ga.dad denotes cutting oneself in several contexts and, in one verse, gathering against the righteous.

The predominant use describes people cutting or gashing themselves: it is prohibited for the dead, enacted amid loud calling, and associated with mourning-related shaving and torn garments. A distinct Qal occurrence depicts adversaries banding together against the righteous.

1. Cutting or gashing oneself · dominant

   The Hithpolel and Hithpoel forms occur where persons act upon themselves: in 1 Kings 18:28 the APB renders that they "cut themselves" with swords and spears until blood poured out, while Deuteronomy 14:1 prohibits such action for the dead. Jeremiah 16:6, Jeremiah 41:5, Jeremiah 47:5, and Jeremiah 5:7 likewise place the forms in clauses concerning self-cutting, bodily gashes, mourning, or related conduct.

   1 Kings 18:28Deuteronomy 14:1Jeremiah 16:6Jeremiah 41:5Jeremiah 47:5Jeremiah 5:7
2. Banding together against someone · rare

   In Psalm 94:21, the Qal imperfect occurs in a clause directed "against the life of the righteous"; the APB renders the clause, "They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death."

   Psalm 94:21

In the Anselm Project Bible: Across the self-directed occurrences, the APB commonly uses "cut themselves" and once describes "their bodies gashed." In Psalm 94:21 it instead renders the clause "They band together," a variation supported by that verse's hostile action against the righteous.