◄ Gadites ►
Jump to: ISBE • Concordance • Thesaurus • Hebrew • Library • Subtopics • Terms
Topical Encyclopedia
The Gadites were one of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Gad, the seventh son of Jacob and Zilpah, Leah's maidservant (Genesis 30:9-11). As a tribe, the Gadites played a significant role in the history of Israel, particularly during the conquest of Canaan and the period of the judges and kings.

Territory and Settlement:

The tribe of Gad settled on the eastern side of the Jordan River, in a region known for its fertile land and suitable pastures for livestock. This territory was part of the land conquered from the Amorite kings Sihon and Og, which was allocated to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (Numbers 32:33). The Gadites requested this land because it was ideal for their large herds and flocks. Moses granted their request on the condition that they assist the other tribes in the conquest of Canaan west of the Jordan (Numbers 32:1-5, 20-22).

Characteristics and Military Prowess:

The Gadites were known for their bravery and military skill. In 1 Chronicles 12:8, they are described as "mighty men of valor, trained for battle, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and who were as swift as gazelles on the mountains." This reputation for valor is further evidenced by their participation in battles alongside King David. A group of Gadites joined David at his stronghold in the wilderness, demonstrating their loyalty and martial prowess (1 Chronicles 12:14-15).

Role in Israel's History:

Throughout Israel's history, the Gadites were involved in various military campaigns and conflicts. They played a part in the conquest of Canaan under Joshua's leadership, fulfilling their promise to aid their fellow Israelites (Joshua 4:12-13). During the period of the judges, the Gadites, like other tribes, faced challenges from surrounding nations and participated in the defense of their land.

In the time of the monarchy, the Gadites continued to be significant contributors to Israel's military strength. They supported King Saul and later King David, as mentioned in the accounts of David's mighty men (1 Chronicles 12:8-15). Their strategic location on the eastern frontier of Israel made them crucial in defending against incursions from neighboring peoples.

Spiritual and Cultural Contributions:

The Gadites, like other tribes, were part of the covenant community of Israel, participating in the religious and cultural life centered around the worship of Yahweh. They were subject to the same laws and commandments given through Moses and were expected to uphold the covenantal obligations.

Prophetic References:

In Jacob's blessing of his sons, he prophesied concerning Gad: "Gad will be attacked by raiders, but he will attack their heels" (Genesis 49:19). This prophecy alludes to the tribe's martial nature and their ability to defend themselves against aggressors. Similarly, Moses' blessing of the tribes includes a reference to Gad's strength and leadership: "Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain! Gad dwells like a lion, tearing at arm or head" (Deuteronomy 33:20).

Legacy:

The legacy of the Gadites is one of courage, loyalty, and a commitment to the collective well-being of the Israelite nation. Their account is interwoven with the broader narrative of Israel's history, reflecting both the challenges and triumphs of the people of God as they sought to live out their covenantal identity in the land promised to their forefathers.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
GADITES

gad'-its:

Members of the tribe of Gad (Deuteronomy 3:12, etc.).

Strong's Hebrew
1425. Gadi -- descendant of Gad
... Gadi. 1426 . descendant of Gad. Transliteration: Gadi Phonetic Spelling:
(gaw-dee') Short Definition: Gadites. ... of Gad NASB Word Usage Gadite (1), Gadites ( ...
/hebrew/1425.htm - 6k
Library

Retribution
... Moses gave this warning to two tribes of the Israelites,"to the Reubenites and Gadites,
who had promised to go over Jordan, and help their countrymen in war ...
/.../kingsley/twenty-five village sermons/sermon vii retribution.htm

The End of the War
... 'Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh,
2. And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses, the servant of the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the end of the war.htm

Hazael Makes an Expedition against the People of Israel and the ...
... against the Israelites and their king Jehu, and spoiled the eastern parts of the
country beyond Jordan, which belonged to the Reubenites and Gadites, and to ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 hazael makes an.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... In the IXth century Mesha of Moab does not mention the Reubenites, and speaks of
the Gadites only as inhabiting the territory formerly occupied by them. ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Assyrian Captivity
... "The Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh," with others of
the inhabitants of "Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali" (1 ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 23 the assyrian captivity.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7. <. ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

Thesaurus
Gadites (32 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia GADITES. gad'-its: Members of the tribe of Gad
(Deuteronomy 3:12, etc.). Multi-Version Concordance Gadites (32 Occurrences). ...
/g/gadites.htm - 17k

Gadite (14 Occurrences)
... from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead,
and its cities, gave I to the Reubenites and to the Gadites: (Root in WEB ...
/g/gadite.htm - 11k

Reubenite (16 Occurrences)
... from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead,
and its cities, gave I to the Reubenites and to the Gadites: (Root in WEB ...
/r/reubenite.htm - 11k

Reubenites (37 Occurrences)
... from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead,
and its cities, gave I to the Reubenites and to the Gadites: (WEB KJV JPS ...
/r/reubenites.htm - 19k

Manas'sites (10 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 4:43 Bezer in the wilderness, in the table-land, for the Reubenites;
and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites ...
/m/manas'sites.htm - 9k

Manassites (7 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 4:43 namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, for the
Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the ...
/m/manassites.htm - 9k

Gorge (19 Occurrences)
... from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead,
and its cities, gave I to the Reubenites and to the Gadites: (See NIV). ...
/g/gorge.htm - 12k

Arnon (23 Occurrences)
... from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead,
and its cities, gave I to the Reubenites and to the Gadites: (WEB KJV JPS ...
/a/arnon.htm - 17k

Manas'seh (123 Occurrences)
... Joshua 1:12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the
half-tribe of Manasseh, spoke Joshua, saying: (See RSV). Joshua ...
/m/manas'seh.htm - 35k

44760 (2 Occurrences)
... 1 Chronicles 5:18 The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh,
of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow ...
/num/44760.htm - 7k

Resources
What can we learn from the tribe of Gad? | GotQuestions.org

Why did Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh want to live on the east of the Jordan? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Achan in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus
Concordance
Gadites (32 Occurrences)

Numbers 32:1
Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle; and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle,
(See NIV)

Numbers 32:29
And Moses said unto them: 'If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over the Jordan, every man that is 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;
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 3:12
This land we took in possession at that time: from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead, and its cities, gave I to the Reubenites and to the Gadites:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 3:16
To the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave from Gilead even to the valley of the Arnon, the middle of the valley, and the border of it, even to the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 4:43
namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 29:8
and we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of the Manassites.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 1:12
Joshua spoke to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, saying,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 12:6
Moses the servant of Yahweh and the children of Israel struck them. Moses the servant of Yahweh gave it for a possession to the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 13:8
With him the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond the Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of Yahweh gave them:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 13:24
And Moses gave unto the tribe of Gad, unto the children of Gad, according to their families.
(See RSV)

Joshua 13:28
This is the inheritance of the children of Gad according to their families, the cities and the villages thereof.
(See RSV NIV)

Joshua 22:1
Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 22:9
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
(See RSV NIV)

Joshua 22:10
And when they came unto the region about the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to look upon.
(See RSV NIV)

Joshua 22:11
And the children of Israel heard say: 'Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar in the forefront of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that pertaineth to the children of Israel.'
(See RSV)

Joshua 22:13
And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest;
(See RSV)

Joshua 22:15
And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying:
(See RSV)

Joshua 22:21
Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke unto the heads of the thousands of Israel:
(See RSV)

Joshua 22:25
for the LORD hath made the Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no portion in the LORD; so might your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD.
(See RSV NIV)

Joshua 22:30
And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them well.
(See RSV)

Joshua 22:31
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh: 'This day we know that the LORD is in the midst of us, because ye have not committed this treachery against the LORD; now have ye delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.'
(See RSV)

Joshua 22:32
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them back word.
(See RSV NIV)

Joshua 22:33
And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and spoke no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and the children of Gad dwelt.
(See RSV NIV)

Joshua 22:34
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar--: 'for it is a witness between us that the LORD is God.'
(See RSV NIV)

2 Samuel 24:5
And they went over Jordan, and starting from Aroer, from the town which is in the middle of the valley, they went in the direction of the Gadites, and on to Jazer;
(BBE)

2 Kings 10:33
from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV)

1 Chronicles 5:18
The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skillful in war, were forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty, that were able to go forth to war.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 5:26
The God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river of Gozan, to this day.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 12:8
Of the Gadites there separated themselves to David to the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, that could handle shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the roes on the mountains;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 12:14
These Gadites were captains of the army; the least of them was captain over a hundred men, and the greatest over a thousand.
(BBE RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 12:37
On the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, one hundred twenty thousand.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV)

1 Chronicles 26:32
His brothers, men of valor, were two thousand seven hundred, heads of fathers' houses, whom king David made overseers over the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites, for every matter pertaining to God, and for the affairs of the king. Ezra
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Gadites

Related Terms

Gadites (32 Occurrences)

Gaham (1 Occurrence)

Adullam (10 Occurrences)

Gadite
Top of Page
Top of Page