Genesis 35:25

35:25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, were Dan and Naphtali.

Genesis 46:24

46:24 The sons of Naphtali:

Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

Genesis 49:21

49:21 Naphtali is a free running doe,

he speaks delightful words.

Deuteronomy 33:23

Blessing on Naphtali

33:23 Of Naphtali he said:

O Naphtali, overflowing with favor,

and full of the Lord’s blessing,

possess the west and south.


tn Heb “a doe set free.”

tn Heb “the one who gives words of beauty.” The deer imagery probably does not continue into this line; Naphtali is the likely antecedent of the substantival participle, which is masculine, not feminine, in form. If the animal imagery is retained from the preceding line, the image of a talking deer is preposterous. For this reason some read the second line “the one who bears beautiful fawns,” interpreting אִמְרֵי (’imre) as a reference to young animals, not words (see HALOT 67 s.v. *אִמֵּר).