Fifth son of Jacob, and second of Bilhah The name also often includes his descendants, and the territory which they possessed. Naphtali and his four sons entered Egypt with Jacob, and nothing further is recorded of him personally. At the two numberings of the tribes Naphtali amounted to 53,400 and 45,400. When Jacob prophetically announced to the tribes that which should befall them in the last days, he said, “Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words” (Gen. 49:21): it is the remnant of Israel as the vessel of testimony. Moses said, “O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full with the blessing of the Lord: possess thou the west and the south” (Deut. 33:23). It is the full blessing of the remnant as Jehovah’s people.
Their possession, which was mountainous and fertile, was in the north with the upper Jordan on the east and Asher in the west. Ijon, which was farther north than Dan, was in their land (Josh. 19:32-39). When Baasha, king of Israel, attacked Judah, Asa sent gold and silver to Ben-hadad, king of Syria, for help. He responded at once, and his army smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali (2 Chron. 16:4). This tribe was the first of those on the west of the Jordan to be carried away captive by Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria (2 Kings 15:29).
In Isaiah 9:1-2 it is prophesied that Naphtali with Zebulun should see a great light: this was fulfilled when the Lord traversed that district, taught in the synagogues, and healed diseases there (Matt. 4:13, 15, where the name is NEPHTHALIM and in Revelation 7:6 NEPTHALIM). The prophecy seems to say that Zebulun and Nephthalim were beyond the Jordan; but some judge that three districts are alluded to; Zebulun and Nephthalim; the way of the sea beyond the Jordan; and Galilee of the Gentiles. But others judge that only the district on the west of the Jordan is alluded to. The Hebrew word in Isaiah 9:1, translated “beyond” is eber, and is sometimes translated “on this side,” as in Joshua 1:14-15. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, the great light was shed on both sides of the Jordan, though the west was more especially the scene of His ministry. Matthew’s Gospel does not speak of His ministry at Jerusalem until He went there to suffer.