GAD
| Lehite GN | 1. | City, burned with fire ca. 34 AD, along with LAMAN, JOSH, and KISHKUMEN (3 Nephi 9:10) |
It is most likely that this NEPHITE GN comes from the PN of the first person who settled the city. The root gād in Hebrew means “fortune, luck, riches, etc.,” and is quite common in Hebrew, including GAD, one of the twelve sons of JACOB (ISRAEL).[1]. The name appears in texts near the time of LEHI (JAT).[2]
Less likely, though not impossible is gd, “coriander.” For an example of a Near Eastern GN coming from a plant, see the Arabic GN Ras Shamra, “cape fennel” (JH).
Cf. Book of Mormon GID, AMGID, AMNIGADDAH, GADIANDI, GADIANTON/GADDIANTON, GADIOMNAH, et al.
Notes
- ↑ The King James Bible disguises the meaning of JACOB's son by rendering [Genesis 30:11] (the first time the PN appears in the Bible), "And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad." The Matthew Bible is more accurate, "Then said Lea: Good luck: and called his name Gad," A more literal translation might be, "And Leah said, By luck! And she called his name Gad."
- ↑ See Shmuel Ahitub, Echoes from the Past: Hebrew and Cognate Inscriptions from the Biblical Period (Jerusalem:Carta, 2008), 503, for the names גד, גדיו, גדעזר.
Bibliography
Albright, William F. Yahweh and the Gods of Canaan: A Historical Analysis of Two Contrasting Faiths. Doubleday, 1968.
Hobbs, T. R. “Gadi,” in D. N. Freedman, ed., Anchor Bible Dictionary, 6 vols., II: 868. NY: Doubleday, 1992.
Maier, Walter, III. “Gad (Deity),” in D. N. Freedman, ed., Anchor Bible Dictionary, 6 vols., II: 863–64. NY: Doubleday, 1992.
Zevot, Ziony. Matres Lectionis in Ancient Hebrew Epigraphs. Cambridge, Mass.: ASOR, 1980.
