Benjamin

Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 9
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The youngest son of Jacob by his beloved wife Rachel. She died at his birth and named him BEN-ONI, signifying “son of my sorrow,” but his father named him BENJAMIN, “son of the right hand” (Gen. 35:18, 2418And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin. (Genesis 35:18)
24The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: (Genesis 35:24)). Type of Christ both as exalted at God’s right hand (Benjamin), and, as rejected, the occasion of Israel’s tribulation in the last days (Ben-oni), Rachel being a type of Israel (Mic. 5). Very little is recorded of Benjamin personally: he was the father of ten sons (Gen. 46:2121And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard. (Genesis 46:21)).
Benjamin was the smallest of the tribes except Manasseh in the numbering of Numbers 1:33From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. (Numbers 1:3)7and Numbers 2:22-2322Then the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni. 23And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred. (Numbers 2:22‑23). In Psalm 68:2727There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali. (Psalm 68:27) it is called “little Benjamin”; but in the numbering before entering the land Benjamin exceeded in number four of the other tribes (Num. 26:4141These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred. (Numbers 26:41)). In Genesis 49:2727Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil. (Genesis 49:27) Jacob prophesied of the tribe that it should “ravin as a wolf; in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil,” typical of Christ in judgment on the earth in a future day. In Deuteronomy 33:1212And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders. (Deuteronomy 33:12), where Moses prophesied of the tribes, he said of Benjamin, “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.” So in the blessings of Psalm 68:2727There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali. (Psalm 68:27) Benjamin is the first named of the four tribes; and in Psalm 80:22Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us. (Psalm 80:2), where God is called upon to save them, Benjamin is mentioned with Ephraim and Manasseh, being the three tribes which followed the ark (Num. 2:17-2417Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards. 18On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud. 19And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred. 20And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 21And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred. 22Then the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni. 23And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred. 24All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were an hundred thousand and eight thousand and an hundred, throughout their armies. And they shall go forward in the third rank. (Numbers 2:17‑24); Num. 10:22-2422And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. (Numbers 10:22‑24)).
The tribe did not drive out the Jebusites, but allowed them to dwell with them in Jerusalem (Judg. 1:2121And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day. (Judges 1:21)); this may have led to their idolatry, for when, with Judah and Ephraim, they were attacked by the children of Ammon, they confessed they had forsaken God and served Baalim (Judg. 10:9-109Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed. 10And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. (Judges 10:9‑10)). It may also have led to the dreadful deed which resulted in the destruction of nearly the whole tribe (Judg. 19-21). From this they in a measure recovered their strength. At the division of the kingdom they remained with Judah, but a large portion of their lot was seized by Israel. At times they appear to be lost sight of, for Ahijah said that God had reserved to the house of David one tribe (as if Benjamin was reckoned as cut off in judgment) (1 Kings 11:3636And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there. (1 Kings 11:36)). The two tribes were constantly spoken of as “Judah,” whereas the ten tribes were called “Israel.”‘ On the return from the captivity, Benjamin had its share of blessing with Judah (Ezra 1:55Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:5); Ezra 10:99Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain. (Ezra 10:9); Neh. 11:4-364And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah; Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalaleel, of the children of Perez; 5And Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni. 6All the sons of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred threescore and eight valiant men. 7And these are the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jesaiah. 8And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight. 9And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer: and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city. 10Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin. 11Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the ruler of the house of God. 12And their brethren that did the work of the house were eight hundred twenty and two: and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchiah, 13And his brethren, chief of the fathers, two hundred forty and two: and Amashai the son of Azareel, the son of Ahasai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 14And their brethren, mighty men of valor, an hundred twenty and eight: and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of one of the great men. 15Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hashub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 16And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God. 17And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer: and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 18All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and four. 19Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the gates, were an hundred seventy and two. 20And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance. 21But the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinims. 22The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the business of the house of God. 23For it was the king's commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day. 24And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king's hand in all matters concerning the people. 25And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kirjath-arba, and in the villages thereof, and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof, and at Jekabzeel, and in the villages thereof, 26And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet, 27And at Hazar-shual, and at Beer-sheba, and in the villages thereof, 28And at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the villages thereof, 29And at En-rimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth, 30Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from Beer-sheba unto the valley of Hinnom. 31The children also of Benjamin from Geba dwelt at Michmash, and Aija, and Beth-el, and in their villages, 32And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, 34Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 35Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen. 36And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin. (Nehemiah 11:4‑36)). Paul relates twice that he was of the tribe of Benjamin (Rom. 11:11I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. (Romans 11:1); Phil. 3:55Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; (Philippians 3:5)). In the future, twelve thousand of this tribe will be sealed (Rev. 7:88Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. (Revelation 7:8)).
The district occupied by the tribe is often simply called Benjamin. It was situated with Ephraim on its north, and Judah on its south, Dan on its west, and the Jordan on its east; it occupied about 28 miles east and west and 14 miles north and south at its widest parts. The district is mountainous with rocks and ravines, having an elevated table land. It contained the important cities such as Jerusalem (in its south border), Bethel, Gibeon, Ramah.