The sixth son of Jacob, by Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid, Genesis 30:8. We know but few particulars of the lie of Naphtali. His sons were four, Genesis 46:24. The patriarch Jacob, when he gave his blessing, said, as it is in the English Bible, "Naphtali is a hind let loose; he giveth goodly words," Genesis 49:21. For an illustration of this passage, see HIND.

The tribe of Naphtali, called Nephtalim in Matthew 4:15, were located in a rich and fertile portion of northern Palestine; having Asher on the west, the upper Jordan and part of the sea of Tiberias on the east; and running north into the Lebanon range, some lower offshoots of which prolonged to the south formed the "mountains of Naphtali," Joshua 19:32-39 20:7. They attended in force at the coronation of David, 1 Chronicles 12:34; and are mentioned with honor in the wars of the Judges, Judges 1:33 5:18 6:35 7:23; as much reduced by the Syrians, 1 Kings 15:20; and as among the first captives to Assyria, 2 Kings 15:29 Isaiah 9:1. Our Savior spent much time in the southern part of this region, Matthew 4:13-15.

My wrestling, the fifth son of Jacob. His mother was Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid (Genesis 30:8). When Jacob went down into Egypt, Naphtali had four sons (Genesis 46:24). Little is known of him as an individual.

(wrestling ), the fifth son of Jacob; the second child name to him by Bilhah, Rachel’s slave. His birth and the bestowal of his name are recorded in (Genesis 30:8) When the census was taken at Mount Sinai the tribe of Naphtali numbered no less than 53,400 fighting men, (Numbers 1:43; 2:50) but when the borders of the promised land were reached, its numbers were reduced to, 45,400. (Numbers 26:48-50) During the march through the wilderness Naphtali occupied a position on the north of the sacred tent with Dan and Asher. (Numbers 2:25-31) In the apportionment of the land, the lot of Naphtali was enclosed on three sides by those of other tribes. On the west lay Asher, on the south Zebulun, and on the east the transjordanic Manasseh. (In the division of the kingdom Naphtali belonged to the kingdom of Israel, and later was a part of Galilee, bordering on the northwestern pert of the Sea of Galilee, and including Capernaum and Bethsaida. --Ed.)