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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