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Benjamin

Person c. 1740 BC Chronological estimate ⓘ Open in tree

twelfth-born son of Jacob and Rachel (GEN 35:18)

Lineage: God › Adam › Seth › Enos › Cainan › Mahalaleel › Jared › Enoch › Methuselah › Lamech › Noah › Shem › Arphaxad › Cainan › Salah › Eber › Peleg › Reu › Serug › Nahor › Terah › Abraham › Isaac › Jacob › Benjamin

Names
  • en Benjamin
    son of the right hand
  • en Ben-oni · Also called
  • en Benjamin · Also called · H1144 G958 · GEN 35:18
    son of [the] right hand; southerner
  • en Benjaminite · Also called
  • en Benjamite · Also called
  • en Jamin · Also called
  • en Jeminite · Also called
  • en patriarch · Title
  • he בִנְיָמִֽין binəyamiyn · H1144 · GEN 35:18
    son of [the] right hand; southerner
  • he בֶּן־אוֹנִי ben oniy · H1126 · GEN 35:18
    son of mourning
  • he בִּנְיָמִין · H1144G
  • he בֶּן־אוֹנִ֑י · H1126
  • he יָמִין · H3225I
  • he בֶּן־יְמִינִי · H1145
  • he יְמִינִי · H3227B
  • el Βενιαμιν Beniamin · G958 · GEN 35:18
  • el Υἱὸς ὀδύνης Hyiòs odýnēs · GEN 35:18
    Son of sorrow
  • el Βενιαμίν · G0958
  • bg Вениамин
Birth
Gen 35:18
Mentioned in (170)
Gen 35:18 Gen 35:24 Gen 42:4 Gen 42:36 Gen 43:14 Gen 43:15 Gen 43:16 Gen 43:29 Gen 43:34 Gen 44:12 Gen 45:12 Gen 45:14 Gen 45:22 Gen 46:19 Gen 46:21 Gen 49:27 Exod 1:3 Num 1:11 Num 1:36 Num 1:37 Num 2:22 Num 7:60 Num 10:24 Num 13:9 Num 26:38 Num 26:41 Num 34:21 Deut 27:12 Deut 33:12 Josh 18:11 Josh 18:20 Josh 18:21 Josh 18:28 Josh 21:4 Josh 21:17 Judg 1:21 Judg 3:15 Judg 5:14 Judg 10:9 Judg 19:14 Judg 19:16 Judg 20:3 Judg 20:4 Judg 20:10 Judg 20:12 Judg 20:13 Judg 20:14 Judg 20:15 Judg 20:17 Judg 20:18 Judg 20:20 Judg 20:21 Judg 20:23 Judg 20:24 Judg 20:25 Judg 20:28 Judg 20:30 Judg 20:31 Judg 20:32 Judg 20:35 Judg 20:36 Judg 20:39 Judg 20:40 Judg 20:41 Judg 20:43 Judg 20:44 Judg 20:46 Judg 20:48 Judg 21:1 Judg 21:6 Judg 21:13 Judg 21:14 Judg 21:15 Judg 21:16 Judg 21:17 Judg 21:18 Judg 21:20 Judg 21:21 Judg 21:23 1 Sam 4:12 1 Sam 9:1 1 Sam 9:4 1 Sam 9:16 1 Sam 9:21 1 Sam 10:2 1 Sam 10:20 1 Sam 10:21 1 Sam 13:2 1 Sam 13:15 1 Sam 13:16 1 Sam 14:16 1 Sam 22:7 2 Sam 2:9 2 Sam 2:15 2 Sam 2:25 2 Sam 2:31 2 Sam 3:19 2 Sam 4:2 2 Sam 16:11 2 Sam 19:16 2 Sam 19:17 2 Sam 20:1 2 Sam 21:14 2 Sam 23:29 1 Kgs 2:8 1 Kgs 4:18 1 Kgs 12:21 1 Kgs 12:23 1 Kgs 15:22 1 Chr 2:2 1 Chr 6:60 1 Chr 6:65 1 Chr 7:6 1 Chr 8:1 1 Chr 8:40 1 Chr 9:3 1 Chr 9:7 1 Chr 11:31 1 Chr 12:2 1 Chr 12:16 1 Chr 12:29 1 Chr 21:6 1 Chr 27:12 1 Chr 27:21 2 Chr 11:1 2 Chr 11:3 2 Chr 11:10 2 Chr 11:12 2 Chr 11:23 2 Chr 14:8 2 Chr 15:2 2 Chr 15:8 2 Chr 15:9 2 Chr 17:17 2 Chr 25:5 2 Chr 31:1 2 Chr 34:9 2 Chr 34:32 Ezra 1:5 Ezra 4:1 Ezra 10:9 Neh 11:4 Neh 11:7 Neh 11:31 Neh 11:36 Esth 2:5 Ps 7:1 Ps 68:27 Ps 80:2 Jer 1:1 Jer 6:1 Jer 17:26 Jer 20:2 Jer 32:8 Jer 32:44 Jer 33:13 Jer 37:12 Jer 37:13 Jer 38:7 Ezek 48:22 Ezek 48:23 Ezek 48:24 Ezek 48:32 Hos 5:8 Obad 1:19 Zech 14:10 Acts 13:21 Rom 11:1 Phil 3:5 Rev 7:8

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Dates and sources (3)

Absolute years are conditional chronological estimates. A biblical passage may state an age or event, but does not by itself establish a BCE year. Different calendar systems are preserved separately.

Family of origin
One-parent family
Descendants (36)
Belonged to (1)
Took part in (1)
Was born in (1)
Benjamin Summary STEPBible TIPNR

Benjamin, initially named Ben-oni by his mother Rachel, was the youngest son of Jacob.

Benjamin Article STEPBible TIPNR

Benjamin was the youngest son of Israel (or 'Jacob') and his beloved wife Rachel. Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin and named him Ben-oni, meaning "son of my sorrow," but Jacob renamed him Benjamin, meaning "son of the right hand" (Gen. 35:18,24). Benjamin was one of the twelve sons of Jacob who became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel.

As a young man, Benjamin was kept at home by his father while his brothers went to Egypt to buy grain during a famine (Gen. 42:4). Later, when the brothers returned to Egypt with Benjamin, Joseph showed favoritism towards him (Gen. 43:34). After Joseph revealed his identity, he sent his brothers back to Canaan with gifts, giving Benjamin 300 pieces of silver and five sets of clothes (Gen. 45:22).

In Jacob's final blessing, he described Benjamin as a "ravenous wolf" (Gen. 49:27), possibly alluding to the tribe's fierceness in battle. During the Exodus, the tribe of Benjamin was led by Abidan son of Gideoni (Num. 1:11; 2:22). Notable Benjamites include Ehud, a left-handed judge who delivered Israel from Moabite oppression (Jdg. 3:15), and King Saul, the first king of Israel (1Sam. 9:21).

The tribe of Benjamin was known for its military prowess and played a significant role in Israel's history, despite being one of the smallest tribes. They were loyal to David during Absalom's rebellion (2Sam. 19:17) and later supported the southern kingdom of Judah after the division of the monarchy (1Ki. 12:21). In the New Testament, the apostle Paul proudly identified himself as a Benjamite (Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5).

Benjamin 1 Dictionary Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)

The younger son of Jacob by Rachel (Gen. 35:18). His birth took place at Ephrath, on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, at a short distance from the latter place. His mother died in giving him birth, and with her last breath named him Ben-oni, son of my pain, a name which was changed by his father into Benjamin. His posterity are called Benjamites (Gen. 49:27; Deut. 33:12; Josh. 18:21).

The tribe of Benjamin at the Exodus was the smallest but one (Num. 1:36, 37; Ps. 68:27). During the march its place was along with Manasseh and Ephraim on the west of the tabernacle. At the entrance into Canaan it counted 45,600 warriors. It has been inferred by some from the words of Jacob (Gen. 49:27) that the figure of a wolf was on the tribal standard. This tribe is mentioned in Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5.

The inheritance of this tribe lay immediately to the south of that of Ephraim, and was about 26 miles in length and 12 in breadth. Its eastern boundary was the Jordan. Dan intervened between it and the Philistines. Its chief towns are named in Josh. 18:21-28.

The history of the tribe contains a sad record of a desolating civil war in which they were engaged with the other eleven tribes. By it they were almost exterminated (Judg. 20:20, 21; 21:10).

The first king of the Jews was Saul, a Benjamite. A close alliance was formed between this tribe and that of Judah in the time of David (2 Sam. 19:16, 17), which continued after his death (1 Kings 11:13; 12:20). After the Exile these two tribes formed the great body of the Jewish nation (Ezra 1:5; 10:9).

The tribe of Benjamin was famous for its archers (1 Sam. 20:20, 36; 2 Sam. 1:22; 1 Chr. 8:40; 12:2) and slingers (Judge. 20:6).

The gate of Benjamin, on the north side of Jerusalem (Jer. 37:13; 38:7; Zech. 14:10), was so called because it led in the direction of the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. It is called by Jeremiah (20:2) “the high gate of Benjamin;” also “the gate of the children of the people” (17:19). (Comp. 2 Kings 14:13.)

Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Benjamin_1) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Benjamin@Gen.35.18-Rev) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, benjamin_463)

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