Gad is the first son of Leah’s servant Zilpah. The home of the tribe was east of the Jordan, where it was subject to raids from desert-dwelling Ammonites (Judges 11). The name Gad sounds like the word for “fortune.” See 30.11.

Raiders shall raid Gad: verse 19 is a single sentence in two parts. Four of the six Hebrew words contain the sequence g-d, and Revised Standard Version and some other translations try to give a similar sound effect in English by repeating the word “raid.” Raiders refers to roving bands of robbers. Raid means to carry out a sudden armed attack. See Good News Translation.

But he shall raid at their heels: Gad is praised because of his ability to repel the raiders, drive them off, and pursue them closely.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .