Commentaire sur Le Deutéronome 33:20

ברוך מרחיב גד BLESSED BE HE THAT ENLARGES GAD — this teaches us that Gad’s territory extended far eastward (Sifrei Devarim 355:2).

BLESSED BE HE THAT ENLARGETH GAD. “This teaches that Gad’s border was enlarged toward the east.” [Since his territory was east of the Jordan it could be extended towards the east.] This is Rashi’s language from the Sifre.²³⁹Sifre, Brachah 355. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that because Moses likened Gad to a lion [he dwelleth as a lioness], he said, “Blessed be He Who enlarges Gad, Who gives him strength so that whoever [any enemy] sees him will flee him, and no one will trouble him.” The correct interpretation is that it refers to Gad’s inheritance, for the two tribes [Reuben and Gad] that took their inheritance on the east bank of the Jordan did not take it by the lot. Instead Moses gave them the entire kingdoms of Sihon and Og²⁴⁰Numbers 32:33. and their inheritance was broader as it wound about higher²⁴¹Ezekiel 41:7. than all the tribes. Moses did not mention this [blessing] in the case of Reuben, for his prayer was sufficient.¹⁶²Above, Verse 6. It is also possible that the children of Gad took more territory than the children of Reuben for they were mighty and therefore Moses gave them the entire [eastern] border. The cities which they built²⁴²Numbers 32:34-36. were also more numerous than those of Reuben.²⁴³Ibid., Verses 37-38. In addition, it was the Gadites who first requested that land [east of the Jordan as their inheritance] as I have explained there,²⁴⁴Ibid., Verse 2 (Vol. IV, pp. 370-371). and thus they were the cause of this expansion.

ברוך מרחיב גד, Who has given him a larger tract of land on the east bank of the Jordan than any other tribe received even in that part of the country. For while it is true that the lands of Sichon and Og were larger in the number of square meters accorded to the tribes on the west bank, the latter were of the category known as “flowing with milk and honey,” whereas the land on the east bank was primarily grazing land as opposed to “homesteading” land, i.e. farming land.