With his note about the Danite priesthood ending at the exile, the author is underlining that human striving against the Lord does not endure or succeed forever. Thus, the author is warning his readers, during the time of the monarchy, possibly during Manasseh’s reign. If the policies of a king like him were to carry on, the covenant curses of Leviticus 26:1–46 and Deuteronomy 28:1–68, imposed upon the northern tribes of Israel, will then befall Judah as well.1
30 And the people of Dan set up the carved image for themselves, and Jonathan the son of Gershom, son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.