Gad, The Tribe Of

The country allotted to the tribe of Gad appears, speaking roughly, to have lain chiefly about the centre of the land east of Jordan. The sought of that district—from the Arnon (Wady Mojeb), about halfway down the Dead Sea, to Heshbon, nearly due east of Jerusalem—was occupied by Reuben, and at or about Heshbon the possessions of Gad commenced. They embraced half Gilead, (3:12) or half the land of the children of Ammon, (Joshua 13:25) probably the mountainous district which is intersected by the torrent Jabbok, including, as its most northern town, the ancient sanctuary of Mahanaim. On the east the furthest landmark given is “Aroer that is before Rabbah,” the present Amman . (Joshua 13:25) West was the Jordan. ver. (Joshua 13:27) The character of the tribe is throughout strongly marked—fierce and warlike.

GAD, THE TRIBE OF. The territory, given to the tribe of Gad lay east of the Jordan, north of that allotted to Reuben, and south of that given to Manasseh on that side of the river. It extended from the Jordan eastward to Aroer, Josh 13:25, including half of Mount Gilead and half of Ammon. Deut 3:12; Josh 13:25. For physical features and history, see Gilead. Its chief cities were Ramoth-gilead, Mahanaim, Heshbon, and Aroer. This tribe, in the Wilderness, was placed with Simeon and Reuben on the south of the tabernacle; with Reuben and the half of Manasseh, it occupied the pasture-grounds on the east of the Jordan. It was warlike, as is graphically stated, 1 Chr 12:8. Two famous men came from Gad — Barzillai, 2 Sam 17:27, and Elijah, 1 Kgs 17:1. The territory was the battle-field for wars between Syria and Israel. 2 Kgs 10:33.