one of the sons of Jacob, in biblical literature considered to be the father of the tribe of the same name. When the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land, this tribe was given territory on the east of the Jordan (See Num. XXXII). After the conquest of the country, in which the members of the tribe agreed to assist, they returned to the territory assigned and dwelt there for nearly seven hundred years. During this time this tribe, together with others of the Israelities, was involved in numerous wars with surrounding nations, and in 734 it was taken captive by Tiglath-Pileser and extinguished.