(Genesis 30:11) "And Leah said: Fortune has come [ba gad]." The good fortune of the house has come, the good fortune of the world has come; there has come the one who is destined to cut down the foundation of the nations of the world. Who is that? Elijah. Elijah from which tribe? Rabbi Eliezer says he was of Benjamin, as it is said, "and Yaareshyah and Eliyah and Zichri, the sons of Yeroham... all these were of the sons of Benjamin." Rav Nehorai says he was of Gad, as it is written (1 Kings 17:1), "and Elijah the Tishbite, of the settlers of Gilead, said." How does Rabbi Nehorai uphold the verse cited by Rabbi Eliezer, "and Yaareshyah and Eliyah"? They are homiletic [readings of the names]: at the hour when God shakes His world, Elijah recalls the merit of the fathers and the Holy One, blessed be He, is filled with compassion. And how does Rabbi Eliezer uphold the verse cited by Rabbi Nehorai, "of the settlers of Gilead"? He was one of those who sat in the Chamber of Hewn Stone. Once our rabbis disputed about him, these saying he was of Benjamin and those saying he was of Gad. He came and stood before them and said: My masters, why do you dispute about me? I am of the children's children of Rachel. (Genesis 30:13) "And Leah said: In my happiness, for the daughters have called me happy." Rabbi Levi said: Asher never lodged in an inn in his life [his land was so abundant]. Asher inherited boulevards that Judah did not inherit lands; this is what is written (1 Chronicles 7:30-31), "and the sons of Asher: Yimnah and Yishvah and Yishvi and Beriah, and Serah their sister... he was the father of Birzayit." Rabbi Levi said: their daughters were beautiful and were married to priests who were anointed with olive oil. Rabbi Siman said: they were married to kings who were anointed with olive oil.
The Good Fortune of Gad Elijah's Tribe and the Blessing of Asher
Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 128:1
(בראשית ל יא) וַתֹּאמֶר לֵאָה בָּא גָּד. אָתָא גַּדָּא דְּבֵיתָא אָתָא גַדָּא דְּעָלְמָא בָּא מִי שֶׁעָתִיד לְגַדֵּד מַשְׁתִיתָן שֶׁל אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, מָנוּ אֵלִיָּהוּ אֵלִיָּהוּ מִשֶּׁל מִי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, מִשֶּׁל בִּנְיָמִין הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְיַעֲרֶשְׁיָה וְאֵלִיָּה [וְזִכְרִי] בְּנֵי יְרֹחָם... כָּל אֵלֶּה [מִ]בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִין". רַב נְהוֹרָאי אוֹמֵר, מִגָּד הָיָה, דִּכְתִיב (מלכים א יז, א) "וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּי מִתֹּשָׁבֵי גִּלְעָד". מַה מְקַיֵּם רַבִּי נְהוֹרָאִי קַרְיֵהּ דְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְיַעֲרֶשְׁיָה וְאֵלִיָה, מִדְרָשׁוֹת הֵן, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא מַרְעִישׁ אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ אֵלִיָּהוּ מַזְכִּיר זְכוּת אָבוֹת וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְמַלֵּא רַחֲמִים. וּמַה מְקַיֵּם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר קַרְיֵהּ דְּרַבִּי נְהוֹרָאי "מִתֹּשָׁבֵי גִּלְעָד", מִיּוֹשְׁבֵי לִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית הָיָה פַּעַם אַחַת נֶחְלְקוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ עָלָיו, אֵלּוּ אָמְרוּ מִשֶּׁל בִּנְיָמִין, וְאֵלּוּ אָמְרוּ מִשֶּׁל גָּד בָּא וְעָמַד לִפְנֵיהֶם, אָמַר לָהֶם, רַבּוֹתַי לָמָּה אַתֶּם נֶחְלָקִים עָלַי, אֲנִי מִבְּנֵי בָּנֶיהָ שֶׁל רָחֵל. (בראשית ל יג) וַתֹּאמֶר לֵאָה בְּאָשְׁרִי כִּי אִשְּׁרוּנִי בָּנוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי, לֹא לָן אָשֵׁר בְּאַכְסַנְיָא מִיָּמָיו יָרַשׁ אָשֵׁר פַּלְטִיאוֹת מַה שֶׁלֹּא יָרַשׁ יְהוּדָה אֲרָצוֹת הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (דברי הימים א' ז, ל לא) ("וּ)בְּנֵי אָשֵׁר יִמְנָה וְיִשְׁוָה וְיִשְׁוִי וּבְרִיעָה וְשֶׂרַח אֲחוֹתָם... הוּא אֲבִי בִרְזָיִת" רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר, שֶׁהָיוּ בְּנוֹתֵיהֶם נָאוֹת וְהָיוּ נִשָּׂאוֹת לְכֹהֲנִים שֶׁנִמְשְׁחוּ בְּשֶׁמֶן זַיִת רַבִּי סִימָן אָמַר, שֶׁהָיוּ נִשָּׂאוֹת לִמְלָכִים שֶׁנִמְשְׁחוּ בְּשֶׁמֶן זַיִת.