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| The Tribe of Benjamin (בִּנְיָמִין "son of my right hand" but in some rabbinical Judaism traditions "son of the south") is one of the Hebrew tribes of Israel, founded by Benjamin (below), son of Jacob. (see also sons of Jacob). The book of Judges 19-21 describes an episode in which all of the rest of Israel attacks and defeats the Benjamites in the battle at Gibeah, in retaliation following a disgraceful incident. To complete the defeat, all the civilians, including women and children, in the Benjamite towns and villages are then killed, and the other tribes vow that they will never allow their women to marry benjamites ever again. however, so as to not exterminate a tribe of Israel, they then provide four hundred virgins, spoil from another town they have massacred, as wives to the Benjamites, and also allow them to raid a festival and carry off some of the women. | Territory 21The tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, had the following cities:Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, 22Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, 23Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, 24Kephar Ammoni, Ophni and Geba—twelve towns and their villages. 25Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 26Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah, 27Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 28Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem  see Joshua 18:8, 15:63, 2 Sam 5:6), Gibeah and Kiriath—fourteen towns and their villages.
This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.
–Joshua 18:21-28
Later, when the kingdom of Israel was divided, the Tribe of Benjamin joined with the Tribe of Judah to form the kingdom of Judah, while the other tribes formed the reduced kingdom of Israel which was subsequently conquered and the people exiled. Benjamin was very much the minor partner, as the ruling house of David came from the far more numerous and powerful Tribe of Judah. Thus it was the Tribe of Judah who in time became identified with the entire people of the southerly Israelite kingdom, and gave their name to the Jews.
Notable members of the tribe of benjamin include the judge Ehud, Israel's first king saul, and the apostle Paul. Benjamin |  map of the Tribe of Benjamin  Symbol of the Tribe of BenjaminHis 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 tribe of Benjamin at the Exodus was the smallest aside from Manasseh, which was split off from Joseph (Numbers 1:34-1:37; Psalms 68:27). During the march its place was along with Manasseh and Ephraim on the west of the tabernacle. At the entrance into Canaan it counted 45,600 warriors. It has been inferred by some from the words of Jacob (Genesis 49:27) that the figure of a wolf was on the tribal standard: "Benjamin is a wolf that raveneth; in the morning he shall devour the prey, at evening he shall divide the spoil."
This tribe is mentioned in Epistle to the Romans 11:1 and Philippians 3:5.
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 River. Dan intervened between it and the Philistines. Its chief towns are named in 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, a Benjamite. A close alliance was formed between this tribe and that of Judah in the time of David (2 Sam. 19:16, 17), which continued after his death (1 Kings 11:13; 12:20). After the 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 (1 Sam. 20:20, 36; 2 Sam. 1:22; 1 Chr. 8:40; 12:2) and slingers (Judges 20:16).
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 (20:2) "the high gate of Benjamin"; also "the gate of the children of the people" (17:19). (Comp. 2 Kings 14:13.) |
 Exterior view of Kever Binyamin (Tomb of Benjamin), located outside Kfar Saba, Israel.
(larger image)Son of JacobMain article: sons of Jacob Benjamin was the son of Jacob and Rachel, the youngest of Jacob's twelve sons and full blood brother to Joseph. Benjamin's early years are not divulged too deeply, but what is known is that he did not feel jealousy towards Joseph as their older brothers did and he had no involvement in Joseph being sold into slavery.Once Joseph was sold and thought to be dead, it appears that Jacob took Benjamin up as his favorite son. Though this is not directly said, he did not send Benjamin with his older brothers to Egypt and when they returned for him it took them two years to convince Jacob to let him go.
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 Joseph Receives His Father and Brothers in Egypt
(larger image) When Joseph looked around he saw his own mother's son, his brother Benjamin and asked, 'Is this your youngest brother, of whom you told me?' and to Benjamin he said, 'May God be gracious to you, my son!' Joseph, suddenly overcome by his feelings for his brother, was almost in tears, and he went into the inner room and wept. (Genesis 43:29-30) Later Joseph had his silver cup planted in Benjamin's sack and then had him arrested for theft. This was still part of his plan in testing their older brothers. When the brothers pleaded his case and even Judah offered to stay in his place, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers and hugged Benjamin first.Jacob's blessingOn his deathbed, Jacob blessed each one of his sons, usually based upon the actions they took in life. Though Benjamin had no involvement in Joseph's enslavement and there doesn't seem to be much evidence that he was troublesome, Jacob bestowed upon him a rather somber blessing:
Benjamin is a ravening wolf, in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he snatches a share of the spoil. (Genesis 49:27)
References
This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain.
See also: Tribes of Israel | |