We are still in chapter 49 of Genesis with our word for today with both the noun and verb forms used for the first time in the Bible in our chapter. The noun גְּדוּד band, raid, troop of warriors, someone who takes spoil or plunder, incision, cutting, a furrow, to cut, break in. The noun is used 30 times in the Old Testament The verb גּוּד assault, attack, invade, sudden surprise attack on to take spoils, to press, urge upon someone. The verb is used 3 times in the Old Testament, twice in our chapter. The other usage is in Habakkuk 3:16 I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation יְגוּדֶֽנּוּ invading us. This sense of fear from an invading army is the sense that it is used in our chapter today. We still have Jacob speaking to his sons before his death. To his son Gad he speaks about this fear from a raiding party and the meaning of his name.
Genesis 49:19 גְּד֣וּד Raiders shall יְגוּדֶ֑נּוּraid גָּ֖דGad, but he shall יָגֻ֥דraid at their heels. Gad can mean both “good fortune” and “a troop.” We see this when Leah named him at his birth in Genesis 30:11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!” So she named him Gad. The idea is this is good luck because a troop or army is coming to help. We might say today the Calvary is coming. Because of the tribe’s location on the east side of the Jordan, enemy troops could easily invade their territory. Jacob assured the Gadites that no conquest would be final, but that they would eventually conquer their enemies. This verse literally reads, “Troop [Gad], a troop will troop upon him, but he will troop on their heels.” An old man on his deathbed, Jacob could still make a clever wordplay out of his son’s name. The Gadites were great warriors (Joshua 22:1–6). Moses compared them to a brave lion that could rend the arms and heads of its enemies. Deuteronomy 33:20 About וּלְגָ֣ד Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges גָּ֖ד Gad’s domain! Gad lives there like a lion, tearing at arm or head. This reminds me of the prediction God the Father made about God the son Jesus who was also from the tribe of Judah who was identified also as a lion. Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Romans 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
