[BENJAMIN] Bible Study Resources - Definitions, facts, and references on BENJAMIN in the Bible

[BENJAMIN] Bible Study Resources - Definitions, facts, and references on BENJAMIN in the Bible

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BENJAMIN

• ISBE
• A.T.S.
• Easton
• Hitchcock
• Nave
• Smith (1896)
• Thompson
• Torrey

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) James Orr, M.A., D.D., General Editor - 1915

BENJAMIN: ben'-ja-min (binyamin, or binyamin; Beniaein, Beniamin): 1. The Patriarch: The youngest of Jacob's sons. His mother Rachel died in giving him birth. As she felt death approaching she called him Benoni, "son of my sorrow." Fearing, probably, that this might bode evil for the child--for names have always preserved a peculiar significance in the East--Jacob called him Benjamin, "son of the fight hand" (Ge 35:17 ff). He alone of Jacob's sons was born in Palestine, between Bethel and Ephrath. Later in the chapter, in the general enumeration of the children born in Paddan-ar am, the writer fails to except Benjamin (Ge 35:24). Joseph was his full brother. In the history where Benjamin appears as an object of solicitude to his father and brothers, we must not forget that he was already a grown man. At the time of the descent of Israel to Egypt Joseph was about 40 years of age. Benjamin was not much younger, and was himself the father of a family. The phrase in Ge 44:20, "a little one," only describes in oriental fashion one much younger than the speaker. And as the youngest of the family no doubt he was made much of. Remorse over their heartless treatment of his brother Joseph may have made the other brothers especially tender toward Benjamin. The conduct of his brethren all through the trying experiences in Egypt places them in a more attractive light than we should have expected; and it must have been a gratification to their father (Ge 42 ff). Ten sons of Benjamin are named at the time of their settlement in Egypt (Ge 46:21).
2. The Tribe: At the Exodus the number of men of war in the tribe is given as 35,400. At the second census it is 45,600 (Nu 1:37; 26:41). Their place in the host was with the standard of the camp of Ephraim on the west of the tabernacle, their prince being Abidan the son of Gideoni (Nu 2:22 f). Benjamin was represented among the spies by Palti the son of Raphu; and at the division of the land the prince of Benjamin was Elidad the son of Chislon (Nu 13:9; 34:21). 

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