Genesis 30 · Verse 8

Genesis 30:8

And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.
Genesis 30:8, King James Version

Genesis 30:8 in other translations

BSBThen Rachel said, “In my great struggles, I have wrestled with my sister and won.” So she named him Naphtali.
WEBRachel said, “I have wrestled with my sister with mighty wrestlings, and have prevailed.” She named him Naphtali.
ASVAnd Rachel said, With mighty wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.
YLTand Rachel saith, ‘With wrestlings of God I have wrestled with my sister, yea, I have prevailed;' and she calleth his name Napthali.
DARBYAnd Rachel said, Wrestlings of God have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed; and she called his name Naphtali.
BBEAnd Rachel said, I have had a great fight with my sister, and I have overcome her: and she gave the child the name Naphtali.
WebsterAnd Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.

What does Genesis 30:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 30:3-9

3-9. Bilhah ... 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. A bitter and intense rivalry existed between them, all the more from their close relationship as sisters; and although they occupied separate apartments, with their families, as is the uniform custom where a plurality of wives…

Read the full comment on Genesis 30:3-9 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 She 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 30:1-13

Rachel envied her sister: envy is grieving at the good of another, than which no sin is more hateful to God, or more hurtful to our neighbours and ourselves. She considered not that God made the difference, and that in other things she had the advantage. Let us carefully watch against all the risings and workings of this passion in our minds. Let not our eye be evil towards any of our fellow-servants, because our…

Read the full comment on Genesis 30:1-13 →

Genesis 30:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַתֹּ֣אמֶרva.To.merand she saidH559
רָחֵ֗לra.ChelRachelH7354
נַפְתּוּלֵ֨יnaf.tu.Leiwrestling<s> ofH5319
אֱלֹהִ֧ים\׀'E.lo.HimGodH430
נִפְתַּ֛לְתִּיnif.Tal.tiI have wrestledH6617
עִם\־'im-withH5973
אֲחֹתִ֖י'a.cho.Tisister myH269
גַּם\־gam-alsoH1571
יָכֹ֑לְתִּיya.Kho.le.tiI have prevailedH3201
וַתִּקְרָ֥אva.tik.Ra'and she calledH7121
שְׁמ֖וֹshe.Moname hisH8034
נַפְתָּלִֽי\׃naf.ta.LiNaphtaliH5321

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 30:8

  • Genesis 32:24-25

    And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

  • Genesis 49:21

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

  • Genesis 23:6

    Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.

  • Matthew 4:13

    And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

  • Deuteronomy 33:23

    And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the Lord: possess thou the west and the south.

  • Genesis 35:25

    And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:

  • 1 Samuel 14:15

    And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.

  • Genesis 46:24

    And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem.

  • Exodus 9:28

    Intreat the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
great wrestlings. Heb. wrestlings of God.
23:6; 32:24; Ex 9:28; 1Sa 14:15; *marg:
and she.
35:25; 46:24; 49:21; De 33:23
Naphtali. that is, My wrestling.
32:24,25; Mt 4:13
Nephthalim.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 30:7

    And Bilhah Rachel’s maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.

  • Genesis 30:8

    And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.

  • Genesis 30:9

    When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

Read all of Genesis 30

Genesis 30:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y dijo Rachêl: Con luchas de Dios he contendido con mi hermana, y he vencido. Y llamó su nombre Nephtalí.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Rachel dit: J’ai soutenu des luttes de Dieu avec ma sœur, aussi je l’ai emporté. Et elle appela son nom Nephthali.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da sprach Rahel: Kämpfe Gottes habe ich mit meiner Schwester gekämpft, habe auch obsiegt! Und sie gab ihm den Namen Naphtali.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		pro quo ait Rachel: Comparavit me Deus cum sorore mea, et invalui: vocavitque eum Nephthali.