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{{Short description|Biblical figure and the sixth son of Jacob through his concubine Bilhah}}
{{About|the Biblical figure|people named Naphtali, Naftali or Naftoli|Naphtali (name)|Israelite Tribe of Naphtali|Tribe of Naphtali}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Naphtali
| native_name        = נַפְתָּלִי
| native_name_lang   = he
| pronunciation      = Naphtali
| father             = [[Jacob]]
| mother             = [[Bilhah]]
| image              = Naphtali (Francisco de Zurbarán).jpg
| caption            = Painting by [[Francisco de Zurbarán]] (from ''[[Jacob and his twelve sons]]'', c. 1640–45)
| spouse             = Merimah
| children           = [[Jahziel]] (son)<br>[[Guni (biblical figure)|Guni]] (son)<br>[[Jezer]] (son)<br>[[Shillem]] (son)<br><ref>Genesis 46:24</ref>
| relatives          = [[Reuben (son of Jacob)|Reuben]] (half brother)<br>[[Simeon (son of Jacob)|Simeon]] (half brother)<br>[[Levi]] (half brother)<br>[[Judah (son of Jacob)|Judah]] (half brother)<br>[[Dan (son of Jacob)|Dan]] (brother)<br>[[Gad (son of Jacob)|Gad]] (half brother)<br>[[Asher]] (half brother)<br>[[Issachar]] (half brother)<br>[[Zebulun]] (half brother)<br>[[Dinah]] (half sister)<br>[[Joseph (Genesis)|Joseph]] (half brother)<br>[[Benjamin]] (half brother)
}}

According to the [[Book of Genesis]], '''Naphtali''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|æ|f|t|ə|l|aɪ}}; {{Hebrew Name|נַפְתָּלִי|Naftalī|Nap̄tālī|"my struggle"}}) was the sixth son of [[Jacob]], the second of his two sons with [[Bilhah]]. He was the founder of the Israelite [[tribe of Naphtali]].

Some biblical commentators have suggested that the name ''Naphtali'' may refer to the struggle between [[Rachel]] and [[Leah]] for the favours of Jacob. Bilhah was the [[handmaid]] of Rachel, who was [[infertile]] at the time, and had persuaded Jacob to have a child with Bilhah as a proxy for having one with herself.

==Biblical references==
According to the [[Targum Pseudo-Jonathan]], Naphtali was a swift runner, though this appears to have been inferred from the [[Blessing of Jacob]], which equates Naphtali to a [[Red Deer|hind]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Genesis 49:21 |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.49.21?ven=The_Contemporary_Torah,_Jewish_Publication_Society,_2006&lang=en&with=Translations&lang2=en |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref> However, Biblical scholars believe this to actually be a description of the tribe of Naphtali.

Naphtali is listed in Deuteronomy 34.2 when God takes Moses up to the mountain of Nebo and shows him the extent of the land which he had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. See article on [[Tribe of Simeon]] for a map of the twelve tribes of Israel.

==Family==
According to {{bibleverse||Genesis|46:24|HE}}, Naphtali had four sons: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. The name of his wife/wives are not given. He and his family migrated to [[Egypt]],<ref>{{bibleverse||Genesis|46:24|HE}}</ref> with the rest of the clan, where they remained until [[the Exodus]].

According to the [[apocryphal]] ''[[Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs]]'', he died at age 137 and was buried in Egypt.<ref>{{CathEncy|wstitle=Nephtali}}</ref>

=== Testament of Naphtali ===
{{main|Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs}}
In this apocryphal material, Naphtali gave his sons no commandment except regarding the fear of God, that they should serve Him and follow after Him, also admonished them not to join themselves unto the sons of Joseph but join the sons of Levi and Judah. He also had a vision about the division of tribes of Israel and told to them that [[Abraham]] was chosen by God for his faith.<ref>[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/patriarchs-charles.html The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, R. H. Charles]</ref>

==Notes==
<references />

==References==
*{{eastons}}

==External links==
*{{Commonscatinline}}

{{Sons of Jacob}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Founders of biblical tribes]]
[[Category:Children of Jacob]]
[[Category:Tribe of Naphtali]]

[[de:Naftali]]