurs many times in the Bible. It is found in the biblical verses , , , , , , , , and . The 12 tribes of Israel are divided in
Samson Agonistes that the piece was a "Dramatic Poem" instead of it being a drama. He did not wish for it to be performed on stage, but thought that the text could still influence people. He hoped that in combining Samson with traits of other Biblical figures, including those of Job or of the Psalmist, he could come up with the perfect hero who could deal with complex theological issues. In writing the poem and choosing the character of Samson as his hero, Milton was also illustrating his own blindness, which afflicted him in his later life. "Samson Agonistes" draws on the