Gad

Portrait of Gad

Gad was a prophet and seer who accompanied David from his fugitive days, advising him to leave the stronghold and return to Judah. Called 'David's seer,' he later brought God's word of judgment after David's census, offering the king a choice of punishments, and directed David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah - the future site of the temple. He also helped arrange the temple music with David and Nathan.

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Biography

Occupation
Prophet, David's seer
Era
United Kingdom
Nationality
Israelite
Old Testament Prophet 2 Samuel

Did You Know?

1

Gad was called 'David's seer' (2 Samuel 24:11) and stayed with David from his fugitive years, making him one of the king's most trusted lifelong advisers.

2

After David's sinful census, it was Gad who offered him the choice of three punishments and then directed him to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah (2 Samuel 24:18) - the very site where Solomon's temple would later stand.

3

Chronicles credits Gad, along with Nathan, with helping arrange the temple's music and recording the acts of David's reign, so he was a court historian as well as a prophet.

Key Chapters

2 Samuel 24 David's Census 5 min read Gad brings God's word after David's sinful census and directs him to raise an al...

Key Passages

Gad and the Census Judgment

2 Samuel 24:11-19

Gad brings God's word after David's sinful census and directs him to raise an altar on Araunah's threshing floor.

F11or when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, Davidโ€™s seer, saying,

12 Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. 13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three daysโ€™ pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me. 14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. 15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. 16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my fatherโ€™s house. 18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.

Read full chapter: 2 Samuel 24 โ†’

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