Gad

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The seventh son of Jacob, and the first of Zilpah, Leah’s maid. Very little is recorded of Gad, except that he had seven sons (Gen. 30:1111And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad. (Genesis 30:11); Gen. 46:1616And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli. (Genesis 46:16); 1 Chron. 5:1111And the children of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salchah: (1 Chronicles 5:11)). Jacob in blessing his sons said of Gad, “A troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last” (Gen. 49:1919Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last. (Genesis 49:19)). Moses said, “Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with [or rather, “even”] the crown of the head. And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the Lord, and his judgments with Israel” (Deut. 33:20-2120And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head. 21And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the Lord, and his judgments with Israel. (Deuteronomy 33:20‑21)). On leaving Egypt the number of those able to bear arms was 45,650, but on the crossing of the Jordan their number was about five thousand less.
Being on the east of Jordan, this tribe, with Reuben and Manasseh, would necessarily have to bear the shock of the enemies that attacked Israel on the east (1 Chron. 5:18-2218The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war. 19And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab. 20And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was entreated of them; because they put their trust in him. 21And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand. 22For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity. (1 Chronicles 5:18‑22)). They were a warlike tribe, suitable for such an exposed position. Of those who joined David it is said they were “men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains” (1 Chron. 12:8-158And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains; 9Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, 10Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 11Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 12Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 13Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh. 14These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand. 15These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west. (1 Chronicles 12:8‑15)). Jephthah and Barzillai were of this tribe.
Gad possessed a large district from a little above the north corner of the Dead Sea to near the south corner of the Sea of Galilee, then a very fertile plain suitable for their flocks and herds, including the highlands of Gilead (see map under TWELVE TRIBES). The tribes on the east of the Jordan were the first carried away by the king of Assyria, about B.C. 740; and the Ammonites took possession of the territory of Gad (1 Chron. 5:25-2625And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them. 26And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day. (1 Chronicles 5:25‑26); Jer. 49:11Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the Lord; Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities? (Jeremiah 49:1)). Twelve thousand of this tribe will in a future day be sealed for blessing (Rev. 7:55Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. (Revelation 7:5)). Their allotment will be in the extreme south in the restoration of Israel (Ezek. 48:2727And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad a portion. (Ezekiel 48:27)).