Benjamin בִּנְיָמִין
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
Parents
Siblings
- Reuben Tribe of ReubenSon of IsraelFirstborn son of Jacob and LeahView full profile →
- Simeon Tribe of SimeonSon of IsraelSon of Jacob and Leah, one of the twelve tribes.View full profile →
- Levi Tribe of LeviSon of IsraelSon of Jacob; progenitor of the LevitesView full profile →
- Judah Tribe of JudahSon of IsraelIsraelite tribe, kingdom, and provinceView full profile →
- Dan Tribe of DanSon of IsraelFifth son of Jacob, founder of Israelite tribeView full profile →
- Naphtali Tribe of NaphtaliSon of IsraelSon of Jacob, founder of the tribe of Naphtali.View full profile →
- Gad Tribe of GadSon of IsraelIsraelite tribe; descended from Gad, son of Jacob.View full profile →
- Asher Tribe of AsherSon of IsraelSon of Jacob and Zilpah, founder of the tribe of AsherView full profile →
- Issachar Tribe of IssacharSon of IsraelSon of Jacob and Leah, forefather of tribeView full profile →
- Zebulun Tribe of ZebulunSon of IsraelIsraelite tribe, son of Jacob and LeahView full profile →
- Dinah Early PatriarchJacob's daughterDaughter of Jacob and LeahView full profile →
- Joseph Early PatriarchJacob's sonSon of Jacob, ruler in EgyptView full profile →
Offspring
- Bela Tribe of ReubenSon of AzazA Reubenite, son of Azaz.View full profile →
- Becher Tribe of BenjaminSon of BenjaminSon of Benjamin, listed among those who entered Egypt.View full profile →
- Ashbel Tribe of BenjaminSon of BenjaminSon of Benjamin, founder of the Ashbelite clanView full profile →
- Gera Tribe of BenjaminSon of BelaSon of Bela, grandson of Benjamin.View full profile →
- Naaman Tribe of BenjaminSon of EhudA descendant of Benjamin, son of Ehud.View full profile →
- Rosh Tribe of BenjaminSon of BenjaminSon of Benjamin, grandson of JacobView full profile →
- Muppim Tribe of BenjaminSon of BenjaminA son of Benjamin.View full profile →
- Huppim Tribe of Benjamin(?)Son of IrA descendant of Manasseh.View full profile →
- Ard Tribe of BenjaminSon of BenjaminSon of Benjamin, brother of BelaView full profile →
- Ahiram Tribe of BenjaminSon of BenjaminSon of Benjamin, founder of the Ahiramite clanView full profile →
- Jediael Tribe of BenjaminBenjamin leaderSon of Benjamin, head of a clanView full profile →
In Scripture
21 biblical books ; 13 with study contentGenesis 5 verses
- Genesis 35:18
"As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 35:24
"The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 42:4
"But Jacob didn’t send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers; for he said, “Lest perhaps harm happen to him.”"
Study Genesis → - 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.”"
Study Genesis → - 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.”"
Study Genesis →
Exodus 1 verse
- Exodus 1:3
"Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,"
Study Exodus →
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."
Study Deuteronomy → - 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."
Study Joshua → - 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."
Study Joshua → - Joshua 18:21
"Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,"
Study Joshua → - 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."
Study Joshua → - 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 |