According to the prophecies of both Ja'cob and Mo'ses, the descendants of Naph'ta-li were to be noted for vivacity, timidity, and mildness in manner. From them were to come men and women gifted with eloquence in both prose and poetry. Ba'rak was descended from this tribe, and most of the apostles of our Sav'ior who preached the Gospel with such power came from this region. To this tribe, with its 53,400 men over twenty, Josh'u-a allotted a large inland area north of Is'sa-char, with Zeb'u-lun and Ash'er on the west, and bordering on the river Jor'dan to the east. The southern projections and foot-hills of the famed Leb'a-non mountains extended into this area, giving it richness and fertility. Ha'zor, the capital city of Ja'bin, who led in the unsuccessful league against Is'ra-el, was located in this territory. On its southeastern border was the sea od Chin'ne-roth, later known as the sea of Gal'i-lee, around which the Sav'ior spent much of His public ministry.
Ja'cob and Mo'ses had predicted that the tribe of Ash'er would enjoy great worldly prosperity. Their land was to be one of plenty, providing not only necessities, but dainties of the richest kind. At the time the allotments were made, Ash'er numbered 53,400 men over the age of twenty. To them was assigned a strip of territory along the coast of the Med'i-ter-ra'ne-an extending from Mt. Car'mel on the south to the city of Tyre on the north, and extending eastward for fifteen to twenty-five miles. This area was made up of low mountains and rich plains, well adapted to growing the finest grains. The mountains were rich in valuable minerals and oil. The whole country was covered with olive orchards, gardens of tropical fruits, and broad fields of wheat. It was from this rich district that Sol'o-mon, several centuries later, supplied food for his friendly neighbors in Tyre and Si'don. Ac'cho, the best seaport on the Med'i-ter-ra'ne-an coast, was situated at the southern end of Ash'er, and was the center of sailing and commerce by men from the tribes of Ash'er and Zeb'u-lun.
The prophetic statements of Ja'cob and Mo'ses concerning the descendants of Gad indicated that these people were to be patient and persevering, capable of strong resistance in war. They were also skilled in the occupation of stock-raising. To them Mo'ses had assigned a large territory east of the Jor'dan, extending from the borders of Reu'ben on the south near the northern end of the Dead Sea to the southern borders of Ma'nas-seh on the north near the southern end of the sea of Chi'ne-roth.. This tract was about thirty miles wide. It was well watered and adapted to stock-raising, and was so situated that the Gad'ites could join the people of Ma'nas-seh in resisting invasions of the wandering tribes of the Syr'i-an desert east of the borders of Is'ra-el.
