Benjamin (biblical figure)

Benjamin is a figure in the Jewish Bible, the Christian Old Testament, and the Islamic Quran. In all three, he is the youngest of the twelve sons and one daughter born to Jacob by several mothers. Benjamin is a half brother to all except Joseph, who is also Jacob's son by his second wife, Rachel. His descendants became the tribe of Benjamin; the tribes of Benjamin and Judah are considered the origin of the Jewish people.

Background

Benjamin is a descendant of Abraham, who was originally known as Abram until he was renamed by God, who considered him to be a righteous man. God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. Abraham and his wife, Sarah—originally known as Sarai—had reason to doubt this, as both were well into old age. According to the Bible, Abraham was one hundred years old and Sarah was ninety when their son Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5).

Isaac in turn had two sons, Esau and Jacob. Jacob lived around 1900 BCE. He was Isaac's younger son but tricked his father into giving him the blessing that by rights belonged to the firstborn son, Esau. Fearing his brother's wrath when he found out, Jacob ran away. One night, he dreamed of a ladder going up to heaven with angels climbing up and down. He also encountered God, who told Jacob what he had told Abraham—that their descendants would be numerous. "In your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed," God told Jacob (Genesis 28:10–19).

Jacob went to see his uncle, Laban, and wanted to marry Laban's daughter Rachel. However, Laban tricked Jacob and forced him to marry his other daughter, Leah. Men at this time frequently took more than one wife, so Jacob later married Rachel as well (Genesis 29). Leah bore six sons and a daughter by Jacob. Rachel, who was Jacob's true love, appeared to be unable to have children. She engaged in a common practice of the time, giving one of her maids to her husband for sexual relations to procreate. The maid bore two sons. Leah responded by also giving one of her maids to Jacob; this resulted in two more sons. At last, Rachel bore a son by Jacob. The boy, named Joseph, was followed by another male child, Benjamin.

Bearing Benjamin cost Rachel her life. Knowing she was dying, she named her son Ben-oni, which in Hebrew means "son of my sorrow." After she died, Jacob changed his last son's name to Benjamin, which means "son of the right hand," or "lucky son" (Genesis 35).

Overview

Much of what is known about Benjamin comes in the context of his relationship to Jacob and Joseph. Jacob was especially fond of his two youngest sons by his favorite wife, Rachel. When Joseph was a young man, his father gave him a coat of many colors. This, along with some dreams Joseph had that made him seem better than his brothers, made the ten older sons of Jacob very jealous. The brothers got rid of Joseph by selling him into slavery and convincing their father he was dead.

Joseph ended up a favored servant in the house of Potiphar, the pharaoh of Egypt. He was wise and prepared the country for a famine that he saw in a dream. As a result, when the famine struck, Egypt had many resources. Jacob, unaware that the son that he thought was lost was in charge of Egypt's grain stores, sent his ten sons to Potiphar's house to buy corn. They did not recognize Joseph, but he recognized them immediately. When they returned a second time, Joseph insisted they could only have more if Benjamin was with them.

Jacob, who refused to let his beloved youngest son go previously, was convinced when another son, Judah, swore to protect him with his own life. Joseph did not react when he saw his youngest brother. Instead, he accused him of a theft Benjamin did not commit and said he must keep him as a slave. Judah volunteered to take Benjamin's place, and Jacob, satisfied that his brothers had matured since they sold him into slavery, revealed himself to his brothers.

Nonbiblical rabbinical texts tell an alternate version of Benjamin's encounter with Joseph. To prove his innocence when Joseph accuses him of stealing the valuable cup, Benjamin swore an oath on his relationship with his lost brother, Joseph, and proved the value of this oath by telling Joseph that Benjamin's own ten sons had been given names that honor the memory of his lost brother. Overcome, Joseph revealed to Benjamin his true identity.

The story of Jacob and Joseph ends with Jacob blessing his sons before dying. In blessing Judah, Jacob said that he would rule a kingdom that would never end. He told Benjamin that he would be a vicious wolf that would kill and devour by day and share the spoils by night (Genesis 49). This is interpreted as revealing their future roles in God's plan for his people. The twelve sons of Jacob were the source of the twelve tribes of Israel; Israel was the name God gave to Jacob. In being like a wolf, Benjamin would be prosperous and have more than enough, while Judah would always rule. The tribe of Benjamin and the tribe of Judah are said to be the origin of the Jewish people.

All twelve tribes eventually entered Canaan, the Promised Land, and each settled into an assigned territory. In time, though, conflict broke out between the tribes. The tribe of Benjamin—sometimes called Benjamites—and the tribe of Judah remained together; the others split from them. Out of the Benjamites rose up Saul, who was the Israelites' first king. Benjamin's descendants settled in present-day Israel.

There is much speculation as to where the descendants of Benjamin are today. While some are still in Israel, others have likely dispersed around the world. One theory related to the Benjamites is that they had a tendency to be left-handed. Left-handed people are mentioned in three places in the Hebrew Bible (Ehud in Judges 3:12–30, seven hundred left-handed warriors in Judges 20:16, and two dozen ambidextrous warriors in 1 Chron. 12:2). In each instance, they are identified as being of the tribe of Benjamin. Some biblical historians speculate either that the Benjamites had a natural tendency toward left-handedness or that the male children were encouraged to be left-handed or ambidextrous because it provided an advantage in battle.

Bibliography

"Benjamin." Jewish Virtual Library, www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/benjamin. Accessed 20 Feb. 2017.

Collins, John J. A Short Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. Fortress Press, 2007, pp 53, 102–106, 114–115, 137, 195.

Gottheil, Richard, et al. "Benjamin." Jewish Encyclopedia, www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/2947-benjamin. Accessed 20 Feb. 2017.

"Joseph." BBC, 6 July 2009, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/history/joseph.shtml. Accessed 20 Feb. 2017.

"Joseph and Benjamin." Bible Gateway, www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/Matthew-Henry/Gen/Joseph-Benjamin. Accessed 20 Feb. 2017.

Seevers, Boyd, and Joanna Klein. "Genetics and the Bible: The Curious Case of the Left-Handed Benjamites." Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, Sept. 2012, www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2012/PSCF9-12Seevers.pdf. Accessed 20 Feb. 2017.

"The Story of Jacob, the Father of the 12 Tribes of Israel." Bible History Online, www.bible-history.com/old-testament/jacob.html. Accessed 20 Feb. 2017.

"The Twelve Tribes of Israel." Jewish Virtual Library, www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-twelve-tribes-of-israel. Accessed 20 Feb. 2017.