Who was Naphtali in the bible?

Naphtali is presented as a son of Jacob and as the name of the tribe descended from him, together with references to that tribe’s land. The name is glossed as meaning “my wrestling.”

Naphtali in Scripture

Naphtali appears in lists of Jacob’s sons and in passages that speak of “the tribe of Naphtali” and “the land of Naphtali.” In a genealogical list, Naphtali is named among the sons of Jacob:

“Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.” (1 Chronicles 2:2)

Another genealogy names Naphtali’s sons:

“The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, Shallum, and the sons of Bilhah.” (1 Chronicles 7:13)

Naphtali is also used as a tribal designation in passages that describe the allocation of cities to Levites. In the extended context of 1 Chronicles 6, the chapter begins by tracing Levitical lines (“The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.” (1 Chronicles 6:1)) and continues through priestly and Levitical genealogies, the appointment of singers for service, and then the assignment of dwelling places and cities. Within that distribution, Naphtali is one of the tribes from which cities are given.

The chapter states that some Levitical families received cities “out of the tribe of Naphtali,” as part of a larger allotment:

“To the sons of Gershom, according to their families, out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.” (1 Chronicles 6:62)

It then names particular towns associated with Naphtali’s tribal area in that same setting:

“and out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its pasture lands, Hammon with its pasture lands, and Kiriathaim with its pasture lands.” (1 Chronicles 6:76)

Beyond Chronicles, the tribe and land of Naphtali appear as geographic and administrative references. During Solomon’s reign, an official is said to be “in Naphtali”:

“Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon as wife);” (1 Kings 4:15)

Naphtali is also referenced in connection with an artisan’s tribal origin:

“He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill, to work all works in bronze. He came to king Solomon, and performed all his work.” (1 Kings 7:14)

The land of Naphtali is mentioned in accounts of military action against Israelite cities. In one narrative, Ben Hadad’s campaign includes “all the land of Naphtali”:

“Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel Beth Maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.” (1 Kings 15:20)

A parallel report in Chronicles similarly names Naphtali among the areas struck:

“Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they struck Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali.” (2 Chronicles 16:4)

Naphtali is also used to describe the reach of later reforms or actions across Israelite territories:

“He did this in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, even to Naphtali, around in their ruins.” (2 Chronicles 34:6)

In narratives that describe military organization and support, “Naphtali” appears as a tribal contributor. One passage reports the scale of its forces:

“Of Naphtali: one thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty-seven thousand.” (1 Chronicles 12:34)

Another passage depicts material support coming from nearby tribes, including Naphtali:

“Moreover those who were near to them, as far as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, on camels, on mules, and on oxen: supplies of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep in abundance; for there was joy in” (1 Chronicles 12:40)

Naphtali also appears in an administrative list of tribal oversight:

“of Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah; of Naphtali, Jeremoth the son of Azriel;” (1 Chronicles 27:19)

Name and Meaning

The name is written in Hebrew script as נַפְתָּלִי, transliterated Naphtaliy and pronounced naf-taw-lee’. Its derivation is given as “my wrestling,” and is connected to the Hebrew component pathal (פָּתַל), glossed as “to twine,” and by extension “to struggle.”

Observation

Across these passages, “Naphtali” functions both as a personal name in genealogies (1 Chronicles 2:2; 1 Chronicles 7:13) and as a tribal and territorial identifier tied to cities, officials, artisans, military strength, and contested land (for example, 1 Chronicles 6:76; 1 Kings 7:14; 1 Kings 15:20).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Naphtali mean?

Naphtali means “my wrestling.”

How many times does Naphtali appear in the Bible?

Naphtali appears 47 time(s).

Who was Naphtali?

Naphtali was a son of Jacob. The name is also used for the tribe descended from him and its territory.

Who are listed as the sons of Naphtali?

“The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, Shallum, and the sons of Bilhah” (1 Chronicles 7:13).

Explore Further

If you found this page about Naphtali interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.

Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).