(The name comes from two Hebrew words: "ben", which means "son" in English, and "yameen", which means "right" (as opposed to left) in English. The name "Benjamin" is usually translated as "son of my right hand".)
Benjamin was one of Jacob's sons. He was the youngest son of Jacob by his second
wife, Rachel.
Jacob was living in the city of Haran in the area of
Padanaram in the kingdom of Mesopotamia. He had two wives, Leah and Rachel
(Polygamy was legal at the time.) Rachel was the preferred wife, but she
couldn't seem to bear children. Leah bore Jacob four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi,
and Judah. Then she stopped bearing children. (chapter 29)
Rachel was hurt that she couldn't have children.
According to custom, if a wife couldn't have children, she could allow her
husband to have children by her slave girl. So Rachel told Jacob "Here is
my slave, Bilhah. Lie with her, so that through her, I can build up a
family." Bilhah bore Jacob two sons: Dan and Naphtali. (30:1-8)
Leah discovered that she wasn't bearing any more
children. So she gave her own slave, Zilpah, to Jacob to bear children. Zilpah
bore Jacob two sons: Gad and Asher. (30:9-13) Then Leah managed to be able to produce more
children. She bore Jacob three more children: two sons (Issachar and Zebulun)
and a daughter (Dinah). (30:17-21)
Finally, Rachel managed to bear Jacob a son of
her own. She named him Joseph. And she knew that she would someday have another
son. (30:22-24)
Jacob took his family and returned home to the land of
Canaan.
Later, Jacob took his family to the city of Bethel.
After they left, they went to the city of Ephrath (also called Bethlehem). During their journey, Rachel
gave birth to another son. She died in childbirth. Before he died, she named the
son Ben-oni. But after she died, Jacob renamed the son Benjamin. (35:1-20)
As Joseph grew up, he was Jacob's favorite son. His
brothers knew that he was the favorite, and they were jealous. They decided to
get rid of him. They tied up Joseph and sold him to some travelers who were
going to Egypt. Then they told Jacob "Joseph was killed by a wild
animal." (chapter 37)
Years later, there was famine in Canaan. So Joseph's
brothers go to Egypt to buy food. They left the youngest brother, Benjamin, at
home. (42:1-5)
In Egypt, they went to a viceroy named Zaphnath-Paaneah
for food. Zaphnath-Paaneah told the brothers "I think you are
spies." The brothers said "We are not spies. We are honest brothers,
although our youngest brother Benjamin is back home." Zaphnath-Paaneah said
"If you are not spies, then you will bring your youngest brother Benjamin
with you the next time you come here." He put brother Simeon in jail as a
hostage to make sure that they come back with Benjamin. Then he sold them grain.
The brothers returned home, and told Jacob what happened. (42:5-38)
Jacob was reluctant to let Benjamin join the brothers
on the next trip to Egypt to buy food. He was afraid Benjamin would be hurt.
Judah took responsibility for Benjamin, and the brothers left. (43:1-15)
They arrived in Egypt with Benjamin. Zaphnath-Paaneah
was now convinced that the brothers were not spies. He brought out Simeon.
Joseph invited the brothers to his house for the evening. That evening, the
brothers ate, drank, and partied. (43:16-34)
During the party, Zaphnath-Paaneah told his steward
"Fill up their packs with as much food as they can carry. But put my silver
goblet at the top of Benjamin's pack." The steward did so. (44:1-2)
The next morning, the brothers left for home. They
didn't get very far before Zaphnath-Pinneah told the steward to chase them. The
steward caught up to the brothers, and said "Why have you stolen
Zaphnath-Paaneah's silver goblet?" The brothers said "We have not
stolen his silver goblet. Search our packs. If the goblet is found in one of our
brothers' packs, then that brother shall die, and we shall all become your
slaves." The steward searched the packs, and found the goblet in Benjamin's
pack. (44:3-12)
The brothers were taken back to Zaphnath-Paanneah. They
said "We shall be your slaves." Joseph says "The brother who was
found with the goblet shall be my slave, but the rest of you can go home."
Judah said "No! We can't go home with out Benjamin. That would kill our
father Israel (Jacob). Make me your slave instead, but let Benjamin go
home." (44:13-34)
Zaphnath-Paaneah revealed his true identity to his
brothers. "I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. Don't be
distressed. It wasn't you, but God who sent me here. He sent me here ahead of
you to save your lives. There have been two years of famine, and there are five
more to go. God sent me ahead of you to ensure that you will have descendants.
Now I am a prominent man in Egypt. Go back home to Canaan, and bring the whole
family here to Egypt to live. You shall live in the region of Goshen, nearby
here. I will take care of you, and see that you are not reduced to poverty.
There are still five years of famine to come." (45:1-24)
Jacob's entire family, including Benjamin, moved to the region of Goshen in
Egypt. (chapter 46) Joseph introduced his family to the pharaoh. The family
settled in the area of Raamses (also called Rameses). (47:1-12)
After Jacob's death, the brothers went to Canaan, and
buried him in the cave of Machpelah. Then they returned to Egypt. (50:1-14)
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