We’ve reached the time in our study when Moses is about to bless the tribes of Gad. Let’s read what he said. It can be found in Deuteronomy 33: 20-21:
About Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain! Gad lives there like a lion, tearing at arm or head. He chose the best land for himself; the leader’s portion was kept for him. When the heads of the people assembled, he carried out the Lord’s righteous will, and his judgments concerning Israel.”
What does this blessing mean; both to the tribe of Gad and to those who are the descendants of that tribe today?
MEANING OF GAD’S BLESSING
Jacob’s seventh son was named Gad. He isn’t to be confused with the one named Gad who became a prophet during the times of King David.
Gad’s mother was Ziplah, the maidservant of Leah. Gad’s name means “good fortune” and that seems to line up with this blessing from Moses. Gad was the father of seven sons; Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
When Jacob/Israel died, he blessed Gad. the words of that blessing seemed to indicate that he and his descendants would be great warriors in defending Israel.
THE STRENGTH OF A WARRIOR
When the people were getting ready to cross over to the promised land, The descendants of Gad requested to settle east of the Jordan. Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh also made this request. They were all owners of livestock and they felt this land was good for grazing and farming.
All three of these groups of people settled in that area.
With these two other tribes as well as the men of Gad on the outside borders of the new nation of Israel, there would be ready warriors to defend the nation’s borders.
This was desirable for both the people and the tribe of Gad. They also wanted the rich land for raising their livestock.
MORE HISTORY OF GAD
For other full lessons on how the above history of Israel concerning the tribe of Gad transpired see the following former lessons:
ENLARGING GAD’S TERRITORY
As we continue to think about the fate of the tribe of Gad we know that Moses compared Gad to a lion and celebrated God’s goodness in enlarging Gad’s territory.
If what we have studied of Gad’s descendants is true; that happened for Gad’s descendants that wound up in Germany with the fall of the Berlin wall and the unification of East and West Germany.
THE ROARING LION
When you read the passage about Gad’s blessing you can imagine a vivid picture of Gad as a lion who is roaring into the land next to the Jordan River and prancing around expressing his approval of the place.
You can imagine a father lion bringing in the tribe and saying “this is the best place for us to be; enjoy. Make yourself at home!”
You can also picture the father lion tearing off the arms and heads of any other animals who tried to harm his tribe. That was Gad. They were mighty warriors as well as good headsmen.
One can see that the Gad of the ancient tribes was happy in the land where God allowed him to become a part of the new nation of Israel. Moses praised him and blessed the territory.
WHAT BECAME OF THEM?
You also have to wonder what became of this tribe over the years?
Where did all of the descendants of Gad wind up?
Some scholars believe that Gad, being part of the lost ten tribes who were taken into captivity by Assyria; had descendants that eventually formed homes in Germany.
We know from 2 Kings 15:27-29 that the Assyrians carried 1/3 of Israel away as captives. These captives came from the region of Gilead which is where the tribes of Gad, Reuben and half of Manasseh had resided.
It is thought that the tribe of Gad could have been placed on the eastern edge of Assyria in order to separate them from other Israelite captives and weaken their strength to join in with each other and rebel.
MIGRATION INTO OTHER LANDS
Later; after the eventual defeat of Assyria; the tribes of the first captivity began to migrate into other places.
A few historians think that Gad could have migrated into Asia and parts of Africa for awhile, then returned to be closer to the two other tribes who were also taken captive.
Most believe that the other tribes were on the move too. Ephraim migrated into England, and the tribe of Reuben migrated into France. It is known that many of the present-day Prussians and Eastern Germans are descendants from Assyria. Many think that the half-tribe of Manasseh’s descendants were eventually drawn into North America.
AMERICAN DESCENDANTS FROM ISRAEL
We know that some of the American colonists were originally from the British Isles and also some of them were from Germany. A great many of the colonist actually had German backgrounds. They were not all of British descent as many suppose.
Proof of this arises from a recorded election of the early colonists. After the Revolutionary War, Congress voted on whether the English language or the German language should become the official language of the United States of America. The English language won by one vote.
It is thought that the two parts of Manasseh (who split when Israel came into the Promised Land) were reunited as they merged from England and Germany into the United States.
It seems that both Manasseh and Gad had migrated to Asia and then Manasseh continued to migrate into north America. But the tribe of Gad did not; they stayed put for a while and eventually migrated into Germany.
DURING WORLD WAR TWO
At the end of World War II, Germany was occupied and split into Western and Eastern Germany. West Germany “overcame” its defeat and became a very prosperous ally of Ephraim (Britian) and Manasseh (United States of America) and many other once-Israelite tribes in NATO.
West Germany shared in the Abrahamic blessings poured out on the Western World after World War II along with many other Israelite tribes, but the Eastern Germans (cut off on the eastern side of the Soviet Iron Curtain) did not receive those blessings.
ISRAEL’S TRIBES FOUGHT CIVIL WARS
This may at first seem illogical because of the Holocaust; but if you study the history of all of the tribes of Israel; you will see that many of the tribes went to war against each other and proceeded to almost wipe each other out.
It was common.
God always intervened and saved the heritage of Israel; but there were many close calls over the years from various civil wars.
THE BLESSINGS CONFIRM THE HISTORY
Moses’ blessing of Gad basically confirms all of the above theories because of the way he proclaimed that Gad would be a predatory people and a warring nation; living like a lion who would not fear to tear people apart.
It is highly possible from the biblical descriptions of the scriptures that Gad eventually migrated into and became the nation which was once known as West Germany.
MORE THEORIES
There is also another theory out there; some people from Nigeria claim to be the descendants of Gad. They call themselves the Igbo.
The migration story that the Igbo tell is that Gad, the seventh son of Jacob, had three sons who settled in present-day southeastern Nigeria, which is predominantly inhabited by the Igbo. All three of these sons are said to have fathered clans and founded towns that are still in existence in southeastern Nigeria today.
One King of a community in Aguleri says he presides over the throne of Gad’s son who was named Eri. He can tell you the names of his 33 predecessors.
GERMAN JEWS FLEEING NAZI PERSECUTION
There is even more history of this tribe which might explain how some of the descendants of Gad could have truly landed in both, or all of the places we have mentioned.
In 1938 and 1939 around 300 German Jews fleeing Nazi persecution escaped to Northern Rhodesia. By the early 1960’s around 1,000 Jews lived in Northern Rhodesia. After Zambia’s independence in 1964 these numbers began to dwindle, as many took exodus to other places.
It is said now there are fewer tan 50 Jews left in Zambia.
Chances are that all of this history is true of the tribe of Gad. It is possible that from time-to-time some of them were located in different places than others. There is no way to trace this accurately; but it is interesting to consider.
CONSIDERING END-TIMES
One reason to consider such possibilities is the prophecy that was given over Gad for the last days.
Not just Gad; but many of the tribes of Israel. In a passage of Revelation Chapter 7 they are numbered and wearing white robes and they are said to be the ones who come out of the great tribulation.
They survived because they washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.
The scriptures go on to say that they will spend eternity before God’s throne serving Him, and verse 17 says: For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’
What a day that will be!
Not just for the descendants of Gad; but for all of the faithful people of God.
Ezekiel gave a prophecy about the boundaries of the land of Israel that will one day be repossessed by the twelve tribes. In his description he names the twelve gates in Jerusalem and says they will be named after the twelve tribes of Israel. One gate will be named after Gad. It will be one of the three southern gates. This gate will be at the border the territory of Zebulun where three gates will be positioned from east to west. Gad will be the name on one of those gates.
I have to wonder if the descendants of each tribe (including all of the ten lost tribes) will enter the New Jerusalem by way of their own tribe’s gate?
Time will tell.
I hope that every member of the tribe of Gad continues in their past good fortune.