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* For a list of persons with the given name Benjamin see {{lookfrom|Benjamin}}
[[Category:Founders of Biblical tribes]]
[[Category:Given names]]
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'''Benjamin''' ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]: '''בִּנְיָמִין'''; [[Hebrew language#Modern Hebrew|standard transliteration]] '''''Binyamin''''', [[Tiberian vocalization]] '''''Bínyāmîn''''') is a [[Hebrew Bible]] figure. The name literally translates to "son of right," generally taken to mean "son of my right hand," but in some [[Rabbinical Judaism|rabbinical traditions]] "son of the right side [of the body]" or "son of the south," the youngest son of [[Jacob]] and [[Rachel]] (Genesis 35:18). The "right" direction had the connotation of strength or desirability. In the [[Samaritan Pentateuch]], this name is consistently spelled '''בנימים''' ('''''Binyamim'''''), which may indicate a neutralization of nasal-final endings, or may imply a different analysis, as '''בן ימים''', "son of days", implying the son of Jacob's old age (as he is described in Genesis 44:20).
His birth took place on the road between [[Bethel]] and [[Ephrath]], which is identified with Bethlehem (Genesis 35:19). His mother Rachel died in childbirth, and with her last breath named him ''Ben-oni'' ("son of my pain"), an ill-omened name which was changed by his father into ''Binyamin''. His posterity were the [[tribe of Benjamin]], sometimes translated "Benjamites" (Genesis 49:27; Deuteronomy 33:12; Joshua 18:21).
The inheritance of this tribe lay immediately to the south of that of [[Ephraim]], and was about 26 miles in length and 12 in breadth. Its eastern boundary was the [[Jordan]]. [[Tribe of Dan|Dan]] intervened between it and the [[Philistines]]. Its chief towns are named in [[Book of Joshua|Josh.]] 18:21-28.
The history of the tribe contains a sad record of a desolating [[civil war]] in which they were engaged with the other eleven tribes; they were almost exterminated (Judg. 20:20, 21; 21:10).
The first king of the Jews was [[Saul the King|Saul]], a Benjamite. A close alliance was formed between this tribe and that of [[Tribe of Judah|Judah]] in the time of [[David]] ([[Books of Samuel|2 Sam.]] 19:16, 17), which continued after his death ([[Books of Kings|1 Kings]] 11:13; 12:20). After the [[Babylonian captivity|Exile]] these two tribes formed the great body of the Jewish nation (Ezra 1:5; 10:9), and to this day the other ten are referred to as the [[lost tribes of Israel]]. The tribe of Benjamin was famous for its archers ([[Books of Samuel|1 Sam.]] 20:20, 36; [[Books of Samuel|2 Sam.]] 1:22; 1 [[Books of Chronicles|Chr.]] 8:40; 12:2) and slingers ([[Book of Judges|Judges]] 20:6).
The gate of Benjamin, on the north side of [[Jerusalem]] (Jer. 37:13; 38:7; Zech. 14:10), was so called because it led in the direction of the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. It is called by [[Jeremiah (prophet)|Jeremiah]] (20:2) "the high gate of Benjamin"; also "the gate of the children of the people" (17:19). (Comp. 2 Kings 14:13.)
== Son of Jacob ==
==External links==
*[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/ ''The Jewish Encyclopedia,'' 1908:] Benjamin. Material on the tribe, its territory, Rabbinical tradition and Islam, where Benjamin is not specifically mentioned in the ''Qur'an.''