We meet with this name in the holy Scriptures, to denote three very different characters. The first is one of Jacob's sons, which he had by Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, (Genesis 30:11) and she called his name Gad, which signifies armed; and, therefore, in the margin of our Bibles it is marked a troop, or company. The second Gad we meet with, is the prophet Gad, David's seer. (2 Samuel 24:11) The character of this man is well spoken of, by his conduct and faithfulness, in Scripture. He was much attached to David; (See 1 Samuel 22:5) yet faithful to the Lord at the time of David's transgression. (See 2 Samuel 24:10-19) We read also, that Gad compiled a history of the acts of David. (See 1 Chronicles 29:29-30) The third mention of Gad is as an idol. There was a Baal-Gad in the valley of Lebanon. (Joshua 11:17) And the prophet Isaiah speaks of some "who prepared a table for that troop" [Gad,] "and that furnished a drink offering for that number." [meni] (Isaiah 65:11) The dying patriarch Jacob blessing his sons, made a memorable prophecy concerning Gad: "A troop" (said Jacob) "shall overcome him, but he shall overcome at the last." (Genesis 49:19) Considered in a temporal sense, this was literally true. For the Gadites were a numerous tribe, and a warlike tribe. We find no less than forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty, came out of Egypt, (Numbers 2:15) "men both of might, and men of war, fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains." (1 Chronicles 12:8) And considered in a spiritual sense, the seed of Israel, though frequently overcome by troops of foes, yet though conquered, still they are a conquering people. Troops of lusts, troops of corruptions, troops from hell, and troops from the world, may, and will, bring the poor exercised soul too often under: yet the victory is still on the side of Jacob's seed. The praying seed of Jacob, at length come off as the prevailing Israel; for they must overcome "by the blood of the Lamb," and be more than conquerors through his grace making them so.