Genesis 30:8

WEB

Rachel said, "With mighty wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed." She named him Naphtali.

KJV

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

Commentary

And Rachel said, with great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister,.... Or, "with the wrestlings of God" (a), wrestling and striving in prayer with God; being vehement and importunate in her petitions to him, that she mi ght have children as well as her sister: some render it, "I used the craftinesses of God", or "great craftiness with my sisters" (b); by giving her maid Bilhah to her husband, and having children by her: and I have prevailed; as she strove in her desires and prayers to have another child before her sister had; in that she prevailed, or she was succeeded in her desires, she had children as she wished to have: and she called his name Naphtali; which signifies "my wrestling", being a child she had been striving and wrestling for: these two sons of Bilhah were born, as say the Jews, Dan on the twenty ninth day of Elul or August, and lived one hundred and twenty seven years; Naphtali on the fifth of Tisri or September, and lived one hundred and thirty three years. (a) "luctationibus Dei", Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius, Cartwright. (b) "Calliditatibus Dei, Oleaster, astutiis Dei", Schmidt.