What does Genesis 49:21 mean?
This is another verse which scholars struggle to accurately translate. Jacob is poetically describing the future tribes descending from his twelve sons (Genesis 49:1–2). The first part of the sentence seems straightforward: Naphtali (Genesis 30:7–8) is compared to a female deer which has been set free.The second part of the verse is a bit less clear. The words ha nōtēn' 'imre sāper seem most literally to mean "gives beautiful fawns." However, similar Hebrew words mean things like "he said," or refer to speech. This is why some translations render this to mean Naphtali's tribe will produce beautiful "words."
There is no question that Naphtali's descendants would settle in mountainous terrain, which in that region was associated with "deer" and similar animals. Deborah, a judge over Israel, described Naphtali "on the heights of the field" (Judges 5:18). Naphtali settled northwest of the Sea of Galilee (Joshua 19:32–39). A reputation for being free-spirited and mountain-dwelling would fit this prophecy well.
Genesis 49:13–21 records Jacob's deathbed predictions, this time regarding six of his sons: Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, and Naphtali. These are relatively brief, and not entirely positive. While Jacob addresses the first four (Genesis 49:3–12) and last two (Genesis 49:22–27) of his sons in birth order, there is no obvious ranking in his comments here. As compared to other tribes, these would play lesser roles in Israel's future.
Genesis 49 contains Jacob's dying prophetic remarks. In the form of poetry, Jacob pronounces positive and negative "blessings" about each of his 12 sons and the people who will come from them. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi are each held to account for their past sins. Judah is described as a lion; the kingly line will come from his people. Joseph and his descendants are lavished with blessings. Once the oracle is completed, Jacob commands his sons to bury him with his fathers in Canaan. Then, the man God named "Israel" (Genesis 35:10–11) dies.
