Gad -- troops will rush upon him; But he will rush upon the heel.
Jacob's word over Gad is one line, but it turns right around: raiders overrun the tribe, then the tribe raids them. It sits where the tone of the chapter changes, which raises two questions — who is the "troop," and when is "the last"?
One writer runs through the sons in order. He marks Gad as the place where failure turns into blessing.
J. N. DarbyReuben, Simeon, and Levi are corrupt and violent. Judah is connected with God's purposes about the royal line. Zebulun is a haven of ships, and Issachar a strong donkey carrying a load; both are linked with prosperity in trade with the nations, or Gentiles. Then Dan is to judge his people. So when Israel joins with the Gentiles in that way (Zebulun and Issachar), in comes the serpent. Then Gad is overcome, but overcomes at last. After that all is power and blessing in Asher and Naphtali, in Benjamin and Joseph.
Gad's name is the word the verse plays on. One writer reads that name forward into Israel's future.
L. M. GrantGad was the first son of Zilpah, Leah's maid. His name means "a troop." The prophecy uses that same name: a troop (armies of enemy nations) would trample Gad (representing Israel) underfoot. This will happen in the tribulation period. But Gad will in the end overcome the troop. God will give Israel the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The closing clause has more force in some renderings than "overcome at the last" suggests. One translation keeps the chase in view:
William KellyGad — troops shall press upon him; but he shall press upon their heel.
The words also had a plain fulfilment on the map.
Morrish Bible DictionaryThis tribe lived east of the Jordan. With Reuben and Manasseh, it had to bear the shock of the enemies who attacked Israel from the east (1 Chr. 5:18-22). They were a warlike tribe, suitable for such an exposed position. Some of them joined David, and the record calls them "men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, who could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the deer upon the mountains" (1 Chr. 12:8-15).
One writer looks past that history to a final gathering of enemies, and to the two tribes named right after Gad.
The Christian's FriendGad is overcome by a troop, but overcomes at last. The prophet Daniel tells us what the final trooping together against Israel will be (read Psalm 83 too). But God will bring His earthly people out of the trouble. Then blessing comes to Asher in abundance and good cheer, and Naphtali, like a deer set free, will give glory to Jehovah. Deliverance, consolation, and liberty.
Another writer reads the same three tribes as the experience of the godly under persecution before the kingdom comes.
F. B. HoleIn verses 19-21, Jacob groups three tribes together: Gad, Asher and Naphtali. His words seem to set out what the godly in Israel go through as the true Messiah overthrows the antichrist and takes his place. At first everything will work to overcome them under the persecuting power of the "beasts" we read about in Revelation 13. They will suffer persecution and insults for righteousness' sake, but at the end theirs will be the kingdom, as the Lord stated in Matthew 5:10-12. Like Gad they will overcome at the last.
One writer, quoting an older translation, treats that order — defeat first, victory last — as the mark of the whole new order, and links it to Christ's promise.
The Bible TreasuryJacob's words go on: "Gad, a troop, shall overcome him, but he shall overcome at the last." That is the certain character of the new order of things — conflict, defeat at first, but victory in the end. So Christ says, "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." [There is a play on the meanings of the names. Gad means "a troop."]
- Turn. Gad is where Genesis 49 stops falling and starts rising. Failure comes first, then power and blessing in Asher, Naphtali, Benjamin and Joseph.
- Name. "Gad" means a troop. The troop that tramples him and the man who wins at last carry the same word.
- Frontier. Gad settled east of the Jordan and took the first shock of enemies from that side — a warlike tribe with faces like lions.
- Rescue. Writers see one last gathering of nations against Israel. God brings His earthly people out of it — deliverance, consolation, liberty.
- Last. The order never changes: conflict, defeat, then victory. Christ promises the same to everyone who overcomes.
Out of Asher, his bread shall be fat, And he will give royal dainties.
Jacob's word to Asher turns from Gad's fighting to feasting. Commentators read this short line as a picture of Israel's coming plenty, and as a promise about what a well-fed person can pass on to others.
Asher's line comes straight after Gad, and the order is deliberate. The writers quoted here use an older wording, "royal dainties," where the ESV has "royal delicacies."
Hamilton SmithWhen the remnant look to the Lord for salvation, then the moment of deliverance is at hand. So Gad sets out a great fact. The godly remnant may be overcome at first and pass through great suffering. But in the end they will overcome. Abundance of blessing for the nation will follow, as shown by the "royal dainties" of Asher.
The whole chapter moves the same way — one writer traces the tribes as a story in two halves, failure first and then blessing, with Asher standing on the far side of that turn.
J. N. DarbyReuben, Simeon, and Levi are corrupt and violent; Judah is connected with God's purposes as to the royal line... then Dan is to judge his people... then Gad is overcome, but overcomes at last; and then all is power and blessing after that in Asher and Naphtali, in Benjamin and Joseph.
Asher's name carries the promise before the verse says a word.
L. M. GrantAsher was Zilpah's second son, and his name means "happy." The prophecy about him points to the rich provision God will make for the nation Israel — even "royal dainties" — when He restores them to their land in the millennium. What a wonderful contrast to their years of deprivation and desolation!
The verse runs two ways. God spreads a table, and His people bring something back to Him.
An Outline of Sound WordsAsher speaks of the prosperity that follows. "His bread shall be fat." Israel enters the land with all its blessing from the Lord. There they enjoy what Isaiah 25 describes: "The Lord of hosts makes for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow. He will swallow up death forever, and will wipe away tears from all faces"... In response to the Lord's salvation and blessing, Israel gives Him "royal dainties" in return. Does the Lord not tell Israel in Numbers 28 which royal dainties please Him? There He says, "Command the people of Israel and say to them, My offering, My food for My food offerings, with a pleasing aroma to me."
The verb matters. Asher does not just eat well; he yields. One writer takes the point to the beehive.
The Bible Treasury"He shall yield royal dainties" too — not only taste them but supply others with them. What makes the queen bee so much larger and more regal than the rest? The food she is given early in life. Her egg and young larva are just the same as the others. Feeding on "royal dainties" is what makes her grow royal in body and mind. So those who nourish their spirits with royal dainties become royal in spirit.
The promise also touched down on a map. One writer places Christ Himself inside Asher's territory, with nothing set out for Him at home.
The Bible TreasuryHe was in the territory of the tribe of Asher, of whom Jacob prophesied, "He shall yield royal dainties." So there was no table in Zion for David's Son. But there was one spread in the wilderness of Asher. There He had royal food to eat that Israel knew nothing of, and there were crumbs of grace for hungry Gentiles too.
Commentators differ here. Most read the verse of Israel's coming plenty; others draw a personal lesson from the names in Asher's family.
Leslie M. GrantAsher's prince was Pagiel, which means "event of God," and his father's name, Ocran, means "afflicted"... Asher means "happy." But even the blessing of Asher has to be tempered with God's dealings — events of God — to bring affliction. For true happiness always comes through suffering, little as we may appreciate this at first.
One writer finds that happiness in Anna, a woman of this tribe who had lost everything else.
Numerical Bible NotesAnna completes the number of these witnesses. Everything else has failed with her; but she has been brought into the wilderness only so that God may speak tenderly to her. She is a true child of Asher, the "happy," and of Phanuel, the "face of God." Her own name, Anna, means "grace." That name marks the principle of a life like hers, where fastings and prayers are nothing but love's service.
- Order — Asher stands after Gad on purpose. The remnant is overcome first, then overcomes; rich food waits on the far side of the fight.
- Name — "Asher" means happy. The verse promises the rich provision God will make when He restores Israel to the land, after their long deprivation.
- Received — the fat bread points to the feast the Lord Himself spreads, where He swallows up death and wipes away tears.
- Returned — what Asher yields goes up to God as offerings that please Him, and out to others. Those fed on royal food become royal in spirit.
- Reach — in Asher's own territory the rejected Christ found a table, and crumbs of that grace fell to hungry Gentiles. From the same tribe came Anna, happy in God when all else had failed.
Naphtali is a hind let loose; He giveth goodly words.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.