Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 49:21

Naphtali [is] a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

21. Naphtali ] It is doubtful whether the simile applied to this tribe is that of “a hind” or “a terebinth tree.” The comparisons in the song are for the most part taken from animals, e.g. the lion of Judah, the ass of Issachar, the serpent of Dan, the wolf of Benjamin. On the other hand, Joseph is compared to a vine.

a hind let loose ] Lat. cervus emissus, an image of swiftness and grace in movement, associated with the thought of open and extensive country. For the idea of freedom expressed in “let loose,” cf. Job 39:5, “who hath sent out the wild ass free, or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?”

He giveth goodly words ] A sudden change in the description, referring apparently to the tribe’s reputation for eloquence; but the transition to such a subject seems scarcely probable. The rendering “goodly lambs” is suggested, but the translation “lambs” cannot be supported from the O.T., and gives, at the best, a very prosaic sense.

By a different vocalization an entirely different turn is given to the verse. “Naphtali is a tall shoot of terebinth, one that putteth forth goodly topmost branches.” “Topmost branches” would then be metaphorical for “leaders” like Barak (Jdg 4:5), but this rendering is very questionable; though it may explain LXX .

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Gen 49:21

Naphtali

The blessing of Naphtali

In Gad we have the Christian, soldier fighting the good fight of faith, and more than conqueror over all foes.

In Asher we have the Christian living upon Christ, and giving out Christ to others. In Naphtali we have the Christian enjoying his liberty and freedom and happiness in Christ, and testifying of Christ to others. In Joseph we have the Christian bringing forth much fruit from abiding in Christ, the well of living waters, and also showing forth that fruit to all around. As we look at these passages, we find they are a chain. Each one is a link depending upon the other. You must fight the good fight of faith if you would enjoy Christ as the fatness of the Living Bread; and the enjoyment of Christ brings with it true liberty and freedom; and there must be all these, with the addition that you must abide in Christ, the roots of your life ever drawing from the well of living waters, if you are to bring forth much fruit. It is surely not without design that the Holy Spirit has placed these passages thus in this consecutive order. May we dwell upon them continually in this light, and test our souls by this Divine standard. Our subject now is the third of these four passages–the tribe of Naphtali. He is brought before us under a most striking symbol–that of a hart or gazelle let loose. It brings before us the liberty and exultation of the soul in its new sphere of existence. It has been let loose from its prison-house of sin, and darkness, and misery. Its prison-doors have been flung wide open by the great Emancipator, Christ Jesus the Lord. Its debt has been fully paid. All its guilt, and sin, and transgression has been cancelled by the blood of Christ. Let loose! No other word in the English language could so fitly express the effect of the grand redemption-work of Christ (see Isa 2Co 5:17; Gal 6:1; Joh 11:44). Turning again to Jacobs blessing on this tribe, we see another truth: He giveth goodly words. It is so always. St. Paul says, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom: teaching and admonishing one another: in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Asher lived upon the fatness of the Bread of Life, and as a result gave out royal dainties. Naphtali is satisfied with favour and full of the blessing of the Lord, and so gives out goodly words. Joseph is a bough, whose roots go down into the Well of Living Waters, and so brings forth much fruit. Royal dainties, goodly words, much fruit. Out of the fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh. Let us only be living upon and abiding in Christ, and such will ever be our testimony. It is not dainties, but royal dainties; not words, but goodly words; not fruit, but much fruit. Oh, reader! this is the kind of life God asks for! This is the Christianity we need. Not your just Christians and no more. No; God wants a high order of Christianity. Royal dainties, goodly words, much fruit–mark it well! Not only to be engaged in the work of the Lord, but abounding in it; nay, more, always abounding in it. (F. Whitfield, M. A.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

A hind let loose; not pursued by hunters, nor shut up in some little enclosure, but wholly left to its own freedom, to feed upon the best pastures: see Deu 33:23. Or, free from the yoke which they, together with the other tribes, did bear in Egypt; free from its former restraints, which make it run away more swiftly. So it may note their nimbleness and expedition, either in encountering enemies, or in avoiding dangers. See Jdg 4:6,10; 5:18. Or, like a tame hind left to its liberty, in which the owner takes delight, as Pro 5:19; for he seems to be commended rather for arts of peace than war. And this may note, that his temper and Conversation was civil, obliging, and amiable; which sense the next words favour. His speeches and discourses with others are fair, and friendly, and winning. It is not strange that this tribe was generally of a sweeter disposition than others, seeing it is commonly observed that there is a great difference in the tempers of people of divers provinces or cities bordering one upon another. But this verse may be otherwise rendered according to the opinion of a late learned writer:

Naphtali is a tree (so the Hebrew word signifies, only jod is inserted here, as it is in the same word, Isa 1:29; 61:3) shot forth, or spread forth, ( into many branches; for the Hebrew verb shalach is oft used concerning trees, and their shooting forth of branches, as Psa 80:11; Eze 17:6; 31:5) sending forth goodly branches; the word imre, which is by others rendered words, here signifying branches, as either the same word, or one coming from the same root, and consisting of the same radical letters, is taken Isa 17:6,9. And it is usual in the Hebrew language for two words coming from the same root to exchange their significations. And this interpretation is favoured by the ancient interpreters, the LXX., and one of the Arabic manuscripts, which make Naphtali here to be compared to a goodly tree bringing forth excellent fruit.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

Naphtali is a hind let loose,…. Onkelos applies it to the tribe itself, and to the goodness of its land,

“as for Naphtali, his lot fell in a good land, and his inheritance a fruit bearing one,”

as it was; for in it was the most fruitful country of Gennesaret, which gave name to a sea or lake by it, and which abounded with gardens, with palm trees, fig trees, and olive trees; and which, Josephus says n one might call the ambition of nature; and Strabo o, an Heathen writer, says of it, that it was an happy blessed country, and bearing all sorts of good things; and Jarchi on the place observes, this is the vale of Gennesaret, which is as quick to bring forth fruit, as a hind is swift to run. Some will have this prophecy to be fulfilled in Barak, as Ben Gersom, Abendana, and others, who was of this tribe, and who at first was fearful like the hind, and backward to go out to war when called, but afterwards readily went out with Deborah, and at last gave goodly words in the song they both sung: but it better describes the genius, disposition, and manners of the tribe, who were kind and loving, swift and expeditious in their affairs; lovers of liberty, well spoken persons, humane, affable, courteous, of a good address and pleasing language, as follows:

he giveth goodly words; to those he converses with; and it may be applied, particularly to Christ and his disciples, and to the inhabitants of this tribe in his time, among whom they much were, see Mt 4:13 he himself is compared to the hind of the morning,

Ps 22:1 in the title, and to a roe or a young hart, So 2:9 So 8:14 for his amiableness and loveliness in himself, and for his lovingness to his people, and for his swiftness to do the will and work of his father, being sent out p, as the word here used signifies, by him into this world, on the business of man’s salvation: and so his disciples, who were Galilaeans, were swift to obey his call, and left all and followed him, and were sent out by him to preach his Gospel; and both he and they may be said to “give goodly words”, as the doctrines of the Gospel are, words of grace, truth, and life; wholesome, comfortable, pleasant and delightful; good tidings of good things, of peace, pardon, righteousness, salvation and eternal life by Christ: and the inhabitants of this country in Christ’s time were swift to run after him, and hear him; panted after him as the hart after the water brooks, and both received and gave out the goodly words of the Gospel, and were made free thereby, and so like an hind let loose. Bochart gives a different version of these words, which is countenanced by the Septuagint version, Naphtali is a tree full of shoots, or “a tree shot out, sprouting out beautiful branches”; but as this is contrary to the points, and coincides with the next verse, it is rejected by many learned men.

n De Bello Jud. l. 3. c. 9. sect. 3. o Geograph. l. 16. p. 519. p Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 3. c. 18. col. 896.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

“ Naphtali is a hind let loose, who giveth goodly words.” The hind or gazelle is a simile of a warrior who is skilful and swift in his movements (2Sa 2:18; 1Ch 12:8, cf. Psa 18:33; Hab 3:19). here is neither hunted, nor stretched out or grown slim; but let loose, running freely about (Job 39:5). The meaning and allusion are obscure, since nothing further is known of the history of the tribe of Naphtali, than that Naphtali obtained a great victory under Barak in association with Zebulun over the Canaanitish king Jabin, which the prophetess Deborah commemorated in her celebrated song (Judg 4 and 5). If the first half of the verse be understood as referring to the independent possession of a tract of land, upon which Naphtali moved like a hind in perfect freedom, the interpretation of Masius (on Josh 19) is certainly the correct one: “ Sicut cervus emissus et liber in herbosa et fertili terra exultim ludit, ita et in sua fertili sorte ludet et excultabit Nephtali .” But the second half of the verse can hardly refer to “beautiful sayings and songs, in which the beauty and fertility of their home were displayed.” It is far better to keep, as Vatablius does, to the general thought: tribus Naphtali erit fortissima, elegantissima et agillima et erit facundissima .

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Verse 21:

The prophecy regarding Naphtali pictures him as an agile, graceful warrior. In addition, he is depicted as having mental quickness, astuteness and eloquence of speech. This may allude to the song afterward sung in the territory of Naphtali (Jg 4:6-9; 5:1-31).

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

21. Naphtali. Some think that in the tribe of Naphtali fleetness is commended; I rather approve another meaning, namely, that it will guard and defend itself by eloquence and suavity of words, rather than by force of arms. It is, however, no despicable virtue to soothe ferocious minds, and to appease excited anger, by bland and gentle discourse; or if any offense has been stirred up, to allay it by a similar artifice. He therefore assigns this praise to the sons of Naphtali, that they shall rather study to fortify themselves by humanity, by sweet words, and by the arts of peace, then by the defense of arms. He compares them to a hind let loose, which having been taken in hunting, is not put to death, but is rather cherished with delicacies. (213)

(213) As the word אילה, rendered hind, sometimes means a tree, it is supposed by some, that it should be so translated here. Bochart suggests this translation:

“

Naphtali is a spreading oak, Producing beautiful branches.”

Dr. A. Clarke strenuously defends this version, and says, “perhaps no man who understands the genius of the Hebrew language will attempt to dispute its propriety.” Yet perhaps the received translation is not to be so easily disposed of. It may be granted that Bochart’s figure is more beautiful; but it will be difficult to show that his translation is equally literal and correct. Caunter suggests another rendering:

“

Naphtali is a deer roaming at liberty, He shooteth forth noble branches,” — or antlers.

—

Ed.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(21) Naphtali.Gad had been described as moving slowly in war, and allowing himself to be surprised by hordes of plunderers, whom, nevertheless, as soon as he has collected his forces, he repels and pursues with vigour. Naphtali, on the contrary, is light and active, moving rapidly like a hind let loose; or, literally, sent forth, like the scouts or van of an army. And thus he brings back goodly wordsHeb., words of pleasurethat is, trustworthy intelligence to guide the army in its motions. Another translation has been proposed, which has the support of the LXX.: Naphtali is a spreading terebinth, which shoots forth goodly branches. It retains the consonants of the Hebrew text, but gives them different vowels.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

21. A hind sent forth The image is that of a beautiful hind or gazelle running loose and in perfect freedom upon its native heights . The agility and prowess of this tribe are nobly celebrated in Deborah’s song .

Giver of sayings of beauty The elegance and beauty of the hind suggests that the tribe so compared might naturally have had an elegant taste for sayings of beauty; elegant proverbs and songs. As the tribe of Zebulun developed ready writers, (Jdg 5:14,) so Naphtali, perhaps, became noted for elegant speakers . This seems to be the general sense of the verse; but we know too little of the subsequent history and character of the tribe to enable us to define more particularly . Several critics, following the Septuagint, render: “Naphtali is a spreading tree, which puts forth goodly branches . ” But this is scarcely tenable .

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

“Naphtali is a hind released, he gives goodly words.”

Naphtali has clearly been the surprise among the brothers. He is like a trapped hind which has been let loose, in that he has moved from being merely the quiet one to becoming a teacher of wisdom (see Pro 15:26; Pro 16:24). Wisdom teaching was well established in Egypt.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Gen 49:21. Naphtali is a hind, &c. Our translation of this passage is generally esteemed faulty; for it is difficult to make out any connection between a hind let loose, and giving goodly words; the interpretation therefore of Bochart is more generally approved: Naphtali is a well-spread tree or oak, which produceth beautiful boughs. Durell and Houbigant follow Bochart. This is the sense too of the LXX and Chaldee Paraphrast; and by it is understood the fruitfulness of this tribe, which, from four sons of Naphtali, brought with him into AEgypt, ch. Gen 46:24. grew, in the space of two hundred and fifteen years, to upwards of fifty thousand, Num 1:43. It may also denote the fruitfulness of their territory, which, as well as Asher, was in the Upper Galilee, eastward to the city of Damascus and Mount Lebanon; and in this sense it well agrees with Moses’s benediction of this tribe, Deu 33:23. O Naphtali! satisfied with favour, and full of the blessing of the Lord.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Deu 33:23 . And what greater mercy can be desired than this!

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Gen 49:21 Naphtali [is] a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

Ver. 21. Naphtali is a hind let loose. ] Swift of foot; and which, when it flieth, looketh behind it, saith the Chaldee Paraphrast on Son 8:14 . This was fulfilled in Barak of this tribe, who “went up on his feet” against Sisera’s iron chariots, Jdg 4:6 ; Jdg 4:10 ; Jdg 4:15-16 which were first a terror, and afterwards a scorn, as Vegetius a saith of chariots, armed with scythes and hooks. Origen observes, that in all the victories God gave his people in Canaan, he never used the help of horses. The adversaries, both Egyptians and Canaanites, had chariots and horses: not so Israel. A horse is a warlike creature, full of terror, Job 39:19 Pro 21:31 so swift, that the Persians, as Pausanias b hath it, dedicates him to their god the sun; as the swiftest creature, to the swiftest god. But what saith David? “A horse is a vain thing for safety.” Psa 33:17 And to the same purpose, Solomon: “A horse is prepared for the day of battle; but,” when all is done, “salvation is of the Lord.” Pro 21:31 This, Barak, with his friend Deborah, found, and celebrated in that famous song. Jdg 5:1-31

He giveth goodly words. ] In the aforesaid song, Christ also began to utter his words of grace in the land of Naphtali. Mat 4:13 And this is the reason, that as, of the children by Leah’s side, Judah obtained the first place among those that were sealed, Rev 7:5 because Christ sprang of him; so, of those on Rachel’s side, Naphtali is first named, because there he dwelt at Capernaum where he had hired a house and preached, ut ubique superemineat Christi praerogativa, saith a learned interpreter, c Compare with this text Deu 33:23 , and then observe, that good words do ingratiate with God and men.

a Veget., lib. i. cap. 24.

b . – Paus.

c Medes, in Apocalyps.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)