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 recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
גד (Gad) — to cut, divide, distribute (root level)
Word Forms
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1410-01 |
גָּ֥ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad | 67 |
H1410-05 |
וְ/גָ֥ד | vegad | HC/Np |
and Gad | and Gad | and Gad | 2 |
H1410-02 |
הַ/גָּ֖ד | hagad | HTd/Np |
of Gad | the Fortune (Gad) | the Gad | 1 |
H1410-03 |
לְ/גָ֕ד | legad | HR/Np |
for Gad | to Gad | to Gad | 1 |
H1410-04 |
וּ/לְ/גָ֣ד | ulegad | HC/R/Np |
And of Gad | and to Gad | and to Gad | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
72 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1410-01 |
Genesis 30:11 | גָּֽד | gad-2 | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Genesis 35:26 | גָּ֣ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Genesis 46:16 | גָ֔ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Genesis 49:19 | גָּ֖ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Exodus 1:4 | גָּ֥ד | gad | HNp |
Gad, | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-03 |
Numbers 1:14 | לְ/גָ֕ד | legad | HR/Np |
for Gad | to Gad | to Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 1:24 | גָ֔ד | gad | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 1:25 | גָ֑ד | gad | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 2:14 | גָּ֑ד | gad | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 2:14 | גָ֔ד | gad-2 | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 7:42 | גָ֑ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 10:20 | גָ֑ד | gad | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 13:15 | גָ֔ד | gad | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 26:15 | גָד֮ | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 26:18 | גָ֖ד | gad | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 32:1 | גָ֖ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 32:2 | גָ֖ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 32:6 | גָ֖ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 32:25 | גָד֙ | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 32:29 | גָ֣ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 32:31 | גָ֛ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 32:33 | גָד֩ | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 32:34 | גָ֔ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 33:45 | גָּֽד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Numbers 33:46 | גָּ֑ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Deuteronomy 27:13 | גָּ֣ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-04 |
Deuteronomy 33:20 | וּ/לְ/גָ֣ד | ulegad | HC/R/Np |
And of Gad | and to Gad | and to Gad |
H1410-01 |
Deuteronomy 33:20 | גָּ֑ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 4:12 | גָ֜ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 13:24 | גָ֔ד | gad | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 13:24 | גָ֖ד | gad-2 | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 13:28 | גָ֖ד | gad | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-05 |
Joshua 18:7 | וְ/גָ֡ד | vegad | HC/Np |
and-Gad | and Gad | and Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 20:8 | גָ֔ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 21:7 | גָד֙ | gad | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 21:38 | גָ֗ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 22:9 | גָ֜ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 22:10 | גָ֡ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 22:11 | גָ֡ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 22:13 | גָ֛ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 22:15 | גָ֛ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 22:21 | גָ֔ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 22:25 | גָד֙ | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 22:30 | גָ֖ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 22:31 | גָ֜ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 22:32 | גָ֜ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 22:33 | גָ֖ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
Joshua 22:34 | גָ֖ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
1 Samuel 13:7 | גָּ֖ד | gad | HNp |
of Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |
H1410-01 |
1 Samuel 22:5 | גָּ֨ד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Gad (Fortune) | Gad |