Gad (son of Jacob)
From BibleWiki
Meaning: (good) fortune
Jacob's seventh son, by Zilpah, Leah's handmaid (Gen 30:10f), and himself the father of seven sons: Ziphion (Zephon), Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon (Ozni), Eri, Arodi (Arod), Areli (Gen 46:16; Num 26:15ff).
Biblical Data:
Tribe descended from Gad, the seventh son of Jacob. In the desert it was credited with 40,000 men able to bear arms (Num 1:24 et seq., ii. 15, xxvi. 18). Rich in flocks, it occupied, with Reuben and half of Manasseh, the district east of the Jordan once belonging to the kings of Heshbon and Bashan and partly settled by Ammonites (Num 32:1, 29, 33; Deut 3:12, 18; Josh 13:25). Hence the "land of Gad" (1Sam 13:7), on the Jabbok (= "brook of Gad"; 2 Sam 24:5; see Gilead). Among its cities were Ramoth, Jaezer, Aroer, Dibon (Num 32:34 et seq.; Deut 4:43; Josh 20:8). Gad was a warlike tribe, and took part in the conquest of the trans-Jordanic regions (Gen 49:19; Deut 33:20, 21; Num 32:6 et seq.). Among David's men at Adullam, Gad was well represented (1Chr 12:8; 1Sam 22:1, 2). Though Gad at first remained loyal to Ish-bosheth, it later transferred its allegiance to David (2 Sam 2:8 et seq., xvii. 24 et seq.). Jeroboam built the fortress Penuel to keep the men of Gad in check (1 Kg 12:25). Later, under Uzziah and Jotham, Gad was joined to the kingdom of Judah (1Chr 5:16; comp. Schrader, "K. B." ii. 27). The Ammonitesseem to have ultimately reconquered the territory of Gad (Jer 49:1).
In Rabbinical Literature:
Gad was born on the tenth of Ḥeshwan, and lived 125 years (Ex. R. i. 5; Yalḳ., Ex. 1). He was called "Gad" after the manna, which was like coriander ( (missing hebrew text) ; Ex. R. l.c.). Because of his great strength he was not presented by Joseph to Pharaoh, lest the latter should appoint him one of his guards (Gen. R. xcv. 4). Foreseeing that the children of Gad would devote themselves to the breeding of cattle, Jacob ordered that in carrying his bier Gad should walk on the southern side, whence came the beneficent rains and fructifying dew (Num. R. iii. 12). The tribe of Gad occupied the southern side of the camp also (Num. R. l.c.). They were neighbors of Korah because, like him, they were quarrel-some. Their standard was of red and black, with a camp painted on it (Num. R. ii. 6). According to some, the name of Gad was inscribed on the agate in the breastplate of the high priest ("Shalshelet ha-Ḳabbalah," p. 13), according to others on the ligure (Samuel Ẓarẓa, "Meḳor Ḥayyim" to Ex. xxviii.), while others declare it to have been cut on the amethyst, which has the virtue of infusing martial courage (Ex. R. xxxviii.; Baḥya ben Asher's commentary, ad loc.). The tribe of Gad is blamed for having chosen the "other side" of the Jordan, the verse "Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt" (Eccl 5:12) being applied to them (Gen. R. 1. 11). When they arrived at the Jordan and saw the fertility of the land, they said: "One handful of enjoyment on this side is better than two on the other" (Lev. R. iii. 1). However, because they crossed the river to help their brethren in the conquest of Palestine, just as Simeon did when he took his sword and warred against the men of Shechem, they were found worthy to follow the tribe of Simeon at the sacrifices on the occasion of the dedication of the Tabernacle (Num. R. xiii. 19). Moses was buried in the territory of Gad (Soṭah 13b; Yalḳuṭ, Wezot ha-Berakah, p. 961). According to some, Elijah was a descendant of Gad (Gen. R. lxxi.). The tribes of Gad and Reuben were the first that went into exile (Lam. R. i. 5).
Critical View:
The inscription on the Moabite Stone, 1. 10, reports that "the man of Gad had dwelt since days of old in the land of Ataroth; then the King of Israel built for himself Ataroth." According to this, the Moabites distinguished between Gad and Israel, regarding the former as old inhabitants of the parts east of the Jordan. The same notion that Gad is not of pure Israelitish stock underlies the Biblical genealogy of the tribe's eponym. He is the son of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, not a full brother to Reuben and the other northern tribes. The geographical notes on Gad are for the same reason diverse and divergent. The city of Dibon is designated in Num 33:45 as belonging to Gad (with Ataroth and Aroer in Num 32:34 et seq.), but in Josh 13:15 et seq. this same territory, north of the Arnon, belongs to Reuben. The boundaries of Gad in Josh 13:24-27 (P) are also different. These and other discrepancies show a wide latitude and indefiniteness in the use of "Gad" as a territorial designation. Gilead sometimes includes Gad (among other passages see Jdg 5:17), though at times it denotes a country north of Gad, and again a country south of Jaazer (2 Sam 24:5; Josh 13:24 et seq.). These facts seem to indicate that "Gad" was originally the name of a nomadic tribe, and was then applied to the territory which this tribe passed over and settled in. The gradual extension of the use of the name shows on the whole that the tribe coming from the south pushed on steadily northward (2 Sam 24:5; comp. 1Chr 5:11, 16). The territory was never secure from invasion and attacks. To the south it was exposed to the Moabites, to the north to the Arameans from Damascus, and later to the Assyrians. Tiglath-pileser III. annexed this region about 733-732 B.C., and enslaved a part of the inhabitants (2Kg 15:29; 1Chr 5:26). Ezekiel assigns to Gad the southern boundary in his territorial scheme (Ezek 48:27, 28). The suggestion has been made that the name of the tribe is derived from Gad, the god of luck.
See also: Tribe of Gad
