Benjamin בִּנְיָמִין

Male Tribe of Benjamin H1144G 21 books

Youngest son of Jacob and Rachel

Biography

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 (1 Sam. 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 (2 Sam. 19:17) and later supported the southern kingdom of Judah after the division of the monarchy (1 Ki. 12:21). In the New Testament, the apostle Paul proudly identified himself as a Benjamite (Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5).

Family

In Scripture

21 biblical books ; 13 with study content
Genesis 5 verses
  • Genesis 35:18

    "As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin."

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  • Genesis 35:24

    "The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin."

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  • Genesis 42:4

    "But Jacob didn’t send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers; for he said, “Lest perhaps harm happen to him.”"

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  • Genesis 42:36

    "Jacob, their father, said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children! Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.”"

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  • Genesis 43:14

    "May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”"

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Exodus 1 verse
Numbers 5 verses
  • Numbers 1:11

    "Of Benjamin: Abidan the son of Gideoni."

  • Numbers 1:36

    "Of the children of Benjamin, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:"

  • Numbers 1:37

    "those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty-five thousand four hundred."

  • Numbers 2:22

    "“The tribe of Benjamin: the prince of the children of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni."

  • Numbers 7:60

    "On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin,"

Deuteronomy 2 verses
  • Deuteronomy 27:12

    "“These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin."

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  • Deuteronomy 33:12

    "About Benjamin he said, “The beloved of Yahweh will dwell in safety by him. He covers him all day long. He dwells between his shoulders.”"

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Joshua 5 verses
  • Joshua 18:11

    "The lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families. The border of their lot went out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph."

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  • Joshua 18:20

    "The Jordan was its border on the east quarter. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the borders around it, according to their families."

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  • Joshua 18:21

    "Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,"

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  • Joshua 18:28

    "Zelah, Eleph, the Jebusite (also called Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families."

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  • Joshua 21:4

    "The lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. The children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had thirteen cities by lot out of the tribe of Judah, out of the tribe of the Simeonites, and out of the tribe of Benjamin."

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Judges 5 verses
  • Judges 1:21

    "The children of Benjamin didn’t drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem, but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day."

  • Judges 5:14

    "Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun."

  • Judges 10:9

    "The children of Ammon passed over the Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was very distressed."

  • Judges 19:14

    "So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin."

  • Judges 20:3

    "(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The children of Israel said, “Tell us, how did this wickedness happen?”"

Names & Aliases

Form Language Script Strong's
Named Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין H1144G
(same form as previous) Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין H1144G
Named Hebrew בֶּן־אוֹנִ֑י H1126
Named Hebrew יָמִין H3225I
Group Hebrew בֶּן־יְמִינִי H1145
Spelled Hebrew יְמִינִי H3227B
Spelled Hebrew יָֽמִינִי H3228G
Greek Greek Βενιαμίν G0958