Bible Dictionaries
Gad

　　was the name of the son of Jacob and Zilpah, Leah's servant, Genesis 30:9-11 . Leah, Jacob's wife, gave him also Zilpah, that by her she might have children. Zilpah brought a son, whom Leah called Gad, saying, "A troop cometh." Gad had seven sons, Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli, Genesis 46:16 . Jacob, blessing Gad, said, "A troop shall overcome him, but he shall overcome at the last,"

　　Genesis 49:19; and Moses, in his last song, mentions Gad as "a lion which teareth the arm with the crown of the head," &c, Deuteronomy 33:20-21 . The tribe of Gad came out of Egypt in number forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty. After the defeat of the kings Og and Sihon, Gad and Reuben desired to have their lot in the conquered country, and alleged their great number of cattle. Moses granted their request, on condition that they would accompany their brethren, and assist in the conquest of the land beyond Jordan. Gad had his inheritance between Reuben south, and Manasseh north, with the mountains of Gilead east, and Jordan west.

　　 2. GAD, a prophet, David's friend, who followed him when persecuted by Saul. The Scripture calls him a prophet and David's seer, 2 Samuel 24:11 . The first time we find him with this prince is when he fled into the land of Moab, 1 Samuel 22:5 , to secure his father and mother in the first year of Saul's persecution. The Prophet Gad warned him to return into the land of Judah. After David had determined to number his people, the Lord sent to him the Prophet Gad, to offer him his choice of three scourges: seven years' famine, or three months' flight before his enemies, or three days' pestilence. Gad also directed David to erect an altar to the Lord, in the threshing floor of Ornan or Araunah, the Jebusite, 2 Samuel 24:13-19; and he wrote a history of David's life, cited in 1 Chronicles 29:29 .