מִגְדַּל־גָּד
𐤌𐤂𐤃𐤋־𐤂𐤃
Migedal Gad
H4028 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Migdal-Gad is a proper noun referring to a specific geographic location, most likely a town or settlement in the territory allotted to the tribe of Judah. The name literally means 'tower of Gad' or 'tower of fortune.' In context, the word refers to a site identified for its notable tower or elevated structure, possibly devoted to or associated with ‘Gad’—understood either as an Israelite tribal name or as a term denoting good fortune.
Semantic Range
tower/tall structure associated with Gad or fortune; fortified settlement; proper place name in territory of Judah
Root / Etymology
The term is a Hebrew compound formed from the noun מִגְדָּל (migdal, 'tower') and either the proper name גָּד (Gad, the Israelite tribe/ancestor) or the common noun 'fortune, luck,' also represented by the root גד. Thus, Migdal-Gad can mean 'Tower of Gad' or 'Tower of Fortune.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Migdal-Gad is mentioned in Joshua 15:37 as one of the settlements located in the Shephelah, the lowland region within the allotment to the tribe of Judah. The name follows a naming pattern seen across the ancient southern Levant, where ‘migdal’ (tower, fortified structure) is coupled with a qualifying word. The second element, ‘Gad,’ can refer to the Israelite tribe established by the son of Jacob, though in some ancient Near Eastern contexts 'gad' also serves as a term for 'fortune' and is the name of a deity associated with luck or fortune in West Semitic religion. However, given its use in the Judahite context here, the association is most likely with a tribal ancestor or as a witness to its Israelite heritage, rather than direct reference to fortune or a divinity. Later English Bible translations often merely transliterate the name, but some glosses have paraphrased it as 'Tower of Fortune,' which can mislead by implying association with non-Israelite cultic practices. The actual referent—a settlement named for its tower and its association with 'Gad'—is typical of biblical place names composed from a topographic feature and a personal or tribal name. The site is otherwise unlocated archaeologically and not mentioned outside the Joshua list.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מִגְדָּל and גַּד; tower of Fortune; Migdal-Gad, a place in Palestine; Migdal-gad.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גד (g-d) — to cut, divide; fortune, good luck
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1171 | בַּעַל גָּד | Fortune (Gad) |
| H1407 | גַּד | Gad (Fortune) |
| H1408 | גַּד | to Fortune |
| H1409 | גָּד | Gad |
| H1410 | גָּד | Gad (Fortune) |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4028-01 |
גָּֽד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Fortune-Gad | 1 |
H4028-02 |
וּ/מִגְדַּל | umigedal | HC/Np |
and Migdal | and Tower-of-Gad | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4028-02 |
Joshua 15:37 | וּ/מִגְדַּל | umigedal | HC/Np |
and Migdal | and Tower-of-Gad |
H4028-01 |
Joshua 15:37 | גָּֽד | gad | HNp |
Gad | Fortune-Gad |