Jacob’s Twelve Sons — Naphtali
The fifth son of Jacob, and the second of Bilhah. Naphtali and his four sons entered Egypt with Jacob and nothing further is told us of his personal history. Jacob, in blessing his sons said of him, “Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words” (Genesis 49:21). This had, at least part of its fulfillment in Mary Magdalene, who was sent with the message from a risen Christ: “Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God” (John 20:17). Full of those goodly words, “Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things unto her” (John 20:18). (Magdala, where Mary was from, was a city within the borders of the inheritance of Naphtali). She was in indeed “a hind [deer] let loose,” with a tremendous announcement.
We too have been given a wonderful message for the blessing and encouragement of others. It is the message of a risen, ascended Christ. It is the message that “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
