Interesting Facts

• Gad was one of the sons born to Jacob through Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid.
• Gad went to Haran with Naphtali and took one of the daughters of Amuram, the son of Uz, the son of Nahor, as a wife.
• Gad’s wife was named Uzith (also called Maka).
• Uzith bore Gad seven sons: Zephion, Chagi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Arali.
• Gad died in Egypt at the age of one hundred and twenty-five years old and was placed in a coffin.

Genealogy

• Gad was a son of Jacob [Implicitly stated by his interactions with his brothers and father].
• His mother was Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid.
• His full brother was Asher.
• His half-brothers and sister included Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dinah (children of Leah), Joseph and Benjamin (children of Rachel), and Dan and Naphtali (children of Bilhah).
• Gad married Uzith (Merimah).
• His father-in-law was Amuram, son of Uz, son of Nahor.
• His sons were Zephion, Chagi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Arali.

Historical Context

Gad lived during the time when Jacob’s family was transitioning and eventually settled in Egypt due to famine. This period was marked by the importance of familial bonds and the development of the Israelite tribes. The family experienced both internal conflicts, such as the selling of Joseph, and external threats, such as the potential conflict with Esau and the Amorites following the incident with Dinah. The eventual migration to and life in Egypt under Joseph’s leadership provided a period of prosperity and security. Towards the end of Gad’s life, as indicated by his death occurring in a specific year after the return to Canaan, the family had established themselves in Egypt and continued to multiply. The instructions given by Jacob regarding burial arrangements and the subsequent journey to Canaan for his burial also fall within this historical context, potentially occurring towards the end of Gad’s life. The later conflicts with the sons of Esau and the rise of figures like Hadad, king of Edom, who warred with Moab, happened after Gad’s death but reflect the ongoing dynamics of the region.

Narrative

Gad’s individual actions and dialogues are not extensively detailed in the provided sources, but his participation in the broader family narrative can be discerned. He, along with his brother Naphtali, traveled to Haran to find wives, marrying Uzith, one of the daughters of Amuram. This action indicates adherence to the family’s need to grow and establish themselves. Gad had seven sons with Uzith, contributing to the increase in Jacob’s descendants in Egypt. Later, Gad is listed among the sons of Jacob who carried their father Jacob’s bier to be buried in Canaan, positioned on the south side along with Reuben and Simeon. This act signifies his role in honoring his father’s final wishes and participating in a significant family event that also involved a confrontation with Esau’s descendants. The source explicitly states the year of Gad’s death in Egypt at the age of one hundred and twenty-five, and mentions that he was placed in a coffin by his children. This detail marks the conclusion of his life within the narrative presented in these excerpts. While not a central figure in major plot points like Joseph’s sale or the Dinah incident, Gad’s marriage, fathering of sons, participation in Jacob’s burial, and eventual death contribute to the overall tapestry of Jacob’s growing family and their experiences.