גָּד
𐤂𐤃
Gad
H1410 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun referring primarily to Gad, the seventh son of Jacob/Israel by Zilpah, and by extension to the tribe descended from him, the territory allotted to that tribe east of the Jordan River, and, in later texts, to a prophetic figure named Gad active in the time of David. The name itself may convey the idea of 'fortune' or 'good luck,' but functions as a personal and tribal designation throughout the Hebrew Bible.
Semantic Range
proper name of a patriarch (son of Jacob), name of a tribe, territorial name, name of a prophet, reference to (or allusion to) fortune or luck, possible pagan deity
Root / Etymology
From the root גד (g-d), thought to mean 'to cut' but more commonly associated with 'fortune' or 'good luck' in ancient Semitic languages. The meaning of the name in personal and tribal use is likely related to the concept of fortune, joy, or destiny, although the derivation from 'to cut' is debated and etymology remains somewhat uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the patriarchal period, 'Gad' designates the son of Jacob by Zilpah (Gen 30:9-11), with the birth narrative explicitly connecting the name with 'fortune' ('Ba gad'—a play on the root meaning luck or fortune has come). In the context of tribal history, 'Gad' refers to both the lineage (tribe) and their allotted territory in Transjordan (Num 32:1-42; Josh 13:24-28). In the monarchy period, 'Gad' names a prophet serving King David (1 Sam 22:5; 2 Sam 24:11, 1 Chr 21:9), with no stated connection to the tribe. The term does not connote religious identity in the biblical period; references to the 'tribe of Gad' relate to genealogical or territorial affinity. Later English translations substitute 'Jew' for Israelite or Judahite in unrelated contexts, but 'Gad' as a designation remains stable. In Isa 65:11, 'Gad' may reference a pagan deity of fortune worshipped by some Israelite communities, though this is contextually distinct.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from גּוּד; Gad, a son of Jacob, including his tribe and its territory; also a prophet; Gad.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גד (g-d) — to cut, to divide, fortune, destiny
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1171 | בַּעַל גָּד | Fortune (Gad) |
| H1407 | גַּד | Gad (Fortune) |
| H1408 | גַּד | to Fortune |
| H1409 | גָּד | Gad |
| H1424 | גָּדִי | Gadi |
Word Forms
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1410-01 |
גָּֽד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | 67 |
H1410-05 |
וְ/גָ֡ד | vegad | HC/Np |
and Gad | and Gad | 2 |
H1410-03 |
לְ/גָ֕ד | legad | HR/Np |
for Gad | to Gad | 1 |
H1410-04 |
וּ/לְ/גָ֣ד | ulegad | HC/R/Np |
And of Gad | and to Gad | 1 |
H1410-02 |
הַ/גָּ֖ד | hagad | HTd/Np |
of Gad | the Fortune (Gad) | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
72 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1410-01 |
Genesis 30:11 | גָּֽד | gad-2 | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) |
H1410-01 |
Genesis 35:26 | גָּ֣ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) |
H1410-01 |
Genesis 46:16 | גָ֔ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) |
H1410-01 |
Genesis 49:19 | גָּ֖ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) |
H1410-01 |
Exodus 1:4 | גָּ֥ד | gad | HNp |
Gad, | Gad (Fortune) |
H1410-03 |
Numbers 1:14 | לְ/גָ֕ד | legad | HR/Np |
for Gad | to Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 1:24 | גָ֔ד | gad | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 1:25 | גָ֑ד | gad | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 2:14 | גָּ֑ד | gad | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 2:14 | גָ֔ד | gad-2 | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) |