Naphtali in Ireland?
On the whole we identify Ireland with the Tribe of Asher but elements from other Tribes were also present.
One of these appears to be Naphtali.
Amongst some of the Irish one finds aspects of Naphtali.

Genesis 49:21  Naphtali is a swift messenger; he gives attractive words.
"beautiful words" in Hebrew is "Imri [words of] shefer [beauty]".
To our mind "imri shefer" suggests eloquence and powers of expression.
We identified Naphtali primarily with the Norwegians but they are singularly lacking in such qualities.
Perhaps a portion of Naphtali settled in Ireland and they took them all?
Naphtali is known for speed, faithfulness, eloquence, and musical ability.

The Irish are known for their eloquence, the gift of the gab. Irish Literary ability is outstanding.
cf.
Irish literature
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_literature
For a comparatively small island, Ireland has made a disproportionately large contribution to world literature. Irish literature encompasses the Irish and English languages.

Irish music and dance is also well-known. Per head of population Ireland may have made its mark in literature, music and dance more than other country!

For more discussion of what this "Imri [words of] shefer [beauty]"means see:
Characteristics of the Tribe of Naphtali
[Based on the work ("Shivtei Yisrael") of Rabbi Fishel Mael.]
http://www.britam.org/mael/Mael13Naphtali.html

The Vikings were important in Ireland especially in the east.
Many of these came from Norway and these are identifiable with Naphtali.

Dan was prominent in Ireland. Dan and Naphtali were full brothers, sons of Bilhah.

The symbol of Naphtali was a female deer.
The Coat-of-Arms of Northern Ireland depicts an Irish elk (a horned deer) and a lion.

Moses indicated that Naphtali would be divided into two sections:
Deuteronomy 33:
23 And of Naphtali he said: O Naphtali, satisfied with favor,
And full of the blessing of the LORD, Possess the west and the south.


The symbol of Naphtali was a female deer.
The Coat-of-Arms of Northern Ireland depicts an Irish elk (a horned deer) and a lion.

The Irish and Highland Scots call themselves Gaeli.

One of the areas  to which Northern Israelites had been transported by the Assyrians was Mannae southwest of the Caspian Sea and the region to the east of it. Here we find the Cadussi or Kadussi.
 The Cadussi  or "Kadassaye" were so named in honor of  Kadesh-Naphtali (Judges 4:6) which had been their former center in the Land of Israel.
The Apocryphal Book of Tobias mentions Israelite exiles from the Tribe of Naphtali in Ecbatana (Tobit 2:7) and Rages of Media (Tobit 5:6) both of which adjoined the Cadussii area. The Cadussi-Gaeli were related to the Sacae Scythians according to Xenophon. [We identify the Sacae as ancestors of the Angles and Saxons who invaded Britain]. The Cadussi (or Kadussi) later moved northwards into Scythia east of the Ural mountains where they were also referred to as Naphtalites or Nephtalite Huns though some sources still referred to them as "Kadassaye" i.e. Cadussi. The Naphtalite Huns later moved to Norway.
 Pliny reported that the Cadussi termed themselves "Gaeli". This is the same name that the Gaels of Ireland used for themselves.

It may be that a section of Naphtali was also important amongst the Irish?

The Brit-Am Criteria for determining the identification of the Tribes were given elsewhere.
BATR no.3
Brit-Am Tribal Researches
http://www.britam.org/BATR/BATR3.html#1
#1. Which Tribe for Each Country?
Notes Towards Criteria to Determine the Tribal Identity of Every Israelite Nation.


Let us see how Naphtali and Ireland work out according to our rules:

(1. Correspondence between position of country in relation to other Israelite States as compared to location of Tribe vis-a-vis other Israelite Tribes in the Wilderness Encampment and in the Land of Israel.

Norway works out well as Naphtali, Ireland less so BUT Norway was to be divided into two and one section to be more to the south. Ireland could be this more southerly expression?

(2. Similarity of Names of Israelite Peoples who settled in country to names of Tribe and Tribal Clans.

Ireland so far does not show much correspondence apart from that of Gaeli (Cadussi-Naphtali) and Irish Gaeli.

(3. National Characteristics as compared to Tribal Character as found in Bible, Rabbinical Statements, and Major Commentators.

We found some correspondence in music, eloquence, and literary abilities.

(4. National Symbols and popular representations etc as compared to Israelite Tribal Emblems, colors, totem animals, etc.

Nothing special here.

(5. Bible Code Indications. Not used as a priori evidence but rather to confirm and enhance results achieved through the 4 previous methods listed above.

Some indication for Dublin but nothing more than that, so far.
See:
Ireland in Bible Codes
http://www.britam.org/codesarticles/CodesIreland.html
nos. 6 Dublin.

Conclusion.

Naphtali may have been present amongst the Irish in significant numbers but it was not the dominant tribe or even necessarily ever close to being so.

See also:
Naphtali: Identifications
Naphtali: Tribal Characteristics in a Nutshell
Characteristics of the Tribe of Naphtali
[Based on the work ("Shivtei Yisrael") of Rabbi Fishel Mael.]
Dan in Ireland and Wales.

Articles and Lists Dealing with All the Tribes







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