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

GENESIS 30:8KJV
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Genesis 30:8 (KJV)

What does Genesis 30:8 mean?

Genesis 30:8 records Rachel’s response to the birth of a son through her servant Bilhah. Rachel sees the birth as a victory in her struggle with her sister Leah, and she names the child Naphtali to express that struggle.

Rachel’s words picture her rivalry with Leah as a wrestling match. Her claim that she has “prevailed” gives the name its meaning within the family’s contest over children.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 30:8

  • “great” — אֱלֹהִים (elohim): This word can refer to God, but here it forms part of an expression often understood to mean an intense struggle. The KJV renders that force with “great.”
  • “wrestlings” — נַפְתּוּלִים (naftulim): This word refers to struggles or wrestlings. Its sound connects Rachel’s description of her struggle with the name Naphtali.

Why Genesis 30:8 matters

  • Rachel speaks of the child as part of her rivalry with Leah. Earlier, Rachel had given Bilhah to Jacob so that Rachel could have children through her (Genesis 30:3). Bilhah then gave birth to Naphtali (Genesis 30:7–8).
  • The name records Rachel’s own view of events. By saying “I have prevailed” as she names the boy, Rachel presents his birth as her success in the contest with her sister.
  • The rivalry grew from an unequal situation between the sisters. Leah had borne Jacob several sons, while Rachel had not borne children at that point (Genesis 29:31–30:1).

Where else these words appear

“wrestled” Hebrew H6617 · used in 5 verses

  • 2 Samuel 22:27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.
  • Job 5:13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.
  • Psalms 18:26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

“Rachel” Hebrew H7354 · used in 44 verses

  • Genesis 29:6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
  • Genesis 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
  • Genesis 33:1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.

“Naphtali” Hebrew H5321 · used in 47 verses

  • Genesis 35:25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:
  • 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.
  • 1 Kings 15:20 So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

“sister” Hebrew H269 · used in 104 verses

  • Genesis 4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
  • Leviticus 18:18 Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.
  • Job 1:4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.