Prophet living at the time of United Monarchy
Gad was a prophet who advised King David and wrote a book of his acts.
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Gad was a prophet who served during the reigns of King David and his son Solomon. He first appears in 1Sa.22.5, where he advises David to leave his stronghold in Moab and return to the land of Judah. Gad played a significant role in the events surrounding David's census of Israel (2Samuel 24; 1Chronicles 21). After David had sinned by taking the census, Gad was sent by God to offer David a choice of three punishments: three years of famine, three months of fleeing from enemies, or three days of plague (2Sa.24.11-14; 1Ch.21.9-13). David chose the plague, and Gad instructed him to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite to stop the plague (2Sa.24.18-19; 1Ch.21.18-19). Gad is described as David's seer (2Sa.24.11; 1Ch.21.9) and is credited with writing a book about David's acts (1Ch.29.29). He was also involved in organizing the music and worship in the tabernacle (2Ch.29.25). Gad's ministry as a prophet spanned the latter years of David's reign and continued into the early years of Solomon's reign.
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13 verses in 4 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H1410
Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Depart and go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
When David got up in the morning, the word of the LORD had come to Gad the prophet, Davidʼs seer:
So Gad went and said to David, “Do you choose to endure three years of famine in your land, three months of fleeing the pursuit of your enemies, or three days of plague upon your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should reply to Him who sent me.”
David answered Gad, “I am deeply distressed. Please, let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men.”
And that day Gad came to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”
So David went up at the word of Gad, just as the LORD had commanded.
And the LORD instructed Gad, Davidʼs seer,
So Gad went and said to David, “This is what the LORD says: ‘You must choose
David answered Gad, “I am deeply distressed. Please, let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men.”
Then the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
So David went up at the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the LORD.
Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are indeed written in the Chronicles of Samuel the Seer, the Chronicles of Nathan the Prophet, and the Chronicles of Gad the Seer,
Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, of Gad the kingʼs seer, and of Nathan the prophet. For the command had come from the LORD through His prophets.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.