• Gad
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • 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 nature of this plague are instances in more recent years where swarms of flies were blown by the wind into a certain area in such great numbers as to place men and animals in jeopardy of being choked as the insects penetrated ears, noses and mouths, not to mention the swellings caused by their bites.

      [Picture on page 613]

      The gadfly

  • Gaius
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • GAIUS

      (Gaʹius).

      1. A Macedonian who accompanied the apostle Paul on his third missionary tour and who, along with Aristarchus, was forcibly taken into the theater at Ephesus during the riot instigated by the silversmith Demetrius.—Acts 19:29.

      2. A Christian from Derbe in Asia Minor who is listed along with six others as accompanying the apostle Paul on his last missionary tour. Gaius and these others evidently separated from Paul and then went on to Troas, on the W coast of Asia Minor, where they waited for him. (Acts 20:4, 5) This Gaius may be the same as Number 1, since Aristarchus is also mentioned in the account. If so, this would likely mean that Gaius was of Macedonian birth (or descent) but had been residing in Derbe.

      3. A Christian of Corinth whom Paul personally baptized. When Paul wrote his letter to the Romans, apparently this Gaius was his host as well as that of the congregation. This would indicate that the meetings of the Corinthian congregation were held in Gaius’ home.—1 Cor. 1:14; Rom. 16:23.

      4. A Christian to whom the apostle John wrote his third inspired letter and whom he commended for walking in the truth and, with reference to his hospitality, for his faithful work and his love.—3 John 1, 3-6.

  • Galatia
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • GALATIA

      (Ga·laʹti·a).

      The Roman province that occupied the central portion of what is now known as Asia Minor. It was bounded by other Roman provinces—in part by Cappadocia on the E, Bithynia and Pontus on the N, Asia on the W and Pamphylia on the S. (1 Pet. 1:1; see ASIA.) This central plateau region lay between the Taurus mountains on the S and the mountains of Paphlagonia on the N. In its north-central portion was the city of Ancyra, now called Ankara, the capital of Turkey. And through this area flowed the middle segment of the Halys River (the modern Kizil Irmak) and the upper Sangarius River (Sakarya), both of which empty into the Black Sea. The history of this region (four hundred and more years, from the third century B.C.E. forward) shows there were many changes in the boundaries and political affiliations of this strategic area.

      It appears that around 278-277 B.C.E. hordes of Indo-European people known as Celts or Galli from Gaul, whom the Greeks called Galatai (hence the name given this region), moved across the Bosporus and settled there. They brought with them their wives and children and apparently avoided intermarrying with the people already there, in this way perpetuating their racial characteristics for centuries. Their last king, Amyntas, died in 25 B.C.E., and it was during his reign as a puppet of the Roman Empire and thereafter that the area designated as Galatia was enlarged to include such regions as Lycaonia, Pisidia, Paphlagonia, and parts of Pontus and Phrygia. This then was the expanded Galatia that the apostle Paul and other evangelizing Christians of the first century C.E. visited and in which they found persons eager to be organized into Christian congregations.—Acts 18:23; 1 Cor. 16:1.

      Both Paul and Peter addressed letters to Christian congregations located in the province of Galatia. (Gal. 1:1, 2; 1 Pet. 1:1) Whether these were the same congregations established by Paul and Barnabas is not stated. On that swing through Galatia, Paul and Barnabas visited such Galatian cities as Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (Acts 13:14, 51; 14:1, 5, 6), and when they returned to the brothers in Antioch of Syria they related how in these and other places God “had opened to the nations the door to faith.” (Acts 14:27) One experience they had in Lystra was most unusual. Paul had cured a crippled man who had never walked in his life, and suddenly the crowds began crying out in their native Lycaonian tongue: “The gods have become like humans and have come down to us!” Barnabas they called Zeus and Paul they thought to be Hermes. It was almost more than Paul and Barnabas could do to prevent the excited crowds from offering sacrifices to them as if they were gods.—Acts 14:8-18.

      In his letters, when Paul addressed “the congregations of Galatia” (Gal. 1:2), or when he wrote Timothy that Crescens had left Rome to go to Galatia (2 Tim. 4:10), it is unreasonable to contend, as some do, that Paul was restricting the term “Galatia” to the ancient, original area settled by the Gallic people in the northern section of the Roman province. Why would he make an exception in this instance? On other occasions when Paul used geographical terms, it was customary for him to use the official Roman provincial designation of his time, as, for example, in speaking of the congregations in the provinces of Asia, Macedonia and Achaia.—1 Cor. 16:19; 2 Cor. 8:1; 9:1, 2.

      Paul’s exclamation, “O senseless Galatians,” is no evidence that he had in mind only a certain ethnic people who sprang exclusively from Gallic stock in the northern part of Galatia. (Gal. 3:1) Rather, Paul was rebuking certain ones in the congregations there for allowing themselves to be influenced by an element of Judaizers among them Jews who were attempting to establish their own righteousness through the Mosaic arrangement in place of the ‘righteousness due to faith’ provided by the new covenant. (Gal. 2:15–3:14; 4:9, 10) Racially, “the congregations of Galatia” (Gal. 1:2) to whom Paul wrote were a mixture of Jews and non-Jews, the latter being both circumcised proselytes and non-circumcised Gentiles, and no doubt some were of Celtic descent. (Acts 13:14, 43; 16:1; Gal. 5:2) All together, they were addressed as Galatian Christians because the area in which they lived was called Galatia. The whole tenor of the letter is that Paul was writing to those with whom he was well acquainted in the southern part of this Roman province, not to total strangers in the northern sector, which he apparently never visited.

      The seeds of Christianity sown among the Galatians bore good fruitage. It was from among them that disciples like Timothy and Gaius came. (Acts 16:1; 20:4) Paul gave instructions to the Galatian congregations as to the manner of laying aside contributions for the Lord’s poor and needy ones.—1 Cor. 16:1, 2; Gal. 2:10.