Greek word · G3508

Νεφθαλείμ

nephthaleim

Naphtali

Personal and tribal name, from Hebrew Naphtali, 'my wrestling' (Gen 30:8: 'with mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister').

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

Νεφθαλείμ

(-λίμ, WH in Re, l.with), ὁ

indecl. (Heb. נַפְתָּלִי)

Naphtali: Matthew 4:13, 15" (LXX) Revelation 7:6.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Revelation 7:6

Range of meaning

Personal and tribal name, from Hebrew Naphtali, 'my wrestling' (Gen 30:8: 'with mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister').

Against the English

The KJV spells it 'Nepthalim', after the Greek form. Modern versions use 'Naphtali'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Naphtali was the first area deported by Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria, around 733 BC (2 Kgs 15:29). Isa 9:1–2 promises light to 'the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, Galilee of the nations', and Matt 4:13–16 applies that promise to Jesus' move to Capernaum.

Where it appears

Matthew · 2

  1. Matthew 4:13 Νεφθαλίμ, of Naphtali,

    Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,

    Here: The tribe whose old allotment covered the northwest shore of the lake, where Capernaum actually stood. With Zebulun, it sets up the quotation of Isaiah in vv. 15–16.

  2. Matthew 4:15 Νεφθαλίμ, of Naphtali,

    “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—

    Here: The tribe whose territory ran along the west side of the Sea of Galilee and north into upper Galilee. Capernaum, where Jesus has just settled (4:13), lay in it.

Revelation · 1

  1. Revelation 7:6 Νεφθαλὶμ of Naphtali

    from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,

    Here: Jacob's son by Bilhah, Rachel's servant. The name means 'my wrestling' (Gen 30:8). The -im ending is the Septuagint spelling. Naphtali's land was the hill country west of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus centred his ministry (Matt 4:13–15).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.