Deuteronomy 33:23
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse highlights Naphtali being "sated with favor" and "full of the blessing of the LORD." This isn't just about receiving blessings, but about an overflowing abundance that satisfies the deepest needs and desires of the soul, pointing to God's generous provision.
And of Naphtali he said, “O Naphtali, sated with favor, and full of the blessing of the LORD, possess the lake and the south.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of Moses' final blessing to the tribes of Israel before he dies. After blessing Reuben, Judah, Levi, Benjamin, and Joseph, he turns his attention to Naphtali, a northern tribe. The blessing on Naphtali speaks of their prosperity and territorial inheritance, setting the stage for the subsequent blessings on Asher and the concluding grand pronouncements about God Himself.
What does it mean to be 'sated with favor' and 'full of the blessing of the LORD'?
This verse opens with a powerful declaration about the tribe of Naphtali. They are described as 'sated with favor' and 'full of the blessing of the LORD.' This isn't just a wish; it's a prophetic statement about the rich abundance God intends to pour out on them.
A Feast of Divine Goodness
What did 'possess the west and the south' mean for Naphtali and for us?
The blessing culminates with a directive: 'possess the west and the south.' This wasn't just about geographical location but about claiming and enjoying the bounty of the land God had given them.
Embracing God's Provision
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
ratson · Hebrew Noun
Divine favor (often translated as grace or acceptance) signifies the unmerited kindness and goodwill of God toward His people. To be 'sated' with it implies receiving the fullness of God's pleasure and approval.
berakah · Hebrew Noun
Biblical blessings are manifestations of God’s active favor, resulting in prosperity, fruitfulness, protection, and covenantal well-being. They are gifts bestowed by the Creator upon those in covenant relationship with Him.
Moses' final blessing on Naphtali speaks of abundance and possession, likely anticipating the fertile lands they would inhabit in Galilee, blessed by God's favor. However, this prophecy was given just before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, and the historical reality for Naphtali would later include devastating Assyrian invasions and exile, underscoring the tension between God's promises and the consequences of His people's actions.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites begin their military campaign to conquer the land promised to Abraham and his descendants.
c. 1375-1075 BC
Period of the Judges
Following the initial conquest, the tribes of Israel experience cycles of faithfulness, oppression, and deliverance, with the tribe of Naphtali often facing northern adversaries.
c. 1000 BC
United Monarchy Established
Saul, David, and Solomon rule over a united Israel, with Naphtali integrated into the broader kingdom and benefiting from periods of peace and prosperity.
c. 931 BC
Kingdom Divides
Following Solomon's death, the kingdom splits into the Northern Kingdom of Israel (including Naphtali) and the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
734-732 BC— this verse
Syro-Ephraimite War and Assyrian Invasions
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is invaded by the Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-Pileser III. The territory of Naphtali is devastated and its people exiled.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The capital of the Northern Kingdom, Samaria, falls to the Assyrians, marking the end of Israel as a distinct political entity and the scattering of its tribes.
This earlier blessing from Jacob to Naphtali describes the tribe as 'a doe set free, that bears fine fawns,' highlighting a similar theme of prosperity and natural beauty associated with the tribe.
Joshua 19:32-39This passage details the territory allotted to Naphtali, confirming the geographical descriptions of 'the west' (referring to the Sea of Galilee) and its position in the northern part of the land, providing a concrete understanding of the blessing.
Matthew 4:13-16This New Testament passage describes Jesus moving to Capernaum in the region of Naphtali, fulfilling prophecy and fulfilling Isaiah's words about light coming to Galilee of the Gentiles, connecting the tribal blessing to God's redemptive plan.
Psalm 63:3This psalm echoes the sentiment of being 'satisfied with favor,' as God's steadfast love is better than life, highlighting the spiritual depth of the blessing bestowed upon Naphtali.
calvinDeuteronomy 33:1-29: "And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death."
And for the precious things of the earth, and fullness thereof, and for the good-will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.
Et ob prastantiam terrae, et ob plenitudinem ejus: et beneplacitum habitatoris rubi veniat super caput Joseph, et super ver…
gillDeuteronomy 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."
And of Naphtali he said,.... The tribe of Naphtali, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem: O Naphtali, satisfied with favour; with the favour of men, which to have is a great blessing; and as he gave goodly words to others, he had the good word of others, Genesis 49:21; and with the favour of God, as the next clause shows; which is the…
The verse highlights Naphtali being "sated with favor" and "full of the blessing of the LORD." This isn't just about receiving blessings, but about an overflowing abundance that satisfies the deepest needs and desires of the soul, pointing to God's generous provision.
This passage is part of Moses' final blessing to the tribes of Israel before he dies. After blessing Reuben, Judah, Levi, Benjamin, and Joseph, he turns his attention to Naphtali, a northern tribe. The blessing on Naphtali speaks of their prosperity and territorial inheritance, setting the stage for the subsequent blessings on Asher and the concluding grand pronouncements about God Himself.
This passage is part of Moses' final blessing to the tribes of Israel before he dies. After blessing Reuben, Judah, Levi, Benjamin, and Joseph, he turns his attention to Naphtali, a northern tribe. The blessing on Naphtali speaks of their prosperity and territorial inheritance, setting the stage for the subsequent blessings on Asher and the concluding grand pronouncements about God Himself.
"And of Naphtali he said,
“O Naphtali, sated with favor,
and full of the blessing of the LORD,
possess the lake and the south.”" — The verse highlights Naphtali being "sated with favor" and "full of the blessing of the LORD." This isn't just about receiving blessings, but about an overflowing abundance that satisfies the deepest…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026