Genesis 49:19
Gad, being girded, shall fight before him: and he himself shall be girded backward.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Gad, accinctus præliabitur ante eum : et ipse accingetur retrorsum.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- Γάδ, πειρατήριον πειρατεύσει αὐτόν· αὐτὸς δὲ πειρατεύσει αὐτῶν κατὰ πόδας.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- גָּ֖ד גְּד֣וּד יְגוּדֶ֑נּוּ וְה֖וּא יָגֻ֥ד עָקֵֽב
Haydock's commentary
Gad, being girded, &c. It seems to allude to the tribe of Gad; when, after they had received for their lot the land of Galaad, they marched in arms before the rest of the Israelites, to the conquest of the land of Chanaan: from whence they afterwards returned loaded with spoils. See Josue i. and xxii. (Challoner)
He alludes continually to the name of Gad, which signifies one "girded, or a troop." See Osee vi. 8; Numbers xxxii. 17. (Calmet)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Hippolytus On Genesis, Section I
Gen. xlix. 16-20 Dan shall judge his people, as himself also one tribe in Israel. And let Dan become a serpent by the way, lying on the path, stinging the horse’s heel; and the horseman shall fall backward, waiting for the salvation of the Lord. Gad, a robber’s troop shall rob him; and he shall spoil it at the heels. Aser, his bread shall be fat, and he shall furnish dainties to princes.