“Raiders shall raid Gad, but he shall raid at their heels.
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"?
Where the verse sits in the chapter
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.
The name is the prophecy
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.
A tribe on the exposed frontier
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).
The final trooping together
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.
Overcoming as a settled pattern
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."]
Summary
- 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.