Numbers 1:14 Study Bible: Of Gad: Eliasaph the son of Reuel.

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from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;

from Gad
The tribe of Gad was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, named after Gad, the seventh son of Jacob and Zilpah, Leah's maidservant. The name "Gad" means "fortune" or "luck" in Hebrew, reflecting Leah's declaration upon his birth, "A troop comes!" (Genesis 30:11). Historically, the tribe of Gad settled on the east side of the Jordan River, known for its strong warriors and pastoral lands. This positioning was strategic, as they were often the first line of defense against eastern invaders. The tribe's legacy is one of strength and resilience, embodying the blessings and challenges of their geographical and spiritual heritage.

Eliasaph
The name "Eliasaph" means "God has added" in Hebrew. This name reflects a common biblical theme of divine provision and increase. In the context of the census in Numbers, Eliasaph represents the leadership and responsibility entrusted to individuals within the community. His role as a leader of the tribe of Gad underscores the importance of godly leadership in guiding and organizing the people according to God's commands. Eliasaph's inclusion in the census highlights the significance of each tribe's contribution to the collective identity and mission of Israel.

son of Deuel
The name "Deuel" is sometimes rendered as "Reuel" in other translations, which means "friend of God" in Hebrew. This name suggests a relationship of intimacy and favor with the divine, a characteristic valued in biblical narratives. The mention of Deuel as Eliasaph's father provides a genealogical link that emphasizes the continuity of faith and leadership across generations. It underscores the biblical principle that spiritual heritage and familial lineage play crucial roles in the unfolding of God's plan for His people. The reference to Deuel also serves as a reminder of the personal and communal aspects of faith, where individual lives are woven into the larger tapestry of God's redemptive history.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Gad
One of the twelve tribes of Israel, named after Gad, the seventh son of Jacob and Zilpah, Leah's maidservant. The tribe of Gad was known for its warriors and settled on the east side of the Jordan River.

2. Eliasaph
The leader of the tribe of Gad during the census in the wilderness. His name means "God has added" or "God increases," reflecting a divine blessing or increase.

3. Deuel
The father of Eliasaph. The name Deuel means "knowledge of God," indicating a heritage of spiritual insight or understanding.

4. The Census
This event in Numbers 1 is the first census of the Israelites after the Exodus from Egypt. It was commanded by God to organize the people for military and community purposes.

5. Wilderness of Sinai
The location where the census took place, a significant place in Israel's journey where they received the Law and were organized as a nation.

Teaching Points

God's Order and Organization
The census reflects God's desire for order and structure among His people. In our lives, we should seek to align with God's order, recognizing that He is a God of peace and not confusion.

Leadership and Responsibility
Eliasaph's role as a leader of his tribe highlights the importance of godly leadership. We are called to lead with integrity and faithfulness in whatever sphere God places us.

Heritage and Identity
The names Eliasaph and Deuel remind us of the importance of our spiritual heritage and identity in Christ. We should embrace our identity as children of God and live in a way that reflects His character.

Faithfulness in the Wilderness
The setting of the wilderness teaches us about faithfulness in times of trial and transition. We are called to trust God and remain faithful, even when the path is uncertain.

Bible Study Questions

1. What does the role of Eliasaph as a leader of the tribe of Gad teach us about the qualities of godly leadership?

2. How can we apply the principle of God's order and organization in our personal and community lives today?

3. In what ways does understanding our spiritual heritage and identity in Christ impact our daily walk with God?

4. How can the example of the tribe of Gad as warriors inspire us to be spiritually vigilant and prepared for the battles we face?

5. Reflect on a time when you were in a "wilderness" season. How did you experience God's faithfulness, and how can that experience encourage others?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Genesis 30:9-11
This passage describes the birth of Gad, providing background on the tribe's origins and its patriarch.

Joshua 4:12-13
These verses highlight the role of the tribe of Gad as warriors, fulfilling their commitment to help the other tribes conquer the Promised Land.

1 Chronicles 5:18-22
This passage describes the valor and military prowess of the Gadites, emphasizing their role as mighty warriors.

Sermons

An Honest Pedigree		Numbers 1:4-16
Bank and Service	W Jones.	Numbers 1:4-16
God's Knowledge of His People	W. Jones.	Numbers 1:4-16
The Lord Knows the Number and the Names of All Who Belong to Him	W. Attersoll.	Numbers 1:4-16
The Pedigree Declared	C. H. Mackintosh.	Numbers 1:4-16
The Men of Renown Who Managed the Census	D. Young	Numbers 1:5-16

People

Aaron, Abidan, Ahiezer, Ahira, Ammihud, Amminadab, Ammishaddai, Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Deuel, Eliab, Eliasaph, Elishama, Elizur, Enan, Gad, Gamaliel, Gideoni, Helon, Israelites, Issachar, Joseph, Levi, Levites, Manasseh, Moses, Nahshon, Naphtali, Nethaneel, Ocran, Pagiel, Pedahzur, Reuben, Reuel, Shedeur, Shelumiel, Simeon, Zebulun, Zuar, Zurishaddai

Places

Egypt, Sinai

Topics

Deuel, Deu'el, Eliasaph, Eli'asaph, Gad, Reuel

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Numbers 1:1-16

5700 headship

Numbers 1:1-49

5249 census

Library

The Consolation
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received at the LORD 's hand double for all her sins. T he particulars of the great "mystery of godliness," as enumerated by the Apostle Paul, constitute the grand and inexhaustible theme of the Gospel ministry, "God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

The Census of Israel
Thirty-eight years had passed away since the first numbering at Sinai, and the people had come to the borders of the Promised Land; for they were in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho. The time had come for another census. The wisdom which commanded the counting of Israel at the beginning of the wilderness journey, also determined to count them at the end of it. This would show that he did not value them less than in former years; it would afford proof that his word of judgment had been fulfilled …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

The Child-Life in Nazareth
THE stay of the Holy Family in Egypt must have been of brief duration. The cup of Herod's misdeeds, but also of his misery, was full. During the whole latter part of his life, the dread of a rival to the throne had haunted him, and he had sacrificed thousands, among them those nearest and dearest to him, to lay that ghost. [1084] And still the tyrant was not at rest. A more terrible scene is not presented in history than that of the closing days of Herod. Tormented by nameless fears; ever and again …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Genealogy According to Luke.
^C Luke III. 23-38. ^c 23 And Jesus himself [Luke has been speaking about John the Baptist, he now turns to speak of Jesus himself], when he began to teach, was about thirty years of age [the age when a Levite entered upon God's service--Num. iv. 46, 47], being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son [this may mean that Jesus was grandson of Heli, or that Joseph was counted as a son of Heli because he was his son-in-law] of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
THE ISRAELITES IN THE LAND OF CANAAN: THE JUDGES--THE PHILISTINES AND THE HEBREW KINGDOM--SAUL, DAVID, SOLOMON, THE DEFECTION OF THE TEN TRIBES--THE XXIst EGYPTIAN DYNASTY--SHESHONQ OR SHISHAK DAMASCUS. The Hebrews in the desert: their families, clans, and tribes--The Amorites and the Hebrews on the left bank of the Jordan--The conquest of Canaan and the native reaction against the Hebrews--The judges, Ehud, Deborah, Jerubbaal or Gideon and the Manassite supremacy; Abimelech, Jephihdh. The Philistines, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6

And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah
"And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall come forth unto Me (one) [Pg 480] to be Ruler in Israel; and His goings forth are the times of old, the days of eternity." The close connection of this verse with what immediately precedes (Caspari is wrong in considering iv. 9-14 as an episode) is evident, not only from the [Hebrew: v] copulative, and from the analogy of the near relation of the announcement of salvation to the prophecy of disaster …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Numbers
Like the last part of Exodus, and the whole of Leviticus, the first part of Numbers, i.-x. 28--so called,[1] rather inappropriately, from the census in i., iii., (iv.), xxvi.--is unmistakably priestly in its interests and language. Beginning with a census of the men of war (i.) and the order of the camp (ii.), it devotes specific attention to the Levites, their numbers and duties (iii., iv.). Then follow laws for the exclusion of the unclean, v. 1-4, for determining the manner and amount of restitution …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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