Two persons, a tribe and its allotted territory, as well as a pagan god by this name are mentioned in the Old Testament.
1. The seventh son of Jacob, first by Leah's maid, Zilpah. Most English translations interprete his name as 'good fortune.' Almost nothing is recorded of Gad as a person in the Old Testament.
2. A prophet who was part of David's party during the reign of Saul, and who served as his adviser (1 Sam 22:1). Most famously, Gad was appointed by Yahweh to bring the word of chastizement against David for the census of fighting men he ordered taken (2 Sam 24:10-25).
3. One of a pair of pagan deities named by Isaiah in his pronouncement of divine judgment in Isa 65:11 (NKJ): "But you are those who forsake the Lord, Who forget My holy mountain, Who prepare a table for Gad, And who furnish a drink offering for Meni." NIV and NRS translate the names, rendering them as "Fortune"and "Destiny," respectively, instead.
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