Genesis 30:8
in Genesis 30Then Rachel said, “In my great struggles, I have wrestled with my sister and won.” So she named him Naphtali.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Rachel said, With mighty wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.
KJV
And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.
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This verse in Genesis 30
Commentary
7 notes on this verseShe called his name Naphtali - נפתלי naphtali, my wrestling, according to the common mode of interpretation; but it is more likely that the root פתל pathal signifies to twist or entwine. Hence Mr. Parkhurst translates the verse, “By the twistings - agency or operation, of God, I am entwisted with my sister; that is, my family is now entwined or interwoven with my sister’s family, and has a chance of producing the promised Seed.” The Septuagint, Aquila, and the Vulgate, have nearly the same meaning. It is, however, difficult to fix the true meaning of the original.
This site's exposition
God has vindicated me
on Genesis 30:6-8
Rachel names the first son Dan, and the second Naphtali, her word for wrestling. The same verb meets Jacob at the Jabbok in 32:28, where he has struggled with God and with men and prevailed. The struggle in the tent runs ahead of the struggle at the ford.
This site's exposition
I have wrestled with my sister and won
Rachel names Naphtali for her great struggles with her sister. Her phrase in Hebrew is literally wrestlings of God, which the Berean renders my great struggles. Adam Clarke traced the name to a root meaning to twist and admitted the sense is hard to fix.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 7 and 8) And she conceived again, and bore a son. And Rachel said, God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son. Therefore she called his name Naphtali. The meaning of the name Naphtali is explained differently here than it is written in the Book of Hebrew Names. Hence also Aquila says, 'God has joined me, and I have joined together,' which in Hebrew is written Naphtule Elohim, Naphtalethi. From the conversion or from the comparison, since both signify conversion or comparison, he named the son Nephthalim. But what follows.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
); as if all Jacob's sons must be born men of contention. See what roots of bitterness envy and strife are, and what mischief they make among relations.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And Rachel said, with great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Zilpah--Following the example of Sarah with regard to Hagar, an example which is not seldom imitated still, she adopted the children of her maid. Leah took the same course.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֹּ֣אמֶר | vatomer | and she said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| רָחֵ֗ל | rachel | Rachel | H7354 → | 47 times |
| נַפְתּוּלֵ֨י | naftulei | wrestling<s> of | H5319 → | |
| אֱלֹהִ֧ים׀ | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| נִפְתַּ֛לְתִּי | niftalti | I have wrestled | H6617 → | |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| אֲחֹתִ֖י | ʾachoti | sister my | H269 → | 114 times |
| גַּם־ | gam- | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| יָכֹ֑לְתִּי | yakholeti | I have prevailed | H3201 → | 194 times |
| וַתִּקְרָ֥א | vatikra' | and she called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| שְׁמ֖וֹ | shemo | name his | H8034 → | 864 times |
| נַפְתָּלִֽי׃ | naftali | Naphtali | H5321 → | 51 times |
וַתֹּ֣אמֶרand she said
vatomerH559 →5305 times
רָחֵ֗לRachel
rachelH7354 →47 times
נַפְתּוּלֵ֨יwrestling<s> of
naftuleiH5319 →
אֱלֹהִ֧ים׀God
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
נִפְתַּ֛לְתִּיI have wrestled
niftaltiH6617 →
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
אֲחֹתִ֖יsister my
ʾachotiH269 →114 times
גַּם־also
gam-H1571 →769 times
יָכֹ֑לְתִּיI have prevailed
yakholetiH3201 →194 times
וַתִּקְרָ֥אand she called
vatikra'H7121 →733 times
שְׁמ֖וֹname his
shemoH8034 →864 times
נַפְתָּלִֽי׃Naphtali
naftaliH5321 →51 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 33:23Concerning Naphtali he said: “Naphtali is abounding with favor, full of the blessing of the LORD; he shall take possession of the sea and the south.”
it leads to
- Genesis 49:21
Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.
- Psalms 36:8
They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights.
- Jeremiah 31:14
I will fill the souls of the priests abundantly, and will fill My people with My goodness,” declares the LORD.
- Matthew 4:16
the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”
- Genesis 49:21
Through
Genesis 23:6“Listen to us, sir. You are God’s chosen one among us. Bury your dead in the finest of our tombs. None of us will withhold his tomb for burying your dead.”
it leads to
- Genesis 24:35
“The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys.
- Genesis 24:35
Through
Genesis 49:21Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 33:23
Concerning Naphtali he said: “Naphtali is abounding with favor, full of the blessing of the LORD; he shall take possession of the sea and the south.”
- Deuteronomy 33:23
Through
Matthew 4:13Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
it leads to
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.