Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 49:21/אבן עזרא על בראשית מ״ט:כ״א
אנפתלי אילה שלוחה. על דרך דורון, והמקבל הדורון נותן אמרי שפר, וי"א שאילה רמז לדבורה, הנותן אמרי שפר, רמז לשירת ברק עמה ואמר נפתלי בעבור נחלתו:
1NAPHTALI IS A HIND LET LOOSE. The word sheluchah (let loose) means a gift,142 (shilluchim) unto his daughter. The meaning of Naphtali is a hind let loose thus is: Naphtali is as beloved and as beautiful as a hind given as a gift (Weiser). Filwarg suggests rendering: Naphtali has a land which is as precious as a hind given as a gift. and the one who receives such a gift responds with goodly words.143 cannot refer to ayyalah (hind) which is feminine. Hence it must refer to the one receiving the gift. Others say that hind refers to Deborah and that He giveth goodly words alludes to Barak who joined her in a song to God.144 Scripture mentions Naphtali145 (Jud. 4:5). The latter indicates that Deborah was not a Naphtalite. The question arises, “If Deborah was not a Naphtalite why mention her in a prophecy which pertains to Naphtali?” I.E. answers that Barak, the general whom Deborah inspired to lead Israel to victory and who joined her in song to God, came from the tribe of Naphtali. Cf. Jud. 4:6, Barak…out of Kedesh-naphtali. because Barak came from the tribe of Naphtali.146.