Gad • Gad son of Zilpah
Gad son of Jacob
Biblical EraGad is the son of Jacob and Zilpah, the maidservant of Leah, and he is one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Leah gave him his name, saying at his birth, Ba Gad, meaning fortune has come; hence the meaning of the name is fortune and destiny. Gad was among those who went down to Egy…
Biography
Gad is the son of Jacob and Zilpah, the maidservant of Leah, and he is one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Leah gave him his name, saying at his birth, Ba Gad, meaning fortune has come; hence the meaning of the name is fortune and destiny. Gad was among those who went down to Egypt with Jacob and his sons, and there he passed away at the age of 125. According to tradition, Gad was born in Haran. Seder Olam Rabbah places his birth in the year 2198; Yalkut Shimoni says he was born on the tenth of Cheshvan, while Midrash Tadshe assigns his birth to the tenth of Tishrei. His descendants were the tribe of Gad, which inherited its portion in the eastern Transjordan and took part in the conquest of the Land.
Life Story
Childhood
He was born in Haran to his father Jacob and his mother Zilpah, the maidservant of Leah. His name was given by Leah, who saw in his birth a sign of good fortune. Gad grew up in Jacob's household together with his brothers, and in his adulthood he was among those who went down to Egypt with Jacob's family.
Family
His father was Jacob, and his mother was Zilpah, the maidservant of Leah. His adoptive great-mother was Leah, who gave him his name. His brothers were the other sons of Jacob, the twelve tribes. His sons were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli, seven in number.
Key Events
Jacob's blessing to Gad before his death: Gad, a troop shall troop upon him; but he shall troop upon their heel. In this blessing the act of valor is derived from the name of the tribe. According to the commentators, if Gad is attacked he will gather together and strike back, and in this lies his strength. Moses' blessing to the tribe of Gad: Blessed be he that enlarges Gad; he dwells as a lioness, and tears the arm and the crown of the head, an image of valor and courage, like a lion crouching over its prey without fear.
Influence
From Gad came the tribe of Gad, which inherited the eastern Transjordan and took part in the conquest of the Land. The descendants of Gad are also mentioned on the Mesha Stele in Moab, and in the days of the First Temple they were exiled by Tiglath-Pileser III. Yalkut Shimoni expounds that Elijah the Prophet descended from the tribe that dwelt in Gilead.
Death
Gad passed away in Egypt at the age of 125. According to the Book of Jasher, the bones of the tribal heads were brought up and buried, and Gad was buried in the Transjordan, in the portion that Moses gave them.
His Way and Views
Faith
Gad was among the sons of Jacob who went down to Egypt, and his descendants took part in the inheritance of the Land promised to the patriarchs. The tradition of the Sages sees in the tribe dwelling in Gilead a root of spiritual heroism, and from its sons came, according to one opinion, Elijah the Prophet.
Ethics
The figure of Gad teaches about strength that serves the collective. The tribe's valor was not for personal honor but to guard and protect, as Jacob's blessing hints, that strength is forged precisely through unity.
Character
Gad symbolizes valor and courage. Both Jacob's blessing and Moses' blessing place his bravery at the center, and in the Testament of Gad he is described as one who guarded the flocks from wild beasts and struck them down.
Famous Quotes
"Gad, a troop shall troop upon him; but he shall troop upon their heel (Genesis 49:19)"
"Blessed be he that enlarges Gad; he dwells as a lioness, and tears the arm and the crown of the head (Deuteronomy 33:20)"
"And Leah said, Ba Gad; and she called his name Gad (Genesis 30:11)"
Famous Stories
The name of Gad: Leah called him by this name at his birth and said, Ba Gad, meaning fortune has come. The Sages expounded that the name expresses the destiny and fortune of the tribe, and linked it also to lots and constellations.
The valor of Gad in the Testament: the Book of the Testament of Gad recounts his bravery in guarding the flocks, how he pursued the lion and the wolf, seized them with his hand, and saved the sheep from them. The story expresses the heroic character of the tribe, as it emerges from the blessings of Jacob and Moses.
Elijah from Gilead: Yalkut Shimoni expounds that Elijah the Prophet descended from the tribe that dwelt in Gilead, and explains that he came from Gad. This exposition links the future of the tribe of Gad to spiritual heroism.
Timeline
The birth of Gad in Haran, son of Jacob and Zilpah
When Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt, Gad was counted among those who descended
Jacob blesses Gad: Gad, a troop shall troop upon him
The passing of Gad in Egypt
Moses blesses the tribe of Gad, and the tribe inherits its portion in the eastern Transjordan
The exile of the tribe of Gad by Tiglath-Pileser III
Legacy
Gad is the father of the tribe of Gad, which inherited the eastern Transjordan and took part in the conquest of the Land. The name of the tribe is mentioned even on the Mesha Stele, and the tradition of the Sages links the future of the tribe dwelling in Gilead to the rise of Elijah the Prophet. The figure of Gad symbolizes the valor of Israel, a strength forged through unity and serving the collective.