Skip to content

Genesis 30:11

and Weary is saying, `Betrayer!966` And she is calling-out אֶת-his name Invader.

Footnote:

966
Genesis 30:11

Strong’s #1409. Gad. From guwd
The word בגד in Genesis 30:11 presents a textual and interpretive crux. The consonantal text (בגד) was confusing to many scholars who for some reason decided to add the word בָּ֣א "come" which is not in the text. They couldn't understand how it would be connected to gad גד (“fortune/luck,” cf. Ugaritic gd, Phoenician and Aramaic gd, and the deity Gad attested in Northwest Semitic inscriptions). But גד gad also means "troop" or "invader."

The Masoretic tradition inserted a "what we want to read" vocalized clause בָּא גָד (“a troop/fortune has come”) over what was originally written, interpreting the phrase in relation to the naming explanation that follows, “and she called his name Gad.” It's simply false, made up garbage.

On the distinction between גד and בגד: the former can denote “fortune” or “prosperity,” but also "troop" or "invaders." derived from גוד (Strong's #1464). See its use in Genesis 49:19. By contrast, בגד is an unrelated triliteral root meaning “to act treacherously, to betray,” with the associated noun or participle בגד “(treacherous) garment,” or "betrayer" originally linked to the notion of covering and thus metaphorically to concealment and faithlessness. (See bagad #898 traitor, covert betrayer).