Gad (son of Jacob)

Biblical figure and son of Jacob and Zilpah

This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources.
Find sources: "Gad" son of Jacob – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2021)

|

Gad

גָּד‎

Painting by Francisco de Zurbarán (from Jacob and his twelve sons, c. 1640–45)

Pronunciation| Gad
Born| 1564 BCE (12 Marcheshvan, 10 Tishrei, or 10 Marcheshvan, AM 2198)
Died| (aged 125)
Spouse| Uzith
Children| Ziphion (son)
Haggi (son)
Shuni (son)
Ezbon (son)
Eri (son)
Arodi (son)
Areli (son)[1]
Parents|

* Jacob (father)
* Zilpah (mother)

Relatives| Reuben (half brother)
Simeon (half brother)
Levi (half brother)
Judah (half brother)
Dan (half brother)
Naphtali (half brother)
Asher (brother)
Issachar (half brother)
Zebulun (half brother)
Dinah (half sister)
Joseph (half brother)
Benjamin (half brother)
Russian icon

Gad (Hebrew: גָּד, Modern: Gad, Tiberian: Gāḏ, "luck") was, according to the Book of Genesis, the first of the two sons of Jacob and Zilpah (and the seventh of Jacob's twelve sons overall) and the founder of the Israelite tribe of Gad.[2] The text of Genesis implies that the name Gad means “luck”/“fortunate”, in Hebrew.

## Biblical narrative

[edit]

The Biblical account shows Zilpah's status as a handmaid change to that of an actual wife of Jacob (Genesis 30:9,11). Many scholars believe that Gad was a late addition to the Israelite confederation.[3] Gad by this theory is assumed to have been a northwards-migrating nomadic tribe, at a time when the other tribes were quite settled in Canaan.[3]

## Rabbinical sources

[edit]

According to classical rabbinical literature, Gad was born on 10 Marcheshvan, and lived 125 years.[3] These sources go on to state that, unlike his other brothers, Joseph did not present Gad to the Pharaoh, since Joseph did not want Gad to become one of Pharaoh's guards, an appointment that would have been likely had the Pharaoh realised that Gad had great strength.[3]

## Book of Jasher

[edit]

The Book of Jasher states that Gad married Uzith. Uzith was the daughter of Amuram, the granddaughter of Uz and the great-grandson of Nahor (son of Terah).[3]

## Tomb

[edit]

The Prophet Jadur Shrine in Al-Salt, Jordan contains the tomb of Gad, known by Arabs and Muslims as Jadur. It has an elevation of 866 metres and is located in a cemetery.[4]

## See also

[edit]

* Tribe of Gad
* Gad (deity), pan-Semitic god of fortune
* Testament of Gad, apocryphal work

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Genesis 46:16
2. ^ Peake's commentary on the Bible
3. ^ a b c d e Jewish Encyclopedia
4. ^ "Tomb of Prophet Jadur عليه اسلام". PsychLander. 2021-05-19. Retrieved 2022-06-07.[permanent dead link]

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to Gad at Wikimedia Commons

* v
* t
* e

Children of Jacob

With Leah|

* Reuben (1)
* Simeon (2)
* Levi (3)
* Judah (4)
* Issachar (9)
* Zebulun (10)
* Dinah (11)

With Rachel|

* Joseph (12)
* Benjamin (13)

With Bilhah, Rachel's servant|

* Dan (5)
* Naphtali (6)

With Zilpah, Leah's servant|

* Gad (7)
* Asher (8)

Adopted|

* Ephraim (12.1)
* Manasseh (12.2)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template