• Gaal
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • GAAL

      (Gaʹal) [loathing].

      The son of Ebed who, along with his brothers, came to Shechem and gained the confidence of the landowners there. (Judg. 9:26) These landowners had previously strengthened the hand of Abimelech to kill the seventy sons of Jerubbaal (Gideon) and then had proceeded to make him king over them. (Judg. 9:1-6) Apparently Abimelech constituted Zebul as resident prince of Shechem, while he himself personally lived in Arumah. In time a bad spirit developed between the landowners of Shechem and Abimelech. So Gaal and his brothers now incited the city to revolt against Abimelech. Zebul, hearing of this, at once sent word to Abimelech, with a recommendation on how to cope with the situation that was developing. Gaal and those with him were defeated in the ensuing battle with King Abimelech and fled back to the city. Finally Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.—Judg. 9:22-41.

  • Gabriel
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • GABRIEL

      (Gaʹbri·el) [an able-bodied one of God].

      The only holy angel other than Michael named in the Bible; the only materialized angel to give his name. Twice Gabriel appeared to Daniel: first, near the Ulai River “in the third year of the kingship of Belshazzar” to explain Daniel’s vision of the he-goat and the ram (Dan. 8:1, 15-26); and second, “in the first year of Darius” the Mede, to deliver the prophecy concerning the “seventy weeks.” (Dan. 9:1, 20-27) To Zechariah the priest, Gabriel brought the good news that he and his aging wife Elizabeth would have a son, John (the Baptist). (Luke 1:11-20) To Mary, the virgin girl betrothed to Joseph, Gabriel addressed himself, saying: “Good day, highly favored one, Jehovah is with you.” He then told her that she would give birth to a son, Jesus, who “will be called Son of the Most High; and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, . . . and there will be no end of his kingdom.”—Luke 1:26-38.

      From the Bible record it is learned that Gabriel is a high-ranking angelic creature in close association with the heavenly court, one “who stands near before God”; that he was one “sent forth” by God to deliver special messages to servants of Jehovah here on earth (Luke 1:19, 26); that his personal envisioned or materialized form was, true to the meaning of his name, “like an able-bodied man.”—Dan. 8:15.

  • Gad
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • GAD

      [good fortune].

      1. Son of Jacob by Leah’s maidservant Zilpah, who also bore Gad’s younger brother Asher. At his birth in Paddan-aram about 1770 B.C.E., Leah exclaimed: “With good fortune!”; hence the name Gad. (Gen. 30:9-13; 35:26) Gad accompanied his brothers in two trips to Egypt to get grain from Joseph. (Gen. 42:3; 43:15) He was about forty-two years old when he and his family moved to Egypt along with his father Jacob in 1728 B.C.E. (Gen. 46:6, 7, 16) Seventeen years later, when Jacob was about to die, he blessed his twelve sons, saying of Gad: “As for Gad, a marauder band will raid him, but he will raid the extreme rear.”—Gen. 49:1, 2, 19.

      2. The tribe that sprang from the seven sons of Gad. The tribe’s warriors numbered 45,650 in the second year of the exodus from Egypt. (Gen. 46:16; Num. 1:1-3, 24, 25) Gad was in the three-tribe division with Reuben and Simeon. Their campsite was to the S of the tabernacle. (Num. 2:10-16) When on the march Judah’s division was first, followed by the Levites of the families of Gershon and Merari carrying the tabernacle and, after them, the division of which Gad was a part. Eliasaph son of Deuel was chieftain of their army. (Num. 10:14-20) At the end of the wilderness journey the fighting men of Gad numbered but 40,500, a decrease of 5,150.—Num. 26:15-18.

      TERRITORY

      The men of the tribe of Gad followed the occupation of their fathers as raisers of livestock. (Gen. 46:32) For this reason they requested as their allotment of territory the cattle country E of the Jordan. Moses responded by assigning this territory to Gad, Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh, who also possessed much livestock. However, Moses stipulated that this was on the condition that these tribes would assist the others in subduing the territory W of the Jordan. To this they readily agreed, and, after constructing stone pens for their livestock and cities for their little ones, they supplied their quota of fighters to cross the Jordan for the conquest of the land. (Num. 32:1-36; Josh. 4:12, 13) Gad’s territory had been occupied by the Amorites, whom the Israelites had defeated under Moses’ leadership.—Num. 32:33; Deut. 2:31-36; 3:8-20.

      The country occupied by Gad was comprised of the lowlands along most of the Jordan River’s E bank, S almost to the Dead Sea and N near to the Sea of Chinnereth. East of the lowlands, from the S extremity to Mahanaim, Gad’s territory took in the higher tablelands, which included the torrent valley of Jabbok. A large part of Gilead was therefore in Gad’s allotment. (Deut. 3:12, 13) Gad was bordered on the N by Manasseh and on the S by Reuben.—Josh. 13:24-28.

      After the conquest of the land, Joshua gave Gad a share in the spoil and sent them back. Gad then joined with Reuben and Manasseh in constructing a great altar by the Jordan. The other tribes were alarmed at this, but were calmed when it was explained that the altar was built as a witness that they, like the tribes W of the Jordan, would engage exclusively in the worship of Jehovah. The altar was to provide assurance that there was no division between the tribes E and W of the Jordan.—Josh. 22:1-34.

      All these things were in harmony with Jacob’s blessing of Gad:

      “As for Gad, a marauder band will raid him,

      but he will raid the extreme rear.”—Gen.

      49:19.

      The tribe was not afraid to have one side (the E) of their boundary open to marauder bands. They did not choose to live on the eastern highlands just to get out of fighting for the land of Canaan. Jacob’s parting words to Gad were as a command to strike back confidently at those marauding him and violating his borders. Moreover, the Gadites raided the raiders, making these turn about in flight and pursuing their extreme rear.

      Moses also spoke of Gad’s good qualities when he said:

      “Blessed is the one widening the borders of Gad.

      As a lion he must reside,

      And he must tear the arm, yes, the crown

      of the head.

      And he will pick out the first part for himself,

      For there the allotment of a statute-giver is

      reserved.

      And the heads of the people will gather themselves

      together.

      The righteousness of Jehovah will he

      certainly execute

      And his judicial decisions with Israel.”—Deut.

      33:20, 21.

      Ramoth of Gilead, in Gad’s territory, was one of the cities of refuge appointed by Moses. (Deut. 4:41-43) Other Levite cities in their territory were Mahanaim, Heshbon and Jazer. (Josh. 21:38, 39) The city of Dibon, where the famous Moabite Stone was found in 1868 C.E., was one of several cities rebuilt by the Gadites when they took over the territory.—Num. 32:1-5, 34, 35.

      GIVE DAVID SUPPORT

      When David was under restrictions because of Saul, several army heads of the sons of Gad crossed the Jordan River at flood stage to come to his side at Ziklag in Judah. They are described as “valiant, mighty men, army men for the war, keeping the large shield and the lance ready, whose faces were the faces of lions, and they were like the gazelles upon the mountains for speed. . . . The least one was equal to a hundred, and the greatest to a thousand.” (1 Chron. 12:1, 8-15) In the fight with the Hagrites and their allies it is said of them (along with Reuben and Manasseh): “It was to God that they called for aid in the war, and he let himself be entreated in their favor because they trusted in him.” As a result, an enormous number of captives and much livestock fell into their hands.—1 Chron. 5:18-22.

      FOLLOW JEROBOAM

      With the division of the kingdom, the tribe of Gad supported the northern faction under Jeroboam. Years later, in Jehu’s day, when “Jehovah started to cut off Israel piece by piece,” Gad in its exposed position on the eastern frontier became part of the battleground between the northern kingdom of Israel and Syria. (2 Ki. 10:32, 33) Finally, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria overran Gad and carried off the inhabitants captive. This allowed the Ammonites to take possession of this territory.—2 Ki. 15:29; 1 Chron. 5:26; Jer. 49:1.

      In Ezekiel’s prophetic vision of the division of the land, the portion assigned to Gad is in the extreme S. (Ezek. 48:27, 28) In the listing of the tribes of Israel in Revelation chapter 7, Gad is named third.

      3. A prophet and visionary. He advised David, when he was dwelling in the “inaccessible place” in the cave of Adullam as a fugitive from Saul, to return to Judah. (1 Sam. 22:1-5) Toward the latter part of David’s reign, when he presumptuously took the census, Gad gave David three alternative punishments from Jehovah; later he advised David to build an altar for Jehovah on the threshing floor of Araunah (Ornan). (2 Sam. 24:10-19; 1 Chron. 21:9-19) Gad was partially responsible for the organization of the musicians for the sanctuary. (2 Chron. 29:25) Nathan and Gad are generally credited with completing First Samuel and writing all of Second Samuel.—1 Chron. 29:29.

  • Gadarenes
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • GADARENES

      (Gad·a·renesʹ).

      The name applied to the inhabitants of an area where Christ Jesus expelled demons from two men. According to what is considered to be the best available manuscript evidence, Matthew originally used “country of the Gadarenes,” whereas Mark and Luke, in relating this event, employed “country of the Gerasenes.”—Matt. 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26.

      Both countries are shown to lie on “the other side,” that is, the E side, of the Sea of Galilee. The designation “country of the Gadarenes” possibly applied to the district radiating from the city of Gadara (modern Um Qeis), situated about five miles (8 kilometers) SE of the Sea of Galilee. Coins of Gadara often depict a ship, suggesting that its territory may have extended as far as the Sea of Galilee and therefore could have included at least a part of the “country of the Gerasenes,” to the E of that body of water. Scholars favoring this view link the “country of the Gerasenes” with the region around Khersa, a town about twelve miles (19 kilometers) N of Gadara. However, others believe that “the country of the Gerasenes” may denote the large district centered at the city of Gerasa (Jerash) about thirty-four miles (55 kilometers) SE of the Sea of Galilee and suggest that it extended to the E of that lake and embraced the “country of the Gadarenes.” In either case, Matthew’s account would in no way conflict with that of Mark and Luke.

      Near an unnamed city in the country of the Gadarenes Jesus Christ met two unusually fierce demon-possessed men. These had their dwelling among the tombs, that is, natural caves used as such and/or rock-cut tombs. Jesus, in expelling the demons, permitted them to take possession of a large herd of swine that subsequently rushed over a precipice and drowned in the Sea of Galilee. This so disturbed the local inhabitants that they entreated Jesus to depart from the area.—Matt. 8:28-34.

      While Matthew mentions two men, Mark and Luke center attention on only one, doubtless because his case was more outstanding. Possibly he was more violent and had suffered much longer under demon control than the other man; yet afterward perhaps he alone wanted to accompany the Son of God. Jesus did not allow him to do so, directing him instead to make known what God had done in his behalf.

      This differed from Jesus’ usual instructions not to have his miracles advertised. Rather than seeking showy publicity and having people reach conclusions on the basis of sensational reports, Jesus apparently wanted others to decide on solid evidence that he was indeed the Christ. This also fulfilled the prophetic words spoken through Isaiah: “He will not wrangle, nor cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the broad ways.” (Matt. 12:15-21; Isa. 42:1-4) However, the exception in the case of the former demoniac was appropriate. He could bear witness among people with whom the Son of God would have only limited contact, particularly in view of Jesus’ being requested to leave. The man’s presence would provide testimony about Jesus’ power to work good, counteracting any unfavorable report that might be circulated over the loss of the herd of swine.—Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39; see SWINE.

  • Gadfly
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • GADFLY

      [Heb., ʽa·rovʹ].

      There is some uncertainty as to the particular insect designated by the original Hebrew word appearing in the Scriptures with reference to the fourth plague upon Egypt, the first from which the Israelites in Goshen were spared. (Ex. 8:21, 22, 24, 29, 31; Ps. 78:45; 105:31) ʽA·rovʹ has been variously rendered “gadfly” (JB, NW, Ro), “beetle” (Yg), “flies” (AS, AV, RS), “gnats” (AT; and “dog-fly” (LXX, Bagster).

      The English designation “gadfly” includes the various kinds of horseflies and botflies. Female horseflies pierce the skin of animals as well as man and then suck their blood. In the larval stage botflies live as parasites in the bodies of animals and man, those infesting humans being found in the tropics. A plague of gadflies would, therefore, have brought great suffering to the Egyptians and their livestock and, in certain cases, even death. Untreated sheep, for example, often die as a result of being infested by botfly maggots.

      Further illustrating the serious