דברי הימים א, פרק ז׳, פסוק י״ג

The historical records of the tribe of Naphtali appear unusually brief, ending abruptly after listing only a single generation of sons [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This striking brevity reflects the specific way these historical archives were compiled. Ezra the Scribe, who authored the record, relied strictly on the physical genealogical scrolls available to him at the time. He faithfully documented exactly what was in front of him without attempting to guess or fill in missing information [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. When the Ten Tribes were exiled to Assyria and Media, their detailed chronicles were taken with them and lost. Consequently, Ezra had no access to their extended family trees, a stark contrast to the extensive records of the tribe of Judah that he successfully recovered in Babylon [רש״י].

The account traces these descendants directly back to Bilhah, Jacob's wife [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ], mirroring the traditional historical phrasing found in earlier texts [רד״ק]. Naming her specifically serves as a tribute, praising her for entering her marriage to Jacob out of genuine willingness and a spirit of giving, which distinguished her from Zilpah [רד״ק].

A broader perspective suggests that the mention of Bilhah's children encompasses a wider family group, specifically including the tribe of Dan, her other son, whose detailed family tree is similarly absent. According to this approach, a previously mentioned figure named Hushim is actually the son of Dan. Dan is cryptically referred to by a title meaning "another" because his tribe historically served as the rear guard, always traveling behind the rest of the nation. Thus, the conclusion clarifies that both Hushim and the sons of Naphtali are united together as the descendants of Bilhah [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].