(One of Israel's 12 sons ~ The last Born)

BENJAMIN; the youngest of the 12..  His tribe was nearly annihilated  in the Israelite tribal civil war found in Judges, chapter 20..  BUT rising from his tribe, came, Saul (mka Paul) - the writer of over half of the New Testament.  Of all the bros, Benjamin was the most looked out for by Israel; for he was the babe of the family.  So sheltered??  FoSho!!  And with GOOD REASON; after the fate of his brother, Joseph!  It was also through Benjamin; that his brother, Joseph, would test his brothers to see if they would betray Benjamin; as they did him.. And Judah proved loyal!!  PERSONALLY; I think this is where God restored Judah to the firstborn, for the evils of Simeon & Levi..  AGAIN, just IMO..

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~ That said, & without further ado, BENJAMIN's story~

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BENJAMIN; (Hebrew: בנימין), [meaning; "Son of the right side", or, “Son of My Days,”] was born in 5779 BC, in the Land of Canaan.. Near Bethlehem, Israel.  He was originally named "Benoni", by Rachel; due to her great labor pangs & her feeling her soul leaving her upon him being birthed... Since Benoni was a name describing the PAIN to Rachel's dying just after she had given birth. It means "son of my pain".. He was renamed "Benjamin" by Israel, (aka Jacob), his father.  The last in the line of 12 sons bore to Jacob.. And the 2nd (and last), of Rachel.. As after his 'rough' birth, Rachel died.  So - the place of Rachel's burial - was ALSO the place of Benjamin's birth!

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ACCORDING to Wiki; Unusually for one of the 12 tribes of Israel, the Bible does not explain the etymology of Benjamin's name.

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From Genesis; we can surmise that Benjamin was a VERY loyal, & GOOD son to Israel (aka Jacob.)  A quiet child; and well mannered; having a GREAT desire to please his dad.  He grew up in the Land of Canaan, in Shechem..

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According to Genesis 46:21, Benjamin had ten sons: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. The name of his wife/wives are not given. However the Book of Jubilees calls his wife Ajisaka and the Book of Jasher mentions two wives Mechalia the daughter of Aram, and Aribath the daughter of Shomron. 

 

1 Chronicles 7:6-11.. states that men from the family of Benjamin were 'strong' & 'fit to go out for war and battle!' 

G The sons of Benjamin; Bela, and Becher, and Jediael, three.

H And the sons of Bela; Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour; and were reckoned by their genealogies twenty and two thousand and thirty and four.

I And the sons of Becher; Zemira, and Joash, and Eliezer, and Elioenai, and Omri, and Jerimoth, and Abiah, and Anathoth, and Alameth. All these are the sons of Becher.

J And the number of them, after their genealogy by their generations, heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour, was twenty thousand and two hundred.

K The sons also of Jediael; Bilhan: and the sons of Bilhan; Jeush, and Benjamin, and Ehud, and Chenaanah, and Zethan, and Tharshish, and Ahishahar.

L All these the sons of Jediael, by the heads of their fathers, mighty men of valour, were seventeen thousand and two hundred soldiers, fit to go out for war and battle.

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He is entombed in Kfar Saba, Israel.  Annd the crypt holding Benjamin.. BibleWalks.com; has a GREAT page on Benjamin!!!

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RIP BENJAMIN!!  Your tribe was indeed BLESSED to include, Paul!!  Can't wait to meet you!!

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#TribeOfBenjamin, #BenjaminSonofJacob