American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
1. Son of Jacob and Zilpah, Leah's servant, Genesis 30:11 . Leah called him Gad, and said, "A troop cometh." Compare Genesis 49:19; but many Hebrew scholars prefer the rendering, good fortune or prosperity cometh. The tribe of Gad came out of Egypt in number forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty, Genesis 46:16 Numbers 1:24 . After the defeat of the kings Og and Sihon, Gad and Reuben desired to have their allotment east of Jordan, alleging their great number of cattle. Moses granted their request, on condition that they should accompany their brethren, and assist in conquering the land west of Jordan, Numbers 32:1-42 . The inheritance of the tribe of Gad lay between Manesseh on the north, Reuben on the south, the Jordan on the west, and the Ammonites on the east. The northwest point stretched to the Sea of Galilee. It was a fine pastoral region, though its exposure to the incursion of eastern Arabians compelled the Gadites to be well armed and on the alert, Genesis 49:19 Deuteronomy 33:20 1 Chronicles 5:18-22,25,26 12:8 . The principal cities of Gad are called cities of Gilead, Joshua 13:25 .
2. David's friend, who followed him when persecuted by Saul, and was often sent with a divine message to David, 1 Samuel 22:5 2 Samuel 24:11-19 1 Chronicles 21:9-19 2 Chronicles 29:25 . Scriptures styles him a prophet, and David's seer. He appears to have written a history of David's life;
which is cited in 1 Chronicles 29:29 .
3. Rendered "troops" in Isaiah 65:11 , but generally supposed to be the name of a heathen god of fortune; and perhaps of the planet Jupiter, the star of good fortune. Compare Joshua 11:17 15:37 . MENI in the same verse, translated "number," is supposed by some to mean destiny; by others, the planet Benus, and the goddess of good fortune.
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