[gothic-l] Goth=Gad

[Yair Davidi]

Extracts from "THe Tribes" by Yair Davidi
THE TRIBE OF GAD OR "GOTH"

THE DISPERSION OF GAD

Names reminiscent of Gad are traced throughout this book to peoples 
otherwise known to have been of Israelite descent. The Tribe of Gad was 
exiled with Reuben and the half-tribe of Menasseh to Halah, Habor, the 
River of Gozan, and to Hara. Gad re-appeared as the Guti who were allied to 
the Saka and Gimiri (Cimiri) in Mesopotamia and the Zagros Mountains 
region. From this area the Guti split into known groups. One group went 
west to become the Geti of the Balkans. Another group was in the east 
branching out from Hara in eastern Iran. In the sphere surrounding the area 
of “Hara” the Gadites reappeared as the Pasar-Gadae, in the name Gadrosia, 
in the Gadanopydres of Carmania; and in the Gu-te (Goths) whose name is 
sometimes mistakenly transliterated as "Yuehchi"1. The name "Goth" itself 
means GAD and is another way of enunciating it in Hebrew while the Goths 
actually in some cases referred to themselves by the term “Gad” or 
something close to it.. The Goths are recorded as having called themselves 
"GUDA"2 or "GODO"3.. "GAD" is recognized as a root occurring in Gothic 
toponomy4; i.e. the root “GAD” in a place-name is accepted by historians as 
evidence indicating that that place was probably once connected with the 
Goths. Gadites were also known in Scotland (as “Gadeni”) and Ireland as the 
"Gaedhals".

THE GOTHS OF GAD

         Goths were to be found amongst the sundry northern tribes who 
invaded England with the Anglo-Saxons and a Saxon group was known as the 
GEDDINGAS.
         The main body of Gad was that associated with the Goths and with 
the so-called "Nordic" peoples. Goths were to settle in many lands but 
numerically they probably remained concentrated in Scandinavia and Sweden 
(Gotaland and Gothia)5 is the only place where today they can be 
distinguished as a specific people.
         The sons of Gad (Genesis 46, Numbers 26) were Ziphion (Hebrew: 
Tsifion: öôéåï), Haggi (Chaggiçâé:), Shuni: ((ùåðé, Ezbon (Etsbon: òöáåï), 
Eri: (Geri: òøé), Arodi (òøåãé) and Areli ((àøàìé. Zipion (Tsiphion) is 
recalled in the Thaifalli who were close allies of the Goths. From the east 
they came westward with the Hun invasion and apparently settled in France6. 
The name of the second son, Haggi is close to that of "Huga"7 which name 
was applied to the Franks in the north. The Franks consisted mainly of 
clans from Reuben with supplements from others, especially Menasseh. 
Nevertheless, the two tribes, Gad and Reuben, had been together on the 
other side of the Jordan and were also exiled together so that groups from 
one were to be found in the domain of the other. In an area associated with 
the Goths in eastern Scythia. Ptolemy's Map of central Scythia has a people 
north of the Jaxartes River named CACHAGE Scythae and this name too derives 
from Hagi or "Chagi". Likewise, Chagi is found in the CHAUKI (Hocings)8 who 
were a Frisian nation whose lands were overtaken in about 200 CE by Saxons 
coming west from Holstein. The Chauci were obliged to leave their lands and 
become amalgamated mainly with the Franks9 though some were absorbed by the 
Saxons10. Tacitus11 describes the Chauci as the noblest of German tribes, 
"So constituted as to prefer to protect their vast domain by justice 
alone...yet they are ready with arms, and if circumstances should require 
with armies, men, and horses in abundance." There was also a people named 
Cauci in Celtic Ireland who were related to the Chauci on the Continent. 
The Batavia who settled in Holland were regarded as part of the Chauci. 
They form a contingent from Gad amongst the Dutch population. Pliny 
included the Chauci in the Ingueone group of "German" tribes together with 
the Cimbri and Teutoni. The Ingueones relate to Yngvi12. In mythology, 
Yngvi (of the Ingueone group) was a son of the god Odin and an ancestor of 
the Swedish kings whose dynasty was known as the Yinglings13. This 
association connects the Ingueones (Chauci, Teutons, and Cimbri) with the 
Swedes. The Cimbri were located by Ptolemy in Jutland where their name is 
recalled in the modern places of Himmerland and Himmersyssel14. [The sounds 
"k", "c", "ch", and "h", interchange in studies of that era, thus "Cimmer" 
or "Kimmer" becomes "Himmer"]. The name also occurs in Uppland Himbran 
(Uppsala in Sweden), Hymber in south Norway, and Himbrin and Himmerstein in 
Trondheim, also Norway. There is also Krimisham in Sweden and quite a few 
place-names containing the root-word "hammer" indicating a possible 
Cimbrian association. Simon Grunau15 (ca.1530) wrote that the Swedish Isle 
of Gothland was formerly known as Cymbria and that Goths had resettled it, 
in about 500 BCE, after being forced out of Italy which they had invaded 
previously. He also said that the name Bruthenia was given once to northern 
Prussia as a result of Gothic settlement. "Bruthenia" is probably a version 
of "Brith" which name (meaning "covenant") accompanied the Cimmerians also 
to Britain. The Cimbrians were traditionally descended from the Cimmerians 
(Gimiri) of old and the triumvirate of Saka, Gimiri, and Guti (Goths) had 
been known since the Assyrian era.  In some respects this threesome 
overlapped the two-and-a-half-Tribes who had settled east of the Jordan, 
i.e. the Cimmerians partly from Carmi: of Reuben, the Amyrgio-Sakae from 
Machir of half-Menasseh and the Guti from Gad.
         The ancient Guti were paralleled in Scandinavia by the Geats or 
Goths.  The name "GUTI" itself in Scandinavia was used synonymously with 
Goth16. The Gimiri (Cimmri) became the Cimbri who descended from them and 
who were spread throughout Scandinavia with an historical connection with 
Denmark. The Cimbri were close allies of the Teutons whom Ptolemy located 
south of the Saxones and north of the (Aggiloi) Anglii. The Teutons were to 
be swept up in the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain. The name Teuton is 
cognate with "Teutarus" who according to legend was a Scythian and taught 
Hercules archery. The term "TEUTON" is connected to that of Tahan, son of 
Ephraim, son of Joseph. A similar form "TAHAT" (cf. Numbers 26; 35, and 
1-Chronicles 7; 20) was also known amongst the Tribe of Ephraim. "Tahan" 
and "Tahat" are considered either one and the same entity17 or at least 
related bodies. The Saxons represent the SAKAE of old meaning the Scyths.
         The sons of Gad were Ziphion and Haggi as well as Shuni:, Ezbon, 
Eri:, and Arodi, and Areli (Genesis 46;16). Haggi (Chaggi) and Eri: (Geri) 
were represented in tribes of East Scythia who in the west became 
associated with the Goths and Suebians. Serica in Eastern Siberia was once 
the domain of the eastern Suebi. This was prior to a drastic climatic 
change in that region. Also in Serica there dwelt a number of other groups 
who later reappeared in the west and who were of Israelite descent. One of 
these were the GARINAEI18, descendants of ERI (Geri) who reappeared as the 
GRANI of Sweden who were noticed by Jordanes19. The Greuthingi [also from 
“Eri:” i.e. Geri: òøé] were a section of the Goths who intermingled with 
the Ostrogoths on the Black Sea coast. They are the same people as the 
GREOTINGI whom Jordanes20 reported as being in Sweden.

WERE THE GOTHS IN SCOTLAND???
         The Gadeni of Scotland may have been derived from Gad. The Goths 
had some type of connection with Scotland and some English authors named 
them Ysgoths:29. In 1404 Archbishop Johannes de Gabonifontibus (who had 
been in England) reported: "Two small nations are living along and around 
the Black Sea; the Thats and a few Goths. The Goths claim to have descended 
from the Scots and speak like the English"30.  The Thats incidentally were 
related to the original Teutons of old. A section of them practiced Judaism 
and are known as “The Mountain Jews”. These have been often traced to the 
Khazars.

THE SONS OF GAD

"And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni:, and Ezbon, Eri:, and 
Arodi, and Areli" Genesis 46; 16.

"The children of Gad after their families; of Zephon, the family of the 
Zephoni: of Haggi, the family of the Haggi: of Shuni:, the family of the 
Shuni::
"Of Ozni, the family of the Ozni: of Eri:, the family of the Eri::
"Of Arod, the family of the Arodi: of Areli, the family of the Areli.
"These are the families of the children of Gad according to those that were 
numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred.
Numbers 26; 15-18).

DAN AND THE SONS OF GAD:
THE SHUNI OF SWEDEN.

         The DANS (DAN) who finally settled in Denmark traditionally33 
formerly sojourned in Sweden within whose land the Tribe of Gad 
predominated. Sweden34 was formed when the kingdom of the Swedish-Goths 
(Gautland) united with that of the Svea. The Svea were known to the Latins 
as Suiones. Tacitus mentions, (Germania 44) "The states of the SUIONES 
right out in the sea. They are powerful not only in arms and men but also 
in fleets". "SUIONES" (Svea) is similar to THE Hebrew Shuni: the third son, 
whose name in Biblical times in the north was perhaps pronounceable as 
"SUONI" ["S" for "SH" cf. Judges 12;6  "Siboleth" instead of "Shiboleth"; 
and "u" or "wu" before "o"].
         The union of Gad and Dan, who in Biblical times were close 
neighbors, was repeated in the Gauti and Dauni which groups, says Ptolemy, 
were on the Baltic coast.
         The Goths were to dominate the region of Scythia, north of the 
Black Sea, and here river names, such as Don, Danaper (Dnieper), Danaster, 
and Danube, all bear witness to the presence of Dan. Strabo35 says 
expressly that the DANUBE was known to have received its name from the 
Scyths . The Aorsi (from north of the Caucasus) are connected with 
Scandinavia and they were neighboured by the UDINI36 whose name is said to 
mean "The DONS".  Amongst Scythian (and Gothic) clans the name DAN or 
compounds of it is considered typical37.

DAN AND THE SONS OF GAD: THE ARODI AND ARELI OF NORWAY AND SWEDEN.

         The Arodi and Areli of Gad were also once linked with Denmark of 
Dan. Denmark of the Danes was for a time ruled by the Hread-Goths or 
Hrodgoths38 who were related to the HARUDI (Hardi) which tribe from Denmark 
migrated to Hordaland39 in Norway in the 200s and 300s CE. Also once in 
Denmark were the ERULI (Harules) who were expelled somewhere between 
100-500 CE40 and wandered extensively before finally returning to 
Scandinavia where some may have received part of their former patrimony in 
Denmark back while others (possibly the bulk) settled in Sweden*. The 
Herules are famous as a fierce, energetic, and knowledgeable people41. More 
than any other group they are considered to have been masters of the 
semi-secret Runic script. Runes, on the whole, in the early stages were 
especially associated with Gothic civilization that was reasonably cultured 
despite hostile and primitive surroundings. RUNIC letters originated in the 
Middle East and are derived from the ancient HEBREW script. Both the Harudi 
and Eruli (Harules) are related to sons of Gad, Harudi from the Arodi of 
Gad, and Eruli from Areli (Numbers 26; 17).

THE SONS OF GAD:
EZBON (ETSBON) ALSO CALLED OZNI
         From the above it is apparent that the sons of Gad were 
represented in Tribal groups which were part of, or somehow associated with 
the Gothic nation. Most of these groups had representative settlers in 
Sweden: Ziphion was found in the Thaifali, who were Gothic-allies; Haggi 
appears in the Chauci and amongst the Hugi Franks and the Hocings of 
England, and the Yinglings of Sweden; Eri: (Geri) was represented by the 
Grani and Greotingi of Sweden and the Goths; Shuni: (Suoni) by the Suiones 
of Sweden; Arodi by the Hreadgoths and Harudi; and Areli by the Eruli or 
Herules. The only son not accounted for so far is Ezbon (Etsbon) (Genesis 
46;16) "Etsbon" of Gad fathered the Hasdingas42 who were a branch of the 
Vandals who  marched together with the Goths43 and shared the same dialect 
and customs. A branch of the Hasdingas participated in the Anglo-Saxon 
invasions of Britain where they were known as Hastings44.
Ezbon was also called Ozni (Numbers 26;16) whose name is found in that of 
Osnabruch which is in west Germany but was once Frankish territory. The 
name “Etsbon” is recognizable in the Bastarnae and Hasdingas. The Bastarnae 
seem to have disappeared somewhere in France. The Bastarnae had been first 
reported as allied to the Goths and were referred to as "GALATIANS". The 
appellation "Galatian" comes from the Hebrew "Galaadi" (i.e. Gilead) which 
was the name of a grandson of Menasseh whose territory in the Land of 
Israel had intermerged with the territory of Gad. In another sense “GILEAD” 
and “Bashan” were names applied to the COMBINED territories east of the 
Jordan of half-Menasseh, Reuben, and GAD (cf. Joshua 22;9):

“And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of 
Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, 
which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the 
land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the 
word of the LORD by the hand of Moses” (Joshua 22:9).



The Huguenots from Hugo or Haggi of Gad

         The Huguenots are identified as the Calvinist Protestants of 
France though they probably existed before Calvin. Ruth Shecter, an author 
and researcher at the Beer Sheva University in Israel says that the 
Calvinists were basically Hebraic in character and mind-set.  The Huguenots 
were persecuted and many of them fled to other lands. The name “Huguenot” 
is derived from that of a legendary king named Hugon or HUGO. The 11th 
edition of the Encyclopedia Brittanica quotes from Henri Estienne (1566) 
who said that the Protestants at Tours used to assemble at night near the 
gate of King Hugo whom the people regarded as a spirit. A monk in a sermon 
said that the Protestants should be called Huguenots since like the 
spirit-king Hugo they only went out at night. They were therefore called 
Huguenots and the name became popular from 1560 onwards. “HUGO” WAS INDEED 
THE SOURCE OF THE NAME! The chief concentrations of Huguenots today in 
France are in Vendee in the west (once known as Pictavia), in the region of 
Paris, and in regions situated along the course of the Rhone River in the 
southeast. In the past Strasbourg in the east was once important. As 
mentioned the Huguenots were persecuted and suffered from massacres and 
expulsions. After 1685 about 400,000 Huguenots emigrated to Prussia, 
Holland, Britain, Switzerland, and North America. Among the Boer 
(Dutch-dominated) settlers of South Africa were many of Huguenot origin.
         The legend of King HUGO was known from the southeast area of 
France. The Huguenots displayed strong Israelite characteristics, appear to 
have been mainly of one ethnic cast, and came from areas in France where 
the Goths of Gad had once been present: The southeast of France was once 
called “Gothia” due to the Goths having ruled and settled there.  Amongst 
the Goths there movements to Judaize. They themselves believed that they 
were descended from Israel. Jews from this region were also called “Goth” 
and the terms “Jew” and “Goth” were used synonymously! The historian Arhur 
J. Zuckerman believed that Jews were referred to as “Goths”: because they 
often came from the region of Narbonne which was also known as 
“Gothia”.  One opinion holds that many of the Goths in southeast France and 
Spain at some early stage converted to Judaism!  A few Jewish Marranos 
became Hugeonots. The Hugeonots on the whole were a very positive and 
valuable element in French society. During the Second World War the 
Hugeonots of France and the Calvinists of Holland probably more than any 
other group risked their lives to save Jews from extermination by the Germans.

GAD IN JUDAIC SOURCES

         Jacob (Israel) the patriarch prophesied of Gad, "A troop overcame 
him: but he shall overcome at the last" (Genesis 49;19). This Prophecy was 
perhaps exemplified when the Huns' hordes overcame the Goths and forced 
them to participate in the western invasions. On Attila's death a revolt by 
the Goths and their Gepid kin destroyed the Hun domination46. The great 
commentator Don Isaac Abarbanel47, after analyzing and weighing all the 
Biblical verses referring to Gad, came to (the inferred) conclusion that 
Gad would be numerous and divided into many groups which, nevertheless, 
would maintain some form of contact and be capable of concerted action. 
Historically, this concept did fit the Gothic peoples though it is 
difficult to see what applicability it could possibly have today. According 
to the Zohar48 the animal-symbol of the Tribe of Gad was the kid of a sheep 
or goat. This was based on the word for KID, "GADI", which is similar to 
Gad. Similarly the Goths of history are said to have had a GOAT as their 
symbolic-animal49. The name "GAD" in Biblical Hebrew is also connected to 
the word for groups or legions and also for deity50 and the Goths of 
history interpreted their name to mean "People (Chosen) of God"51. Popular 
traditions (such as that related by John Mandeville, 1499) identified the 
GOTHS of history with the LOST TEN TRIBES OF ISRAEL:.
         Midrashic opinion holds that the Tribes over the Jordan which 
included Gad, Reuben, and half Menasseh were the first to be exiled and 
that they like the other tribes will be redeemed in the future.
         Historically, Goths and Gothic clans and sub-tribes were shown as 
having been present in both the Scythian areas and in Scandinavia. From 
Scythia they disappeared but their descendants, as a recognizable entity, 
remain in Scandinavia. The migratory connection between Scythia and 
Scandinavia is reflected in the Mythology of Odin that relates how people 
from the Don River area in southern Russia migrated to Scandinavia.
         The Tribe of Reuben had neighbored GAD and was exiled with it. 
Consequently, a certain overlapping may be noticed between groups 
identified as part of Gad and those seen to have come from Reuben. REUBEN 
appears to have been the dominating factor in the FRANK federations of West 
European history. Apart from Scandinavia, the second most important area of 
GOTHIC settlement was in southern France (Septimania) in the region 
surrounding the city of Narbonne, which province was known as "GOTHIA", and 
here too, the FRANKS (of Reuben) adjoined the Goths of Gad.


PEOPLES OF GAD
GAD  a name for Goth.

Gudos was also a name for the Goths.
Getae were a Gothic group in the Balkans and Scandinavia or the name is 
just another form of Goth.

Guti was a name for the Goths both in Scandinavia and east of the Caspian 
though some modern historians incorrectly transliterate the name (from 
Chinese characters) as "Yueh-chi".

Guthones = Goths on Baltic coast.
Gautoi in Scandinavia.
  Gadrosia in Iran.,
Gad was a name for Goths and an identifying root in Gothic toponomy.
Pasargadoi meant “Sons of Gad” in ancient Iran.
Thatagydes in ancient Afghanistan: "Thata-" represented the Teutons and 
"Gydes" the Goths.
Gadeni in Scotland.
Gaedhal in ancient Scotland and Ireland.
Geddingas were an Anglo-Saxon associated sub-tribe.


CLANS OF GAD:

Ziphion
         Thaifalli (Gothic allies from Scythia migrated to France),

Haggi  (Chaggi)
Chauci   (Franks also known as "Hugo", and as "Hocing").   Yngling 
(Sweden), Cauci (Ireland).
Hugeonots of France named after a legendary “Hugo” identifiable as “Haggi” 
of Gad.

Shuni: (Suni)
         Suiones (Sweden).
Etsbon
            Bastarnae (Gothic Galatian group moved to France), Astings, 
Hastings (Vandal group invaded England and Scotland).
Ozni
         Osnabruch (Frankish Germany).


Eri: (Geri)
           Grani (Sweden), Greotingi (Goths, Sweden).

Arodi (Ha-Arodi)
            Harudi (Norway), Hreadgoths (Scandinavia).

Areli (Ha-Eruli)
         Eruli (Herules) -associated with Goths, Sweden.

Guni
         Chouni (Huns), see Guni of Naphtali (Egan -Denmark, 
Gugerni-  Holland).


Israeli stamp showing a camp of tents. This was one of the traditional 
symbols of Gad.


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