GAD (Heb. Gadh, “fortune”). — Son of Jacob and Zilpah, Leah’s maid (Gen 30:10–11), and eponymous ancestor of the tribe of that name. Of this person only his descendants are recorded (Gen 46:16). In the blessing pronounced upon him (Gen 49:19; cf. Deut 33:20–21) allusion is made more to the warlike skill of the tribe than to the qualities of its eponym.
The tribe of Gad is first named in Num 1:24, when its 45,650 men fit for arms are enumerated. In the second census, at the end of desert life, 40,500 men are recorded. These numbers must be interpreted by one of the devices devised to reduce to a reasonable figure the total of Israelites who entered the Promised Land.
The tribe of Gad, already in desert life specially united with that of Reuben (cf. Num 2:10–16), together with it asks to occupy the Transjordan, admirably suited to their numerous flocks. Moses, having received the guarantee that they would cooperate in the conquest of all Palestine, consents that the two tribes divide the desired territory (Num 32:1 ff.). After the first victories over the peoples of Transjordan it is more precisely stated that the Reubenites and Gadites are assigned the part of Gilead between Lake Gennesareth and the southern shore of the Dead Sea (Deut 3:16–17). Joshua further determined the individual territories, assigning to Gad the central zone of Transjordan, from about Wadi Hesbân southward to Nahr ez-Zerqā (Jabbok) (cf. Josh 13:24–28). On the north its boundaries touched the half-tribe of Manasseh, on the south that of Reuben, on the east the Arabian desert, and on the west the Jordan.
Soon, however, suspicion spread among the people that the Transjordanian tribes, despite their participation in the war against the Canaanites, harbored separatist sentiments (cf. Josh 22:1 ff.). Indeed, in the period of the “judges” this separatism manifested itself clearly (cf. Judg 5:17); yet in large part the activity of Jephthah, called simply a Gileadite (Judg 11:1 ff.), unfolded within the tribe of Gad. At the beginning of the monarchy, valiant soldiers from Gad hastened to aid David (cf. 1 Chr 12:8–14). In practice, however, the tribe of Gad, doubtless already partly amalgamated with indigenous elements, gradually disappears from Hebrew history. In its territory, perhaps first occupied by the Syrians of Damascus (cf. 1 Kgs 10:32–33), there later appear now the Ammonites (cf. Jer 49:1) and now the Moabites (cf. ibid. 48:19, 34).