8. (19) Gad: He shall triumph at last.
“Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him,
But he shall triumph at last.”
a. Gad:
The tribe of Gad supplied many fine troops for David (1 Chronicles
12:14).
b. A
troop shall tramp upon him: In the days of Jeremiah (among other
times) foreign armies oppressed Gad (Jeremiah 49:1).
9. (20) Asher: He shall yield royal dainties.
“Bread from Asher shall be rich,
And he shall yield royal dainties.”
a. Bread
from Asher shall be rich: In Deuteronomy 33:24, Moses again took up
this prophecy regarding Asher: Asher is most blessed of sons; let him be
favored by his brothers, and let him dip his foot in oil.
b. He
shall yield royal dainties: Apparently, the land eventually occupied
by Asher was good enough to bring not only necessities, but also luxuries.
A Mighty Tribe
Gad was one of the twelve sons of Jacob, making up the twelve tribes of Israel. Gad was the son of Zilpah, one of Jacob's four wives, who was also the mother of Asher.
According to tradition, Gad was born (and died) on the tenth day of this month, Cheshvan (Shemos Rabba 1: 5). He was named Gad by Leah, who had been Zilpah's mistress. "Gad" means Mazal Tav, "good luck" (Rashi). According to another opinion (Ibn Ezra), "Gad" means a "troop" (as Gedud), and this is what Leah meant when she said Ba Gad-for her sons now made up a whole "troop" (Gen. 3 0:11) .
At the time when Jacob and his family of seventy souls
came to live in Egypt, Gad was the father of seven sons. When our
Patriarch Jacob blessed his sons before his death (Gen. 49:19), he
prophesied that the tribe of Gad will provide brave troops who will lead
the children of Israel to victory in the conquest of the Promised Land,
then return to their inheritance on the eastern side of the Jordan.
Moshe
Rabbenu, when blessing the Tribes before his death, likened Gad to a
lion. This was an allusion to the mighty warriors of this tribe who will
strike down Israel's enemies. He also prophesied that in Gad's portion
would be hidden his (Moshe's) grave (Dent. 33:20-21).
It was especially important for the tribe of Gad to be
strong, for it received its share of land on the border, and guarded the
north-eastern flank of the country.
In the Desert
When the children of Israel were counted in the Desert of Sinai on the first of Iyar, 2449, in the second year after their exodus from Egypt, Gad was the third tribe to be counted (after Reuven and Shimon). The males, from the age of twenty and up, numbered 45,650 (Num. 1:24, 2 5). The prince, or head of the tribe (Nassi), was Elyasaf ben Reuel (1:14; 2:14).
In the arrangement of the camp and order of the march,
the tribe of Gad was placed under the Staff of Reuven, together with
Shimon, south of the Sanctuary (Num. 2:10, 14). Upon the erection and dedication of the Sanctuary on the first of Nissan (2449),
when each of the princes of the tribes brought identical offerings for
the dedication of the Mizbe'ach (Altar) on successive days, Elyasaf ben
Reuel's turn was on the sixth day (sixth of Nissan).
Among the twelve spies, each representing a tribe, which
Moshe Rabbenu sent to spy out the Promised Land, the tribe of Gad was
represented by Geuel ben Machi. In this case, Gad is mentioned last
(Num. 13:15).
At the second census in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, nearly 40
years after the first census, the number of men of military age (twenty
and up) of the tribe of Gad fell short of the first count. Their number
was now only 40,500 (Num. 26:18).
After the Eastern or Transjordanic part of Canaan was captured from the Amorites (Num. 21:21-3 5), the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and half of Menasheh
desired to settle in that part. These tribes had large herds of cattle
and sheep, and when they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead, east of
Jordan, were very suitable for grazing, they approached Moshe, Elazar,
and all the princes and requested that this area be given to them as
their share of the Promised Land. This seemed, at first, like another
rebellion, and Moshe sternly rebuked the Rejuvenates and Gadites: "Shall
your brethren go to war, and you will sit here?" he said, reminding
them of what happened to the people when they were swayed by the evil
report of the spies. However, the leaders of Reuven and Gad assured him
that they were not only willing to accompany the other tribes and help
in the conquest of Canaan, but would march in the forefront of the
battles. Accepting this offer and making it a firm condition, Moshe
granted their request. Then the Reuvenites and Gadites were permitted to
build fortified cities in Transjordan for the women and children, and
sheepfolds for their flocks, while the fighting men of these tribes
would cross the Jordan with the other tribes to lead in the conquest of
Canaan. The tribes of Gad and Reuven built a number of cities, while the
clan of Machir, the son of Menasheh, went and conquered the land of
Gilead from the Amorites dwelling there, and received it as their
inheritance (Num. ch. 32).
Under Joshua
The tribes of Gad and Reuven faithfully carried out
their pledge. When most of the land of Canaan had been conquered, Joshua
confirmed their inheritance in Transjordan, and set the borders of the
lands given to these tribes. Gad received the area of Jazer, a
substantial part of Gilead, part of the land of Amon and of the kingdoms of Sihon and Og,
bordering on the Sea of Kinnereth in the north (Joshua 13 :24-2 8). One
of the cities of Gad-Ramoth in Gilead-along with Betzer in the desert,
of Reuven, and Golan of Menasheh, formed three Cities of Refuge, with other three Cities of Refuge on the west of Jordan (Joshua 20:8),
as they had already been assigned by Moshe Rabbenu (Deut. 4:41-43). Our
Sages explain that the rate of involuntary manslaughter was greater
among the two and a half tribes than among the other tribes, and
therefore there was an equal number of Cities of Refuge, on both sides
of the Jordan.
Before the fighting men of Reuven, Gad, and the
half-tribe of Menasheh returned to their wives and children, Joshua
exhorted them to remain faithful to G-d and to the Torah and Mitzvoth, with all their heart and soul. Then Joshua blessed them and sent them home (Joshua 22:1-6).
Upon their return, the two and a half tribes erected a
replica of the Mizbe'ach near the Jordan, not for the purpose of
offering sacrifices on it, but as a symbol and reminder of their unity
with the rest of the tribes of Israel for future generations (22:10-34).
In the Time of Saul and David
During the years of Philistine invasions, especially in
the early reign of King Saul, before he was able to muster a fighting
force to repel the invaders, many Jews crossed the Jordan to seek refuge
in the land of Gad and in Gilead (I Sam. 13:7). Some of the mighty
warriors of Gad joined David when he was a fugitive from Saul's jealousy
yet was fighting his own successful battles against the Philistines.
The Gadites were described as "men of valor, men of war fit for the
battle, who could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the
faces of lions and were swift as the barts upon the mountains . . .
captains of the host; the least of them commanded a hundred men and the
greatest, a thousand" (I Chron. 12:8-14).
The neighboring kingdoms, Aram (Syria) in the north, and
Moab in the south, occasionally proved a menace to the two and a half
tribes, and to Gad in particular.
During the reign of Omri,
King of the Northern Kingdom of the Ten Tribes (3010-3021), the kingdom
of Moab in the southeast of the Land of Israel was subdued, and paid an
annual tribute to the Kingdom of Israel. However, during the short
reign of Omri's grandson Ahaziah
(3041-43), the Moabites revolted. Mesha, their king, captured several
cities of the tribes of Reuven and Gad, and slaughtered their
inhabitants. In the famous Monument of Mesha, which had been unearthed,
part of the inscription reads boastfully:
I Mesha, son of Chemosh king of Moab, of Dibon. My
father reigned over Moab for thirty years, and I reigned after my father
. . . I saw vengeance upon all my enemies. Omri king of Israel
afflicted Moab for many years . . . His son succeeded him and said 'I
will afflict Moab also' . . . (My god) Chemosh returned Medba in my
days. I built Baal-Meon . . . and Kiriathaim . . . Then Chemosh said
unto me, 'Go capture Nebo . . .' I marched during the night and fought
from dawn to noon and captured it and slew all its seven thousand men
and women, young and old, and offered them up to Chemosh . . ."
However, Ahaziah's successor, King Joram, with the aid of King Jehoshaphat of Judah,
decisively defeated the Moabites and destroyed every Moabite city,
except the fortified capital, where Mesha sought refuge after his
defeat.
During the reign of Joram's successor, King Jehu
(3055-3083), King Hazael of Syria invaded the territories of Gad,
Reuven and Menasheh. For many years the powerful Syrian king cruelly
oppressed the Northern Kingdom and harassed them with frequent attacks.
Things were going from bad to worse for the Ten Tribes,
including Gad. Finally Tiglath Pileser, King of the mighty Assyrian
empire, invaded the territories of the two and a half tribes and annexed
them as part of his Syrian province. The two and a half tribes were
exiled from their land, which was now settled by Amonites and other
peoples. Next he sliced off most of the northern part of the land,
taking the inhabitants captive.
The final exile of the Ten Tribes came in 3205 when
Shalmaneser, the successor of Tiglath Pileser, captured Samaria, the
capital of the Northern Kingdom.
The Kingdom of Judah in the south, with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, as well as the Kohanim and Leviim of the tribe of Levi, continued to exist for 133 years. In 3338 Jerusalem and the Beth Hamikdosh were destroyed and most of the Jews were led captive into Babylon. They were called Yehudim ("Jews") after the tribe of Yehuda
(Judah). Seventy years later, as the saintly Prophets had foretold,
Jerusalem and the Beth Hamikdosh were rebuilt by returning exiles from
Babylon. Gradually the Jews spread throughout most of the Land of Israel
west of the Jordan. The second Beth Hamikdosh existed for 420 years,
until the Romans destroyed it together with Jerusalem. Since that time
our Jewish people has been dispersed throughout the world, waiting for
the appearance of Moshiach,
who will gather in the Jewish exiles from all parts of the world into
the Holy Land and rebuild the Beth Hamikdosh on its ancient site, as
promised by our holy prophets. Indeed, the Prophet Ezekiel
describes the boundaries of the lands repossessed by the twelve tribes.
He declares that the City of Jerusalem will have twelve gates, each
named after a tribe. The Gate of Gad will be one of the three southern
gates (Ezekiel 48:27, 28,
34). Then all the twelve tribes of Israel will again be united in their
own land, one people, with one Torah, serving the One G-d.
===============
("good fortune")
1. The seventh son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah's maid; and ancestor of the tribe of Gad. The etymology of the name was given by Leah, Jacob's wife, who named him Gad meaning good fortune, because he was the firstborn to his mother (Gen 30:3-11). He was the full brother of Asher (Gen 35:26; 46:16-18; Ex 1:4; I Chr 2:2).
In the census taken in the second year after the Exodus the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650 and was led by Eliasaph son of Reuel (Num 2:14-15). At the time of the second census there were 40,500 (Num 26:18). They were shepherds (Gen 46:32) and together with Reuben had "a very great multitude of livestock" (Num 32:1). For this reason they requested and were allotted Jazer and Gilead in the east of Jordan; a region which "was a place for livestock" (Num 32:1). This favor was granted on condition that the men first arm themselves and help in the battle for the territory west of the Jordan (Num 32:1-33). After the subsequent successful conquest of Canaan they built an altar beside the Jordan as a sign of their devotion to God and readiness to worship him (Josh 22:26-34). In the Blessing of Jacob (Gen 49:19) it is said "Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him, but he shall triumph at last", while in the Blessing of Moses (Deut 33:20), it is said "Blessed is he who enlarges Gad".
One of David's famous thirty "mighty men" was Bani the Gadite (II Sam 23:36). Gadites aided David at Ziklag while he was in hiding from Saul. They were "men trained for battle" with "the faces of lions" and were "swift as gazelles" (I Chr 12:8).
The Arameans later overran the territory of Gad (II Kgs 10:33) and subsequently the Assyrians took its inhabitants to Assyria as captives (II Kgs 15:29); the land was then occupied by the Ammonites (Jer 49:1). Gad's portion is foreseen in Ezekiel's prophecy of the division of the land (Ezek 48:27-28).
In the NT Gad appears along with other tribes in the list of the sealed (Rev 7:5).
2. A seer. He advised David who was in flight from Saul, to return to Judah (I Sam 22:1-5) and later to build the altar on the threshing floor of Araunah (II Sam 24:18; I Chr 21:9ff). He is also accredited with helping to organize the Levitical musicians in the Temple (II Chr 29:25).
There was also a book (now lost), called the "Chronicles of Gad the seer" which was utilized by the author of Chronicles (I Chr 29:29).
3. A foreign deity of good fortune worshiped by some Israelites in the period after the Exile (Is 65:11). In a bilingual Aramaic-Greek inscription from Palymra the deity is identified in Greek as "fortune".
Concordance GAD 1: Gen 30:11; 35:26; 46:16; 49:19. Ex 1:4. Num 1:14, 24-25; 2:14; 7:42; 10:20; 13:15; 26:15, 18; 32:1-2, 6, 25,29, 31, 33-34; 34:14. Deut 27:13; 33:20. Josh 4:12; 13:24, 28; 18:7; 20:8; 21:7, 38; 22:9-11, 13,15, 21, 25, 30-34. I Sam 13:7. II Sam 24:5. II Kgs 10:33. I Chr 2:2; 5:11; 6:63,80; 12:14. Jer 49:1. Ezek 48:27-28, 34. Rev 7:5 GAD 2: I Sam 22:5. II Sam 24:11,13-14, 18-19. I Chr 21:9, 11,13, 18-19; 29:29. II Chr 29:25 GAD 3: Is 65:11
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/gad-bible#ixzz2sAm5g4Td
Gad was the seventh son of Jacob and the firstborn of Zilpah, the handmaid of Leah.
Jacob was the second son of Rebekah and Isaac.Jacob loved Rachel, the youngest daughter of Laban. Jacob promised to serve Laban seven years for Rachel. Completing the seven years Jacob expected to marry Rachel, but was tricked to marry Leah, the older daughter. Zilpah was the hand maid sent with Leah. Jacob worked another seven years to marry Rachel and her handmaid Bilah. (Genesis 29:15-30).
Leah said; a troop (01409. fortune) cometh: and she called his name Gad. (Genesis 30:10-11).
The sons of Zilpah, the handmaid of Leah, were Gad, and Asher which were born to him in Padanaram. (Genesis 35:26).
The LORD changed Jacob’s name to Israel after he wrestled with God. Jacob was called Israel because he was a prince and has power with God and with men, and prevailed. (Genesis 32:24-32).
Jacob had taken his family to dwell in the land of Canaan. Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob (Israel). Jacob made Joseph a coat of many colors. The brothers of Joseph saw their father loved Joseph more that all of them and they hated him. They plotted against Joseph. The brothers were feeding their father’s flock in Shechem (some 60 miles from Hebron where they lived) when Jacob (Israel) sent Joseph to check on them. Joseph couldn’t find his brothers in Shechem and was found by a man wandering in the fields. The man sent Joseph to Dothan to find his brothers. When the brothers saw him coming they conspired against him to slay him.
Reuben, his oldest brother, delivered Joseph out of the hands of his brothers and suggested not to kill him but to let him be cast into a pit in the wilderness. The brothers stripped Joseph out of his coat of many colors and cast Joseph into a pit without water. There was a company of Ishmaelites that came from Gilead with their camels bearing spices, balm, and myrrh on their way to Egypt. It was Judah who suggested selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. It was the Ishmaelites who carried Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh, and captain of the guard. The brothers took Joseph’s coat of many colors, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood. They then returned to their father. Jacob, Israel, knew his beloved son had been devoured by an evil beast. Jacob, Israel, rented his clothes and put on sack clothes and mourned for Joseph for many days and could not be comforted. (Genesis 37:1-36).
There were then seven years of famine in all the land of Egypt and over all the face of the earth. Joseph was the governor over the land, and it was his to sell to all the people of the land. When the famine was over all the face of the earth, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians and the other countries that came into Egypt to buy corn. Joseph gathered up all the money that was in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought. All the cattle and all the land, and at last the Egyptians themselves, became the property of Pharaoh.
Jacob (Israel) sent ten of his sons to Egypt to buy corn. Benjamin was kept behind to protect him from harm. The brothers came from Canaan to buy corn. Joseph recognized his brothers but they did not recognize him. He remembered the dreams which he had dreamed of his brothers, and said unto them, they were spies. Three days later to prove they were not spies Joseph directed his brethren to return to their home and bring the youngest brother, Benjamin. Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for their way Simeon was left behind to make sure they came back.
Once they all returned with Benjamin, Joseph made himself known to all his brothers telling them he was Joseph who they sold into Egypt. Joseph asked if his father was alive and told them to bring him to Egypt. They were afraid but were told to hurry and get his father and tell him his son Joseph is alive. Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.
Jacob (Israel) could hardly believe Joseph was alive, and governor over all the land of Egypt. Jacob, Israel went to Egypt to see his son Joseph. Judah was sent ahead to inform Joseph to meet the father at Goshen. Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Jacob, Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. Joseph told Pharaoh, his father, brothers, and their flocks, and herds, and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. Joseph presented his family to the Pharaoh and Jacob, Israel, blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses. That is how the Israelites came into the land of Egypt. (Genesis 39-48).
Gad had seven sons at the time of the descent into Egypt. The sons of Gad were; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli. (Genesis 46:16). The children of Gad after their families were of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites: of Haggi, the family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the family of the Shunites: of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites: of Arod, the family of the Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites. These are the families of the children of Gad. (Numbers 26:15-18).
The prophecy concerning Gad which shall befall him in the last days given by his father Jacob was "Gad, a troop (01416. A crowd especially of soldiers: army, band of men) shall tramp upon him, but he shall triumph at last." (Genesis 49:19).
When the wandering in the wilderness was over the tribes divided the land. The children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle. When they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead they knew it was a place for cattle. The children of Reuben and the children of Gad made a covenant with Moses so they could occupy the grazing land of Gilead east of Jordan. Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession. Moses gave unto the children of Gad, the children of Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon the king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about. The children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim. The children of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, Atroth, Shophan, Jaazer, Jogbehah, Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities: and folds for sheep. This is where Moses gave the tribe of the children of Gad for their inheritance. (Number 32:1-38).
Moses gave the tribe of Gad their inheritance. Their Coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of ammon, to Aroer before Rabbah; From Heshbon to Ramath-mizph, and Betonim; from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir the valley; succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border even the edge of the Sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward. (Joshua 13:24-28).
Moses blessed the children of Israel before his death. The blessing given to Gad was “ Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.21 And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.” (Deuteronomy 33:20-21).
The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, were valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war. They made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab. The Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them. Because they trusted in the LORD and cried to Him for help, they defeated their enemies. They took away their cattle, their camels, sheep, asses, and of men. This was because the war was blessed of the LORD.
Then they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them.The God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day. (1 Chronicles 5:18-26).
http://www.guidedbiblestudies.com/topics/tribe_of_gad.htm
===================
THE TESTAMENT OF GAD
The Ninth Son of Jacob and Zilpah.
CHAP. I.
Gad, the ninth son of Jacob and Zilpah.
Shepherd and strong man but a murderer at heart. Verse 25 is a notable
definition of hatred.
THE copy of the testament of Gad, what things he spake unto his sons,
in the hundred and twenty-fifth year of his life, saying unto them:2 Hearken, my children, I was the ninth son born to Jacob, and I was valiant in keeping the flocks.
3 Accordingly I guarded at night the flock; and whenever the lion came, or the wolf, or any wild beast against the fold, I pursued it, and overtaking it I seized its foot with my hand and hurled it about a stone's throw, and so killed it.
4 Now Joseph my brother was feeding the flock with us for upwards of thirty days, and being young, he fell sick by reason of the heat.
5 And he returned to Hebron to our father, who made him lie down near him, because he loved him greatly.
6 And Joseph told our father that the sons of Zilpah and Bilhah were slaying the best of the flock and eating them against the judgement of Reuben and Judah.
7 For he saw that I had delivered a lamb out of the mouth of a bear, and put the bear to death; but had slain the lamb, being grieved concerning it that it could not live, and that we had eaten it.
8 And regarding this matter I was wroth with Joseph until the day that he was sold.
9 And the spirit of hatred was in me, and I wished not either to hear of Joseph with the ears, or see him with the eyes, because he rebuked us to our faces saying that we were eating of the flock without Judah.
10 For whatsoever things he told our father, he believed him.
11 I confess now my gin, my children, that oftentimes I wished to kill him, because I hated him from my heart.
12 Moreover, I hated him yet more for his dreams; and I wished to lick 1 him out of the land of the living, even as an ox licketh up the grass of the field.
13 And Judah sold him secretly to the Ishmaelites.
14 Thus the God of our fathers delivered him from our hands, that we should not work great lawlessness in Israel.
15 And now, my children, hearken to the words of truth to work righteousness, and all the law of the Most High, and go not astray through the spirit of hatred, for it is evil in all the doings of men.
16 Whatsoever a man doeth the hater abominateth him: and though a man worketh the law of the Lord, he praiseth him not; though a man feareth the Lord, and taketh pleasure in that which is righteous, he loveth him not.
17 He dispraiseth the truth, he envieth him that prospereth, he welcometh evil-speaking, he loveth arrogance, for hatred blindeth his soul; as I also then looked on Joseph.
18 Beware, therefore, my children of hatred, for it worketh
p. 255
lawlessness even against the Lord Himself.
19 For it will not hear the words of His commandments concerning the loving of one's--neighbour, and it sinneth against God.
20 For if a brother stumble, it delighteth immediately to proclaim it to all men, and is urgent that he should be judged for it, and be punished and be put to death.
21 And if it be a servant it stirreth him up against his master, and with every affliction it deviseth against him, if possibly he can be put to death.
22 For hatred worketh with envy also against them that prosper: so long as it heareth of or seeth their success it always languisheth.
23 For as love would quicken even the dead, and would call back them that are condemned to die, so hatred would slay the living, and those that had sinned venially it would not suffer to live.
24 For the spirit of hatred worketh together with Satan, through hastiness of spirits, in all things to men's death; but the spirit of love worketh together with the law of God in long-suffering unto the salvation of men.
25 Hatred, therefore, is evil, for it constantly mateth with lying, speaking against the truth; and it maketh small things to be great, and causeth the light to be darkness, and calleth the sweet bitter, and teacheth slander, and kindleth wrath, and stirreth up war, and violence and all covetousness; it filleth the heart with evils and devilish poison.
26 These things, therefore, I say to you from experience, my children, that ye may drive forth hatred, which is of the devil, and cleave to the love of God.
27 Righteousness casteth out hatred, humility destroyeth envy.
28 For he that is just and humble is ashamed to do what is unjust, being reproved not of another, but of his own heart, because the Lord looketh on his inclination.
29 He speaketh not against a holy man, because the fear of God overcometh hatred.
30 For fearing lest he should offend the Lord, he will not do wrong to any man, even in thought.
31 These things I learnt at last, after I had repented concerning Joseph.
32 For true repentance after a godly sort destroyeth ignorance, and driveth away the darkness, and enlighteneth the eyes, and giveth knowledge to the soul, and leadeth the mind to salvation.
33 And those things which it hath not learnt from man, it knoweth through repentance.
34 For God brought upon me a disease of the liver; and had not the prayers of Jacob my father succoured me, it had hardly failed but my spirit had departed.
35 For by what things a man transgresseth by the same also is he punished .
36 Since, therefore, my liver was set mercilessly against Joseph, in my liver too I suffered mercilessly, and was judged for eleven months, for so long a time as I had been angry against Joseph.
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http://www.abrahamsdescendants.com/finding-gad.html
The Tribe of Gad. Gad was the 7th son of Jacob, the 1st son of Jacob and Zilpah the handmaid of Leah (Gen. 30:9-11) and was considered Leah’s 5th son . Wow, pretty significant and meaningful biblical numbers; 1, 5, 7. One = Unity/YHWH, Five = Torah and Grace, and Seven = Completion and Perfection. Gad means. An army or a troop and also implies good fortune, for there is a pagan deity named Gad, pronounced, “Gawd"
The following are verses which mention Gad and the sons and descendants of Gad. Could these give us a clue to who now comprises the Tribe of Gad? I do believe so.
Gen. 30:11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.
Gen. 35:26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these [are] the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram.
Gen. 46:16 And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.
the meanings of the names of the Sons of Gad
Ziphion: Watchtower
Haggi: Holiday, Celebration, Feast Day
Shuni: Seashore or Harbor
Ezbon: Wild Rosebush
Eri: My Guardian
Arodi: Bronz
Areli: Messenger and or Lion of God
Gen. 49:19 Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.
Num. 2:14 Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad [shall be] Eliasaph the son of Reuel. (Also rendered Eliasaph the son of Deuel in Numbers 1:14, 7:42, 10:20; a possible scribal error as a Resh and Dalet in Hebrew could easily be mistaken if not written correctly)
Num. 13:15 Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
Num. 26:15 The children of Gad after their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites: of Haggi, the family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the family of the Shunites:
Num. 32:34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,
Rev. 7:5 … Of the tribe of Gad [were] sealed twelve thousand.
Ya’akov (Jacob) prophetically blessed the children of Gad
Gen. 49:19 Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.
Moshe (Moses) prophetically blessed the children of Gad
Deut. 33:20 And of Gad he said, Blessed [be] he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.
GAD’S SONS ERI AND ARELI
In Genesis 46:16 we read that two of the sons of Gad are named Eri and Areli.
The Ibu (also rendered: Ibo, Igbo, Ebo, Ebu, Obu etc.) tribe of Nigeria has staked claim to be the descendants of the Israeli tribal patriarch Gad. But some Spaniards, Arabs among other peoples claim to be of Gad as well. So who is right? Who is of Gad? Can all, if any of them be of Gad? Remember Gad had sons who became the head of the clans of Gad and these clan heads could have scattered all over the world after the Assyrian captivity instead of sticking together.
Gen. 46:16 And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.
The Ibu’s ancestors and the related tribe of the Idoma of Benue State in Nigeria are said to come from Eri and Areli. So it is very possible other peoples around the world who claim to be from Gad are Gad also.
Gen. 10:21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were [children] born.
Ibu (and its various renderings) is said to be derived from Shem’s descendant Eber, where we get the word “Hebrew” from.
“The Igbo Jews are said to have migrated from Syrian, Portuguese and Libyan Israelites into West Africa. Historical records shows that this migration started around 740 C.E. According to UCLA trained amateur Jewish Historian and Rio Hondo Police Academy trained Forensic investigator Chinedu Nwabunwanne of Aguleri, who resides in Los Angeles and has researched this subject for more than 15 years at the UCLA libraries in Los Angeles, "the migration started when the forces of Caliph Mohammed -the last leader of the Umayyads- and his Qaysi-Arab supportes defeated the Yamani-Arab Umayyads of Syria in 744 C.E; sacked the Yamanis and their Jewish supporters from Syria. The Syrian-Jewish migrant tribes Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher resettled in Nigeria where they became known as Sambatyon Jews. In 1484 and 1667 Judeans and Zebulonians from Portugal and Libya respectively joined Sambatyon Jews of Nigeria. Thus, Nigerian Jews originated from the following six Israelite tribes: Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher and Zebulon. It is interesting to note that these six tribes are the same tribes Moses repeated their names twice when he blessed the Children Of Israel. These six tribes mentioned above are The House Of Judah and the children of Israel his companions (Ezekiel 37:16. Those remaining six tribes not mentioned above are The House Of Ephraim and the children of Israel his companion (Ezekiel 37:16)."”-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igbo_Jews
“Ibo Tribe of Nigeria”
The wild landscapes of Africa, its exotic rhythms and mask dances provide the picturesque background for this tribe, who believes itself to be the descendants of the Israelite tribe of Gad.
They have numerous legends which explain their origins, many of which don’t exactly fit in with the others. But this doesn’t seem to bother the Ibo, whose powerful faith allows them the flexibility of accepting what is considered by Western man as a logical contradiction. They interpret their name “Ibo” as a mispronounced “Hebrew” and till today, the members pray to “Chuku Abiama” - Abraham’s God. The Ibos, well known for their struggle for independence in the Biafra war, are now considered the “Jews of Nigeria” and have contributed greatly to the intellectual and economic development in that country.” -- http://www.aranpa.com/Tribes.htm
“Outreach to Nigerian Jews by the wider Jewish world community gained official status in 1995 – 1997, when Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin sent a team to Nigeria in search of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Western rabbis and educators such as Rabbi Gorin have visited the community at times and Jewish communities in the West support those in Nigeria by sending books, computers, and religious articles. However, the State of Israel has, to date, not officially recognized the Igbo as one of the Lost Tribes.
In 2004-2008, Rabbi Yaacov Behrman made numerous trips to Nigeria to help the Israeli community with Jewish community development. During those visits Rabbi Behrman met with Igbo leaders and visited their community centers. Rabbi Behrman concluded that they lack evidence and refused to recognize them as Jews.” -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igbo_Jews
Israel Today originally reported in 2006 how Chief Rabbinate recognized the Ebos as sons of Israel descended from Gad. And indeed, there is an Ebo-Gad community in Tel Aviv Israel who have their own synagogue. There has been great debates in the Israeli courts, secular and religious regarding the identity of the Ebo’s; many immigration and deportation legal battles. The argument is not necessarily are they truly of Gad, but should they be considered returnees or new converts and it was eventually decided to allow them to make Aliyah as a returning tribe.
Har Ararets magazine in Oct, 12, 2005 article declared the Ebos to be sons of Israel through Gad. Dr. G.T. Basden, an Anglican missionary and anthropologist, along with Prof. Elisabeth Isichei an Australian historian and Melville Merrskovits, an American writer all strongly believe there is enough evidences to link the Ebo’s of Nigeria to the Israeli tribe of Gad. Among Ebo authorities, Prof. O. Alezi and ex-slave Olaudah (Ikwuano) Equiano also strongly believed that the Ebos were descendants of Gad.
In several editions of the Encyclopedia Britannica in 1929 connects the Ebo people to Gad. A Torah commentary on Sh’mot in 1922 makes the Ebo-Gad connection also.
Ohafia warriors from Abia state in Nigeria when they first came to Nigeria, the locals asked them who they were and they responded, “We are Hebrews.”
Eri is listed in Gen. 46:16, Num. 26:16-18 as a descendant of Gad and this name is still in the official title of the King of the Ebo people today in Nigeria; His Royal Majesty Eze (King) A.E. Chukwuemeka-Eri.
In Aguleri, Anambra State, Eastern Nigeria is where the King resides and it is officially called Obu-Gad, meaning, “The Palace of Gad.” It has been frequented by Rabbi’s and Jewish scholars and archeologists alike. Found next to the palace is the ancient stone throne of the Ebos which at the foot of it is a Paleo-Hebrew inscription made from a specific seas shell used as ancient currency which reads, “Give” or “Gift.” I have been there myself and can personally verify this to be true. Also on the palace grounds are three trees joined above ground by the roots to form a concave fence under which is said to lie the second Ebo-King who died during a time when the people were off working in the fields and when the rivers overflowed their banks during the rainy season it prevented their return home. When they finally made it they discovered their King had been dead a few days and so they buried him quickly very close to the palace and shortly thereafter these three trees miraculously sprang up to for a memorial like headstone. I too have seen this and can verify this as well.
A Messianic Rabbi from Nigeria who now resides in Florida wrote:
“I was doing my morning devotion, the Lord led me to read from the book of Genesis: “The sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli” (Genesis 46:16). As I read this verse, the name Eri literally jumped out of the book and hit me in the face!
I thought, what if this whole dream, and the accompanied Torah verse of Genesis 46:16, which confirmed it, were all a figment of my imagination? Who will believe my report since there is no so called “empirical evidence?” Could any other human being still alive evercorroborate this finding? These questions, and many others, ran through my mind even as I felt a tingling of excitement in my heart. When I arrived at my office that morning, I telephoned two Nigerian friends of mine. First, I called Attorney Innocent Chinweze (from Aguleri) and inquired of him if the name Eri meant anything to him and his town folks. He informed me that Eri was the first Hebrew man to settle in Nigeria. Eri was the father of Aguleri and other sons who together became great ancestors of the Ibos. The compound where Eri settled in Aguleri is called Obu Gad and has become a historic site in Aguleri. Obu Gad when translated from Ibo language means, “The Compound of Gad.”Attorney Innocent Chinweze shared a great multitude of facts with me concerning His Royal Majesty, Eze A.E Chukwuemeka-Eri, Ezeora 34th & Aka Ji Ofor Igbo the Traditional Ruler of Ifite Aguleri who was ordained king at 21 years of age. To my amazement, he informed me that in 1995, a number of Jewish Rabbis came to Nigeria in search of their lost brother, Eri. Their search took them to Aguleri where there was a very emotional ceremony and reunion of kindred.
Secondly, I contacted my other friend born in Umueri, a neighboring town of Aguleri in Nigeria. Felix Eziagulu confirmed much of what Attorney Innocent Chinweze narrated to me.“Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses, the Counsel of the Lord is established.” I wondered why no one ever told me about Eri while I lived in Nigeria. In fact, I wondered why throughout my entire educational career in Nigeria, achieving to the master’s level, I never came across any literature or individual who knew about this and why the information was never shared with me from the time of my birth to the writing of my testimony. Also, I pondered whether my father (Late) Gabriel Udeorah Ogugua (O-goo-gwa) knew about this, and why he never shared the information with his son. Astonished by the account of Eri and the Ancestral Hebrew Heritage of the Ibos, I decided to visit my Dad and the people of Aguleri in December of 2003. Sadly, on October 2, 2003, just a few days after I received the revelation and made plans, I was devastated when I received a call from Nigeria. My father had moved on to be with God on October 1, 2003!! Grieved by the loss of my father because of who he was in my life, and the lost opportunity to explore the one question that meant everything – Eri. I asked the Lord why he chose to take my father home at the time He did. To my greatest astonishment, the Lord impressed upon my heart that the business concerningEri and the Heritage of the Ibos is between Him and me and not between me and my earthly father. I “sucked it up” and went home on November 23, 2003 to bury my father. On the night of November 24, 2003, my first night in Nigeria, the Lord spoke to me in the following words,
“Reveal My name to My people according to the Tabernacle of David and you shall declare the Year of Jubilee in the land.”
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob wanted to reveal Himself to the Ibos afresh as‘Chukwu Abiama’ (God of Abraham) through a renewed revelation of Yeshua ben David (Jesus, son of David).” – Rabbi Gavriel Ogugua
The British found in 1917, about 500 ft below the soil on the palace grounds a solid bronze Star of David indicating the Ebo people may have migrated from the ancient city of David. Also, in a booklet given to be by the King of Obu-Gad, it says,
“One scholar who visited Iboland, saw a swastika there and questioned how the Ebos/Hebrews could have this symbol and be Jewish. Sar Amariel answered the question stating, ‘This is an ancient Hebrew symbol that represents the sun…’”
And indeed swastikas have been found on the relief’s of ancient synagogues in Israel. No wonder the Nazis adopted this symbol to imply they were like the sun and greater that the Star of David.
It should come as no surprise that the Ebo people of Nigeria are of Gad. Other African tribes such as the Lemba of Ethiopia claimed to be of Levi and DNA tests confirm the presence of the Cohen gene in their DNA, proving them to be the descendants of Levi and Aaron.
Among such archeological evidence, Ebo cultural evidence also points to them being Hebrews. For missionaries were dumbfounded to discover when they came to evangelize the Ebo’s that they practiced circumcision on the 8th day, naming ceremony, separation of menstruating women. They kept a lunar calendar and had an annulment if debt and servitude every seven years as well as buried their dead facing East and believed in a resurrection. Preference of Inheritance and leadership was given to the first born and passed down through the fathers, this among many other Jewish laws and customs were found to be kept by the Ebo people and the Christian missionaries forced them to abandon many of these Hebraic practices.
One Ebo, Avraham, a canter of the Natsari Jewish community in Nigeria said,
“In a nutshell, every law as stated in the Torah was being practiced by our forefathers before the advent of Christianity. Except that our fathers went into idol worship, but they still kept the tradition as was handed over to them by their forefathers.”
And should not the idolatry too be seen as possible evidence of their connection to Gad and Israel because did not all Israel have a problem with Idolatry when one reads the Tanak!?
Another unique cultural fact is that the 7th day Sabbath was not observed by the Ebos until the 1940’s promoted by a revelation given to an Ebo man named De Okeke from Akwa-ete presently known as Abia State in Southeast Nigeria. Prior to this the Ebos observed a 4 of 8 day rest believed to have been adopted from the apostasy of Jeroboam. But such a Sabbath was nonetheless observed by an abstaining from work and commerce.
So you see the Ebo people’s claim of being Gad is not a fly by night claim based on fiction but archeological, historical and cultural evidences in which new facts are uncovered year after year.
WHAT ABOUT GAD’S SONS ZIPHION, HAGGI, SHUNI, EZBON AND ARODI?
I don’t know. I will have to keep searching.
I have been on many websites who claim Gad settled in Spain or any one of the Nordic/Scandinavian countries, mainly Sweden and from there made their way to the British Isles to become the Goths and a myriad of other peoples. I do think it is ironic that right after I went to Nigeria and met the Ibo people who are factually from Gad through his son Eri that I went to Sweden who some claim are also the descendants of Gad. So is there something to this Gad-Sweden thing? I am not sure, I’ll have to research this more. I have even heard of Austria, Germany and Prussia as candidates of where the sons of Gad ended up. So far I have only seen very poor speculative and circumstantial evidence and play on words to back up such claims and link Gad to these modern countries and peoples. Within such claims you have false teachings and cultic groups from Mormon, British Israeliteism as well as Black Hebrewism that both have opposite extreme and racially supremacist claims that all Israeli tribes are white or all Israeli tribes are black. On the other hand as I said earlier, Gad did have sons who became the head of the clans of Gad and these clan heads could have scattered all over the world after the Assyrian captivity instead of sticking together. So it is very possible other peoples around the world who claim to be from Gad are from Gad, but these claims need to be heavily scrutinized and investigated in order to find ample solid evidence to substantiate such claims. The culture, customs, tradition, legends, literature, genealogies and archeological artifacts must be investigated and scoured tediously if any such the claims are ever to be substantiated.
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