Gad

About Gad

Gad was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, named after Gad, the seventh son of Israel (or 'Jacob') and Zilpah, Leah's maidservant (Gen.30.11; 35.26). The tribe of Gad played a significant role throughout Israel's history. During the Exodus, the tribe of Gad was counted among the Israelites (Num.1.14, 24-25) and was positioned on the south side of the tabernacle, along with the tribes of Reuben and Simeon (Num.2.14). The tribe of Gad, along with Reuben and half of Manasseh, settled in the region east of the Jordan River (Numbers 32; Jos.13.24-28). They were known for their military prowess and bravery (1Ch.12.8, 14). The Gadites were among the first to help David when he was hiding from Saul (1Ch.12.8-15). They also supported David during the census and the purchase of the threshing floor for the temple (2Sa.24.5; 1Ch.21.2). The Gadites were blessed by Moses for their faithfulness and strength (Deu.33.20-21). The tribe of Gad was allotted cities and pasturelands in the region of Gilead (Jos.13.24-28; 1Ch.6.63, 80). They, along with the other tribes east of the Jordan, built an altar as a witness to their unity with the rest of Israel (Joshua 22). The Gadites were among the first tribes to be taken into captivity by the Assyrians (1Ch.5.26). In Ezekiel's vision of the restored Israel, the tribe of Gad is allotted a portion of land in the far north (Ezk.48.27-28, 34). In the book of Revelation, Gad is mentioned as one of the tribes with 12,000 sealed servants of God (Rev.7.5).

Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.