Person Old and New Testament
Naphtali
Also known as Naphtali =ESV, NIV; Nepthalim, Nephthalim =KJV
Naphtali, the sixth son of Jacob and second son of Bilhah, was the founder of the Israelite tribe that bore his name. Mentioned in 50 verses across 15 books, first at Genesis 30:8.
Why it matters. Son of Jacob, founder of the tribe of Naphtali.
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Naphtali
Naphtali was the sixth son of Israel (or 'Jacob') and the second son of Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant (Gen.30.8; 35.25). His birth was celebrated by Rachel, who had been struggling with infertility. She named him Naphtali, saying, "With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed" (Gen.30.8).
As one of the twelve tribes of Israel, Naphtali played a significant role in the history of God's chosen people. During the Exodus, the tribe of Naphtali was led by Ahira son of Enan (Num.1.15) and was counted among the Israelite tribes in the wilderness (Num.1.42-43; 26.48-50).
In the arrangement of the Israelite camp, Naphtali was positioned on the north side, along with the tribes of Dan and Asher (Num.2.29). The tribe also had representatives among the twelve spies sent to explore Canaan (Num.13.14) and had a designated leader, Pedahel son of Ammihud, during the allocation of the Promised Land (Num.34.28).
The territory allotted to the tribe of Naphtali was in the northern part of Canaan, bordering Asher, Zebulun, and Issachar (Jos.19.32-39). The region was known for its fertile lands and abundant resources, as reflected in Jacob's blessing: "Naphtali is a doe let loose that bears beautiful fawns" (Gen.49.21) and Moses' blessing: "Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord and is full of his blessing; he will inherit southward to the lake" (Deu.33.23).
Throughout Israel's history, the tribe of Naphtali played various roles. They participated in the battles against Sisera (Jdg.4.6, 10; 5.18) and the Midianites (Jdg.6.35; 7.23). The tribe also provided skilled warriors to support David (1Ch.12.34, 40) and was known for its wise and articulate people (Jdg.5.18; Psalm Jdg.68.27).
In the New Testament, Naphtali is mentioned in connection with Jesus' ministry in the region of Galilee (Mat.4.13, 15), fulfilling the prophecy of Isa.9.1. The tribe is also listed among the twelve tribes of Israel sealed by God in the book of Revelation (Rev.7.6).
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
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Family
Family links from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0). Where the dataset marks an identification as uncertain, the mark is kept. Matthew and Luke give different genealogies for Jesus; see the Lineage page, which never merges them.
Appears in Scripture
Named in 50 verses across 15 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.
Show all 50 verses
Genesis (4 verses)
Exodus (1 verse)
Numbers (10 verses)
Deuteronomy (3 verses)
Joshua (5 verses)
Judges (6 verses)
1 Kings (3 verses)
2 Kings (1 verse)
1 Chronicles (7 verses)
2 Chronicles (2 verses)
Psalms (1 verse)
Isaiah (1 verse)
Ezekiel (3 verses)
Matthew (2 verses)
Revelation (1 verse)