Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible

"And Moses gave unto the tribe of Gad, unto the children of Gad, according to their families. And their border was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah; and from Heshbon unto Ramoth-Mizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir; and in the valley of Beth-haram, and Beth-nimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, the Jordan and the border thereof, unto the uttermost part of the sea of Chinneroth, beyond the Jordan eastward. This is the inheritance of the children of Gad according to their families, the cities and the villages thereof."

Gad's territory included the balance of the old empire of Sihon as far north as the Jabbok River and somewhat beyond it. The western boundary was the Jordan River. At the Jordan, Gad controlled the area as far as the southern tip of Lake Galilee (Chinneroth, here). Gad received that part of Ammon's territory that Sihon had conquered. Otherwise, Israel was forbidden to encroach on Ammon's land, but the part they had already lost to Sihon, Israel could acquire. On the southeast, the town of Aroer marked the boundary between Gad and Ammon.

Ramoth-Mizpeh is thought to be the same as Ramoth-Gilead. Gad's territory was famous for "balm," for the "wood of Ephraim" where Absalom's rebellious army was beaten; also Sharon, famous for its roses, was in this territory. Also, as Matthew Henry said, "Here lived those Gadarenes who loved their swine more than their Saviour!"[29]

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad,.... On the other side Jordan, as he did to Reuben:

even unto the children of Gad, according to their families: according to the number and largeness of them, dividing to each their part and portion.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Joshua 13:24 And Moses gave [inheritance] unto the tribe of Gad, [even] unto the children of Gad according to their families.

Ver. 24. {See Trapp on "Joshua 13:18"}

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

GAD’S LOT, Joshua 13:24-28.

24.The tribe of Gad had their inheritance in the central district of eastern Palestine, between Reuben and Manasseh, so that the mountains of Gilead fell largely to them. Mr. Buckingham describes this elevated region as having “its plains covered with a fertile soil, its hills clothed with forests, and at every new turn presenting the most magnificent landscapes that could be imagined. Every new direction of our path opened up to us views which surprised and charmed us by their grandeur and beauty. Deep valleys, filled with murmuring streams and verdant meadows, offered all the luxuriance of cultivation, and herds and flocks gave life and animation to the scene.” Mr. E. Smith travelled through Gilead in 1834. and found the ground clothed with luxuriant grass a foot or more in height, and decked with a rich variety of wild flowers.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

CHAPTER XIII.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad according to their families.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Numbers 32:34-36

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

24.And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, etc The observation made above applies also to the tribe of Gad, namely, that their legitimate boundaries were carefully defined in order to prevent disputes as to their possession. Meanwhile God is extolled for his liberality in having expelled nations of great celebrity, and substituted them in their stead. This is expressed more clearly in regard to the half tribe of Manasseh, when sixty cities are enumerated as included in their inheritance. Hence, too, it is manifest that Moses was not munificent through mistake, because it was well known to God how many cities he was giving them out of his boundless liberality. In a short clause the tribe of Levi is again excluded, that the Levites might not be able at some future period to pretend that the grant which the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh had obtained without the casting of lots, belonged in common to them also; for they are expressly forbidden to share with their brethren. This made it easy for them to interpret shrewdly for their advantage, that they were entitled to share with others. Here, however, it is not the sacrifices, as a little before, but God Himself that is said to be their inheritance; if they are not satisfied with it, they only convict themselves of excessive pride and insufferable fastidiousness. ⁽¹⁴⁰⁾