These tribes owned a substantial amount of livestock, and the territory east of the Jordan was desirable for raising herds. In Hebrew, the pronunciation of Gad sounds much like the pronunciation of the words translated “attack” and “band of raiders.”Īt the end of Israel’s 40-year wilderness wandering, as the people prepared to enter the Promised Land, Gad’s tribe asked to settle east of the Jordan River along with Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Jacob praised Gad, predicting the tribe would contain brave troops that would drive off raiders and victoriously pursue Israel’s enemies: “Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels” (Genesis 49:19). To the tribe of Gad, Jacob delivered a prophecy that included an interesting play on words involving the name Gad. The Bible tells us that Gad fathered seven sons: Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli (Genesis 46:16).īefore Jacob’s death, the patriarch gathered his twelve sons to pronounce blessings on them. Joseph saved his family, forgave his brothers, and brought them back to live in Egypt. The brothers were recognized by Joseph, who was now vizier over all the land in Egypt. Later, Gad traveled with his brothers to Egypt to buy food during the famine. He traveled with his family from Padan Aram to Canaan and would have been part of the fraternal conspiracy to kill the youngest brother Joseph. Little is written about Jacob’s son Gad in the Bible. Then Leah said, ‘What good fortune!’ So she named him Gad” (Genesis 30:10–11). When Gad was born, Leah chose his name, which means “good fortune” in Hebrew: “Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. Gad’s mother was Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant. Jacob had four wives: Rachel, Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah. The second is a prophet in the time of King David. The first is Jacob’s seventh-born son and forefather of the tribe of Gad, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Two people bear the name Gad in the Bible.

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