Gad

Genesis 49:19 ESV

“Raiders shall raid Gad, but he shall raid at their heels.

Birth - 7th of Jacob, first from Zilpah (Leah)

Name sounds like the Hebrew for “raid” or for “fortune”

Leah - after giving birth to four sons and after the birth of two sons by Rachel’s servant Bilhah - gives her servant Zilpah to Jacob and bears Gad through Zilpah. The exact meaning of “Gad” is unclear. It sounds similar to several other words. Leah was clearly hearing “fortune” when she named him. “Gad” is also the name of a Deity in that area.

As Jacob comes to “bless” him, he get’s a different insight and into the homonyms of Gad - namely being “cut off” or “raided”. The good fortune of Leah becomes the cutting off or “misfortune” in Gad’s tribal descendents.

During the conquest of the Promised land - Gad is allocated land just east of the Jordan - though the exact boundaries are in dispute. One of the common experiences of the people of Gad was their vulnerability to raiders. There is confusion in the biblical account as to exactly what is given to Reuben and what is given to Gad.

Gad is sometimes seen synonymously with “Gilead” - (Judges 5:15-17; Judges 12:7) - Jephthah was from Gilead.

The first part of Jacob’s blessing is clear throughout Gad’s history. The Lexham Bible Dictionary summarizes some of Gad’s experiences this way:

1 Samuel 11:1–11, supplemented by a text from the Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q51), recounts how, during the reign of King Saul, the Ammonite king Nahash oppressed Gad and Reuben, gouging out their right eyes to prevent them from effective resistance (compare Cross, “Ammonite Oppression,” 105–19).

1 Samuel 13:7 records that some Israelites fled across the Jordan River into the territory of Gad to escape the Philistine threat.

2 Kings 10:32–33 records that during the latter part of Jehu’s reign (841–814 BC), Hazael of Damascus conquered Gad.

Jeroboam II (ca. 786–746 BC) may have restored the territory of Gad to the Israelites (2 Kgs 14:25 ).

In the late eighth century BC, Tiglath-pileser conquered Gad and deported its population (1 Chr 5:26 ).

Other than these references - Gad plays a small role in Israel’s history. It’s difficult to see on a grand scale how Gad raided “at their heals.”

In light of what we’ve considered about Gad and his blessing - what can we learn?

How are our plans/experiences different than God’s sovereign plan?

There is still a sense of hope. Gad is numbered (along with the other tribes) among those who will have representatives around the throne in Revelation 7:5 .

The momentary and retributive(?) fortune that Leah experienced in response to Gad’s birth resulted in generations of suffering/raiding, but God is still faithful. God is faithful to preserve his remnant.