Gilead was an ancient, geographically distinct, and historically significant region located east of the Jordan River in what is now modern-day Jordan.

• Geography: It was a mountainous, fertile, and well-watered region known for its lush pasture lands, forests, and the famous "Balm of Gilead" (a medicinal resin). Its name is thought to mean "rocky region" or "heap of witness" (from Jacob and Laban's covenant in Genesis 31).
• Boundaries: It generally stretched from the Yarmuk River in the north to the Jabbok River (modern Zarqa River) in the south. The Jabbok River divided the region into North and South Gilead.
• Tribal Inheritance: After the conquest of Canaan, the land of Gilead was given to the tribes of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh (specifically, the descendants of Machir).