במדבר, פרק ב׳, פסוק י״ד

The arrangement of the Israelite camps in the desert generally reflected family ties, with tribes born to the same mother placed side by side. However, the sons of Zilpah formed a notable exception to this rule. They were divided, with the tribe of Gad stationed in the south while his brother Asher was placed in the north. This physical distance between the brothers continued later on when they inherited their portions of land in Israel. The roots of this separation might trace back to the era of Joseph, who historically distanced himself from the sons of Zilpah and Bilhah [קונטרס חיבה יתירה].

The leader of the tribe of Gad is identified as Eliasaph, the son of Reuel. In other records of the desert encampment, his father's name is spelled differently, appearing as Deuel. This specific instance is the only time the name is recorded as Reuel [רבנו בחיי, חזקוני, מנחת שי]. The primary approach among commentators is that this variation is not a contradiction or a mistake. Instead, it highlights a common biblical practice where people were known by interchangeable names that shared the exact same underlying meaning. In that era, a name was not merely a convenient label but a deep reflection of a person's true character.

Therefore, someone could be called by a synonymous term that captured the same spiritual essence. The name Deuel describes a person who truly knew God. Alternatively, Reuel stems from the concept of thought, portraying an individual who constantly directs his mind and heart toward Him. Because both names express the identical inner quality of spiritual awareness and connection to God, the leader's father was known by both, and both variations were intentionally preserved in the text to capture his full identity [רמב״ן, רבנו בחיי, רש״ר הירש, ברכת אשר על התורה].