Original Word: בִּנְיָמִין
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Binyamiyn
Pronunciation: bin-yah-MEEN
Phonetic Spelling: (bin-yaw-mene')
KJV: Benjamin
NASB: Benjamin, Benjamin's
Word Origin: [from H1121 (בֵּן - sons) and H3225 (יָמִין - right hand)]

1. son of (the) right hand
2. Binjamin, youngest son of Jacob
3. also the tribe descended from him, and its territory

Benjamin

From ben and yamiyn; son of (the) right hand; Binjamin, youngest son of Jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory -- Benjamin.

see HEBREW ben

see HEBREW yamiyn

Word Origin
from ben and yamin
Definition
"son of (the) right hand," youngest son of Jacob, also the name of two other Isr .
NASB Translation
Benjamin (162), Benjamin's (4).

בִּנְיָמִין Genesis 35:18 +; usually בִּנְיָמִן proper name, masculine₁₆₆ (son of (the) right hand) —

1 youngest son of Jacob, so called by him, but by Rachel, the mother, who died at Benjamin's birth, called בֶּןאֿוֺנִי (q. v.) Genesis 35:18; own brother of Joseph Genesis 35:24; Genesis 42:4; Genesis 43:29; Genesis 45:12; compare Genesis 42:36; Genesis 45:15; Genesis 45:34 +; name of tribe of Benjamin Numbers 1:11; Deuteronomy 27:12; Deuteronomy 33:12; Judges 5:14 23t. Judges; 32t. Samuel Kings Chronicles; Hosea 5:8; Ezekiel 48:23; Obadiah 19; Psalm 68:28; Psalm 80:3; בְּנֵי בנימן (literal Genesis 46:21) of tribe Numbers 1:36; Numbers 2:22; Numbers 7:60; Numbers 26:38,41; Joshua 18:20,28; Judges 20:3,14,15,18,21,23,24,28,30,31,32,36,48; Judges 21:18,20,23; 2 Samuel 2:25; 2 Samuel 4:2; 2 Samuel 23:29; 1 Chronicles 8:40; 1 Chronicles 9:3,7; 1 Chronicles 11:31; 1 Chronicles 12:17; 1 Chronicles 12:30; Nehemiah 11:4,7,31; Jeremiah 6:1; Judges 1:21 (twice in verse) (but בני יהודה in "" Joshua 15:63 compare Bu^{RS 7}); explicitly מַטֵּה בִנְיָמִן Numbers 1:37; Numbers 2:22; Numbers 13:9; Numbers 34:21; Joshua 21:4; 1 Chronicles 6:45 compare Joshua 21:17; מַטֵּה ׳בְנֵי ב Numbers 10:24; Joshua 18:11,21; 1 Chronicles 6:50; ׳שֵׁבֶט ב 1 Samuel 10:20,21; 1 Kings 12:21; observe also ׳כָּלשִֿׁבְטֵי ב Judges 20:12 compare 1 Samuel 9:21; אִישׁ בִּנְיָמִן Judges 20:41; 1 Samuel 4:12 compare אִישׁ מִבִּןיָֿ֯מִין 1 Samuel 9:1; אֶרֶץ בִּנְיָמִן Judges 21:21; 1 Samuel 9:16; 2 Samuel 21:14; Jeremiah 1:1; Jeremiah 17:26; Jeremiah 32:44; Jeremiah 33:13; Jeremiah 37:12; compare Jeremiah 32:8; ׳גְּבוּל ב 1 Samuel 10:2; Ezekiel 48:22 (strike out Co) Ezekiel 48:24; בֵּית בִּנְיָמִן 2 Samuel 3:19; בֵּית ׳יְהוּדָה וּב 1 Kings 12:23; 2Chronicles 11:1; in name of a temple-gate הָעֶלְיוֺן ׳שַׁעַר ב Jeremiah 20:2; compare Jeremiah 37:13; Jeremiah 38:7; Ezekiel 48:32; Zechariah 14:10.

2 a son of Bilhan and great-grandson of Benjamin 1 1 Chronicles 7:10.

3 a Jew of Ezra's time Ezra 10:32 compare Nehemiah 3:23; Nehemiah 12:34. — בנימן בני פרץ 1 Chronicles 9:4 Kt read with Qr ׳בָּנִי מִןבְּֿנֵי פ.

Person of Benjamin

The seventeenth and last-born of the patriarch Jacob, Benjamin enters the narrative at Rachel’s fatal childbirth near Bethlehem (Genesis 35:16-20). Rachel’s dying words, “He is Ben-oni,” highlight her sorrow, yet Jacob immediately confers the redemptive name Benjamin, and from that moment his youngest son becomes an object of special affection. When famine drives Jacob’s family to Egypt, the brothers’ treatment of Benjamin exposes their repentance over past sins against Joseph (Genesis 42–45). The inclusion of Benjamin in Jacob’s final journey to Egypt (Genesis 46:19, 21) and in Joseph’s reconciliation scene underscores the unifying purpose God was bringing to the chosen family.

Patriarchal and Prophetic Blessings

Jacob’s dying oracle pictures Benjamin as “a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey and in the evening he divides the plunder” (Genesis 49:27). The tribe would prove fierce in battle yet generous in sharing spoils. Moses later prays: “May the beloved of the LORD dwell secure beside Him; He shields him all day long, and the one loved by Him rests on His shoulders” (Deuteronomy 33:12). The juxtaposition of bold aggression and tender protection will mark Benjamite history—a small people upheld by the right hand of God.

Territorial Inheritance

Joshua assigns Benjamin a compact yet strategic allotment between Ephraim to the north and Judah to the south (Joshua 18:11-28). The region straddles major north–south and east–west routes, explaining the tribe’s outsized influence. Cities include Jericho, Bethel, Gibeon, Mizpah, Gibeah, and the very border of Jerusalem, whose Temple Mount lies just within Judah while its northern extension is traditionally viewed as Benjamite ground (Joshua 18:28; Judges 1:21). This frontier position often places Benjamin at the epicenter of national events.

Historical Events Involving the Tribe

1. Period of the Judges
• Ehud, the left-handed deliverer, springs from Benjamin to strike Eglon of Moab (Judges 3:15-30).
• Civil war erupts when Gibeah’s atrocity brings judgment upon the tribe (Judges 19–21). Though reduced to six hundred men, Benjamin survives by divine mercy and the intercession of Israel, illustrating both the severity of sin and the commitment to covenant unity.

2. Rise of the Monarchy
• Saul, Israel’s first king, is a Benjamite of Gibeah (1 Samuel 9:1-2). His reign reflects the tribe’s martial prowess and mixed legacy.
• Jonathan’s covenant loyalty to David and the later defection of many Benjamites to David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:1-7) display the tribe’s ultimate alignment with God’s chosen dynasty.

3. Divided Kingdom and Exile
• After Solomon, Benjamin remains with Judah in the southern kingdom (1 Kings 12:21-24). Shared custody of Jerusalem knits their destinies together.
• Jeremiah, himself from Anathoth in Benjamin (Jeremiah 1:1), repeatedly references the “land of Benjamin” and the “Benjamin Gate” (Jeremiah 7:2; 20:2; 37:13). The prophet’s personal ties amplify his calls for repentance.
• Exilic and post-exilic lists name Benjamites among the faithful remnant returning to rebuild Temple and walls (Ezra 1:5; Nehemiah 11:4-9).

Notable Benjamites

• Ehud the Judge (Judges 3)
• Saul the King and his son Jonathan (1 Samuel)
• Abner the commander (2 Samuel 3)
• Shimei son of Gera (2 Samuel 16)
• Mordecai and Queen Esther, whose obedience safeguards the Jewish people in Persia (Esther 2:5–7)
• The Apostle Paul, “of the tribe of Benjamin” (Romans 11:1; Philippians 3:5)

Prophetic and Poetic Motifs

Hosea’s cry, “Blow the horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; sound the alarm at Beth-aven… after you, Benjamin!” (Hosea 5:8), uses Benjamite towns to announce judgment on the northern kingdom. Jeremiah and Zechariah invoke Benjamin to speak of Jerusalem’s restoration (Jeremiah 33:11; Zechariah 14:10). Psalm 68:27 poeticizes Benjamin, “the least of them, their ruler,” marching before the sanctuary, affirming that God delights to elevate the humble.

Benjamin in Post-Exilic and New Testament Context

Genealogies in 1 Chronicles 7–9 preserve Benjamite lines, confirming the tribe’s continuity. After exile, men of Benjamin, along with Judah, spearhead the rebuilding (Ezra 4:1; Nehemiah 12:34). Centuries later Paul testifies, “I ask then, has God rejected His people? Absolutely not! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin” (Romans 11:1). The apostle’s heritage counters any claim that God has annulled His promises to Israel, while his conversion showcases grace operating within Benjamin’s legacy.

Spiritual Themes and Ministry Applications

1. God’s Strength Perfected in Smallness

Benjamin is regularly called “little” (Psalm 68:27), yet rises to leadership in battle, royalty, and apostolic mission. His account assures believers that divine election, not human stature, secures victory.

2. Right-Hand Fellowship

The patriarch’s renaming signifies favor at the right hand. In Christ, all who trust Him are seated “at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1), enjoying the same covenant nearness symbolized by Benjamin.

3. Covenant Community and Restoration

The near-extinction of Benjamin and his later inclusion in Judah prefigure God’s ability to discipline yet preserve His people. This history undergirds confidence in the Lord’s promises to restore both Israel and the Church when they stray.

4. Zeal Redirected

From Saul’s misguided persecution of David to Paul’s former zeal against the Church, Benjamin’s narrative warns that passion divorced from obedience harms the body; yet once surrendered, such zeal becomes a powerful instrument for the gospel.

The approximately one hundred sixty-seven occurrences of Benjamin across the Old Testament weave a tapestry of divine faithfulness, human weakness, and ultimate redemption—threads that find their fulfillment in the Messiah who gathers all tribes, including Benjamin, into one eternal kingdom.

בְּבִנְיָמִֽן׃ בְּבִנְיָמִן֙ בְּנְיָמִ֥ן בִּנְיָמִ֑ין בִּנְיָמִ֑ן בִּנְיָמִ֔ן בִּנְיָמִ֖ן בִּנְיָמִ֗ין בִּנְיָמִ֗ן בִּנְיָמִ֛ן בִּנְיָמִ֜ן בִּנְיָמִ֣ין בִּנְיָמִ֣ן בִּנְיָמִ֥ן בִּנְיָמִ֨ן ׀ בִּנְיָמִֽין׃ בִּנְיָמִֽן׃ בִּנְיָמִין֒ בִּנְיָמִין֙ בִּנְיָמִן֙ בִּנְיָמִן֮ בִנְיָמִ֑ין בִנְיָמִ֑ן בִנְיָמִ֔ן בִנְיָמִ֖ין בִנְיָמִ֖ן בִנְיָמִ֗ן בִנְיָמִ֛ן בִנְיָמִ֜ן בִנְיָמִ֥ן בִנְיָמִ֧ן בִנְיָמִ֨ן ׀ בִנְיָמִֽין׃ בִנְיָמִֽן־ בִנְיָמִֽן׃ בִנְיָמִן֙ בִנְיָמִן֮ בִניָמִ֗ן בבנימן בבנימן׃ בנימין בנימין׃ בנימן בנימן־ בנימן׃ וּ֠בִנְיָמִן וּבְבִנְיָמִ֑ן וּבְבִנְיָמִ֖ין וּבְנְיָמִֽן׃ וּבִ֨נְיָמִ֔ן וּבִנְיָ֘מִ֤ן וּבִנְיָמִ֑ין וּבִנְיָמִ֑ן וּבִנְיָמִ֔ן וּבִנְיָמִ֖ן וּבִנְיָמִ֗ן וּבִנְיָמִ֛ן וּבִנְיָמִ֡ן וּבִנְיָמִ֨ן ׀ וּבִנְיָמִֽן׃ וּלְבִנְיָמִ֤ן וּמִבִּנְיָמִ֗ן ובבנימין ובבנימן ובנימין ובנימן ובנימן׃ ולבנימן ומבנימן לְבִ֨נְיָמִ֔ן לְבִנְיָמִ֑ן לְבִנְיָמִ֔ן לְבִנְיָמִ֖ן לְבִנְיָמִ֗ן לְבִנְיָמִ֣ן לְבִנְיָמִֽין׃ לְבִנְיָמִֽן׃ לבנימין׃ לבנימן לבנימן׃ מִבִּנְיָמִ֔ן מִבִּנְיָמִ֖ן מִבִּנְיָמִ֗ן מִבִּנְיָמִֽן׃ מִבִּנְיָמִן֒ מִבִּנְיָמִ֗ין מִן־ מבנימין מבנימן מבנימן׃ מן־ bə·ḇin·yā·min bə·nə·yā·min bəḇinyāmin beneyaMin bənəyāmin bevinyaMin ḇi·n·yā·min bin·yā·min bin·yā·mîn ḇin·yā·min ḇin·yā·mîn ḇin·yā·min- binyaMin binyāmin binyāmîn ḇinyāmin ḇinyāmîn ḇinyāmin- lə·ḇin·yā·min lə·ḇin·yā·mîn ləḇinyāmin ləḇinyāmîn leVinyaMin mib·bin·yā·min mib·bin·yā·mîn mibbinyaMin mibbinyāmin mibbinyāmîn min min- ū·ḇə·ḇin·yā·min ū·ḇə·ḇin·yā·mîn ū·ḇə·nə·yā·min ū·ḇin·yā·min ū·ḇin·yā·mîn ū·lə·ḇin·yā·min ū·mib·bin·yā·min ūḇəḇinyāmin ūḇəḇinyāmîn ūḇənəyāmin ūḇinyāmin ūḇinyāmîn ūləḇinyāmin ulevinyaMin umibbinyaMin ūmibbinyāmin uveneyaMin uvevinyaMin uvinyaMin vinyaMinInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts