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Gad

Both TestamentsPatriarchsMaleSon

Gad was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Gad, the son of Jacob, and known for their military prowess and settlement east of the Jordan River.

Gad illustration
Gad

Biography

Gad was the seventh son of Jacob, born to Leah's maidservant Zilpah (Genesis 30:10–11). His name, meaning "fortune" or "good fortune," reflected Leah's joy at his birth. Gad accompanied his brothers to Egypt during the famine and was among those who settled in Goshen under Joseph's protection. Jacob's deathbed blessing in Genesis 49:19 prophetically described Gad as a tribe that would be raided but would ultimately raid at the heel of its enemies, a foreshadowing of the tribe's fierce military character. His descendants became the tribe of Gad, which settled east of the Jordan River in the region of Gilead, prized for its pastureland, and were notably valiant warriors throughout Israel's history.

Significance

Gad, as patriarch of one of Israel's twelve tribes, occupies an essential place in the framework of God's covenant people. The tribe of Gad exemplified Israel's military capacity and territorial faithfulness, taking an active role in the conquest of Canaan even though their inheritance lay east of the Jordan (Numbers 32:16–22). Jacob's blessing and Moses' later blessing (Deuteronomy 33:20–21) both affirm Gad's divinely appointed role. The tribe's story illustrates that God's promises encompass the full breadth of His people, including those on the margins of the Promised Land, and that faithful service to the covenant community transcends geographic boundaries.

Verse Appearances (71)

Revelation

References

  1. Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
  2. Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
  3. Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
  4. Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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