Naphtali is Bilhah’s second son. In Judges 5.18 the men of Naphtali are praised for risking their lives in battle.

Naphtali is a hind let loose: hind refers to an adult female red deer. In Psa 18.33 the hind is praised for its speed and surefootedness. Let loose is well expressed by Good News Translation‘s “runs free.” Another understanding of the Hebrew word for hind is “terebinth,” a large oak-like tree. See Fauna and Flora of the Bible, pages 182-183|fig:ffb_Deer.htm. The Septuagint and the Targum Onkelos translate in this way, and this is also preferred by Revised English Bible. Note that Good News Translation gives this meaning in its footnote.

That bears comely fawns: the Revised Standard Version footnote shows that this line can also be understood as “who gives beautiful words.” The change from hinds to “terebinth” and fawns to “words” involves a change in the Hebrew vowel points. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives two recommendations. One is to translate as in Revised Standard Version, and the other is to say “Naphtali is a hind that … speaks beautiful words.” Hebrew poetry, whose common characteristic is to concretely expand the first line in the second line, makes us prefer the Revised Standard Version translation. Translators may find it more natural to shift to a simile.

In languages in which deer are unknown, it may be possible to substitute another wild animal known for its swiftness and grace: “like a wild goat that is free to run wherever it wishes.” If that is not possible we may be able to say “Naphtali is like a wild animal that runs free.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .