Naphtali|Asher: Intelligence and Blessedness

While Naphtali was the second son of Bilhah(Rachel’s maid),Asher was the second son of Zilpah(Leah’s maid).

Let’s start with the review of Naphtali profile.His name means “wrestling”.Rachel gave him this name to depict how she struggled with Leah for a child which she got eventually by her maid.

Speaking prophetically,Jacob said this about Naphtali:

“Naphtali is a deer let loose;He uses beautiful words.”-Gen 49:21

The words above shaped the roles this tribe played during war situations in Israel.They were the scouts of army sent out to get intelligence information about the enemies.They were very fast in this regard like a ‘deer let loose’ and they would bring back ‘beautiful words’ that guided the army.

For Asher,he was the 6th son of both Leah(4 sons) and her maid(2 sons) as at then.Her name means “Blessedness” because Leah felt other women would call her blessed if they knew she and her maid had borne six children for Jacob.

Accordingly,Jacob described Asher’s future this way:

“Asher’s food shall be rich, and he shall yield royal delicacies.”-Gen 49:20

It was a tribe later known for immense prosperity,good food and fertile soil.

Historical facts showed that their soil was so fertile that in times of scarcity,and especially in the Sabbatical year, Asher provided all Israel with olive-oil.(Source:Wikipedia)

All these proved that Jacob predicted accurately what was to come for Naphtali and Asher.

Watch out for the post on Issachar and Zebulun…