Naphtali was the sixth son of Jacob. In most of the administrative lists the tribe of Naphtali comes last (e.g. Numbers 1:15, 42ff.; 2:29ff.; 7:78; 10:27). The Blessing of Moses commands Naphtali to "possess the lake and the south" (Deuteronomy 33:23) and following the settlement its tribal portion comprised a broad strip west of the Sea of Galilee and the upper Jordan, including the greater portion of east and central Galilee. This territory is roughly delineated in Joshua 19:32-39.
Naphtali included also the largest Canaanite city, Hazor, which dominated a vital trade route. Hazor, although destroyed by the Israelites under Joshua (Joshua 11:10f.), reasserted itself and, whilst never regaining its former prestige, it was not finally vanquished until well into the Judges' period (Judges 4:2, 23f.). Another important city was Kedesh, a levitical city and one of the cities of refuge (Joshua 20:7; 21:32). The strong Canaanite element is reflected in Judges 1:33, "Naphtali . . . dwelt among the Canaanites."
Naphtali was vulnerable because of its frontier situation and suffered attacks from the north. The tribe of Naphtali was the first west of the Jordan to be deported in 734 B.C. (2 Kings 15:29). A probable reconstruction of Tiglath-pileser III's account of this campaign notes his annexation of the region, ". . . the wide land of Naphtali, in its entire extent, I united with Assyria." Isaiah 9:1 alludes to the same event.
The territory of Naphtali included some of the most fertile areas of the entire land. Jesus spent the greatest part of his public life in this area which, because of its checkered history of deportations and infusion of new settlers, was greatly despised by the Jews of Jerusalem. [Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol. 2, pp. 1053-1054] [See Matthew 4:13-16]
2 Nephi 19:1 Land of Naphtali ([Illustration]): The land occupied by the tribe of Naphtali. [Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol. 2, p. 1054]