BENJAMIN bĕn já mĭn (בִנְיָמִֽין, or בִּנְיָמִ֑ן, LXX, Βενιαμιν, son of the right hand.

I. Jacob’s youngest son. After Jacob’s meeting with Esau, when returning to the land of his father, Rachel gave birth to a son but died in childbirth. As she was dying she named the child Benoni (son of my sorrow) but Jacob named him Benjamin (Gen 35:18). He was a full brother of Joseph and half brother of the other ten sons of Jacob by his mother’s sister and the handmaids of the two women. Because he was the son of the woman for whom Jacob had served fourteen years, he and Joseph were Jacob’s favorite sons.

During the seven-year famine in Egypt and Pal. Jacob sent ten of his sons to Egypt to buy grain. Joseph, whom his brethren had sold into Egypt, was in charge of all the Egyp. storehouses, and recognized his brethren when they appeared. He sold them grain, but demanded to see their youngest brother before another purchase. Jacob was deeply distressed at this turn of events, but with no other choice he permitted Benjamin to make the journey into Egypt. After a bit of intrigue, Joseph revealed himself to his brethren and was reunited with Benjamin, whereupon Joseph sent for Jacob, and Israel’s descent into Egypt took place (45:4-46:7).

At the time of the descent Benjamin is reported to have had ten sons (46:21). Judging from Jacob’s blessing of his sons, Benjamin was to have a fruitful life (49:27).

II. One of Israel’s tribes. According to the census taken by Moses on Israel’s entrance into Canaan, Benjamin could supply 35,400 men of the proper age for battle (Num 1:37). At the second census the number was raised to 45,600 (26:41). With Abidon as its prince, the tribe was assigned to the host with Ephraim and Manasseh taking their position on the W side of the Tabernacle (2:18-24). When the spies were sent into Canaan, Benjamin was represented by Palti (13:9).

In the territorial allotment the tribe received the land between Judah and Joseph (Josh 18:11) which included such notable places as Jerusalem, Gibeon, Bethel, the valley of Aijalon, and the Beth-horons.

In its history the tribe became both famous and infamous. It produced Ehud, the lefthanded judge, Saul, Israel’s first king (1 Sam 9:1), and took part in the defense of Israel under Deborah and Barak. But it was also the tribe that harbored the evil men attacking the Levite’s concubine, whose protection led to civil war in which the tribe almost perished (Judg 20:3-48).

III. A great-grandson of Benjamin, son of Jacob (1 Chron 7:10).

IV. One who had married a foreign wife in the time of Ezra (Ezra 10:32).

Bibliography H. P. Smith, Old Testament History, 106, 107.