The youngest of Jacob’s 12 sons and full brother to Joseph. Jacob named him Benjamin (“son of my right hand”) after his dying mother Rachel had called him Ben-oni (“son of my sorrow,” Genesis 35:18). After Joseph had been sold into Egypt by his half brothers, their father, Jacob, assumed that Joseph was dead and became very protective of Benjamin. Later, because of a plan created by Joseph, Benjamin was used to help reunite Jacob with his 12 sons in Egypt (Genesis 42–45). In a prophecy about his sons, Jacob spoke of Benjamin’s skill as a warrior or predicted the military power of his tribe by saying, “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder” (Genesis 49:27).
→ View encyclopedia entryBilhan’s son and Jacob’s great-grandson (1 Chronicles 7:10).
→ View encyclopedia entryMember of Harim’s clan after the exile in Babylon who married a non-Jewish wife (Ezra 10:32).
→ View encyclopedia entryOne who repaired a section of the wall next to his own house (Nehemiah 3:23).
→ View encyclopedia entryOne of the company of Jews who participated in the dedication of the wall at Jerusalem (Nehemiah 12:34). He may be the same as #4 above.
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Benjamin (Person)
This term has multiple meanings in the Bible:
From Tyndale Bible Dictionary, adapted by Mission Mutual. CC BY-SA 4.0.