NAPHTALI
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 1:19-39; Joshua 1:20. 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; Judges 1:5; Judges 1:6; Judges 1:7; 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 1:4-15.