Benjamin had a very strong relationship with both Joseph and Judah for the rest of his life, and that relationship was maintained by their tribes. (Joshua 18:1128), According to rabbinical sources, only those towns and villages on the northernmost and southernmost territorial boundary lines, or purlieu, are named in the land allocation, although, in actuality, all unnamed towns and villages in between these boundaries would still belong to the tribe of Benjamin. Please make sure you take our Tour. In fact, the famous narrative of David and Goliath has been so prolific in literature, art, and culture that its become a common trope for describing other stories about underdogs. According to some Islamic sources, some of the Jewish settlers in Arabia were of the Davidic line, Mohammad-Baqer Majlesi recorded: "A Jewish man from the Davidic line entered Medina and found the people in deep sorrow. This pleased all the troops, and Sauls officers as well. 1 Samuel 18:5. Left-Handed People in the Bible - Biblical Archaeology Society Some passages support this (1 Kings 12:20) while others state explicitly that Benjamin remained with Judah (12:21, 23; 2 Chron 11:10, 12, 23; 14:8; 15:2, 9, etc.). SBL Academia Biblica 12. The tribes lived as a united nation through the reign of King David's son, Solomon. As a shepherd, David didnt merely feed and lead his fathers sheep. And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son. Though Joshua allocated Bethel to Benjamin, by the time of the prophetess Deborah, Bethel is described as being in the land of the Tribe of Ephraim (Judges 4:5). When you get a chance, please take the, Why Was A Benjamite Chosen as Israel's First King? Several passages record his lineage, and they all point out that he was the son of Jesse, who was the son of Obed, who was the son of Boaz and Ruthmaking him the great grandson of this significant couple (1 Chronicles 2:12). And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, Do not fear, for you have another son. And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. A number of Jewish families in the Iberian peninsula and within Mesopotamia continued to preserve the tradition of descent from Exilarchs in the Late Middle Ages, including the families of Abravanel, ibn Yahya and Ben-David. All except Judah followed him and it was Joab who pursued him on behalf of David. Wilhelm Bacher, Jacob Zallel Lauterbach (1906). Goliath wasnt just taunting the Israelites. The relevant passages are Joshua 15:5-11; 16:1-3, 5; 18:11-13. But after his encounter with Nathan, David wrote Psalm 51, which reflects his humility and sincere repentance for what hed done. In his confrontation with Goliath, David would care for Yahwehs flockthe people of Israeland once again defend his fathers sheep from harm. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. He also overheard the Israelites talking about what Saul would give to the person who defeated Goliath (1 Samuel 17:23-27). Shimei was from the tribe of Benjamin, and Douay-Rheims Bible And Semei the son of Gera the son of Jemini of Bahurim, made haste and went down with the men of Juda to meet king David, English Revised Version But centuries before Jesus, another savior came from this unassuming town. why was King Saul from the tribe of Benjamin chosen as Israel's first king when Judah was to be the ruling tribe all along, as related in I Samuel 8-10? xix. 1), "who devours his enemy" (Gen. xlix. The year of Jubileewhen debts were forgiven and property returned to its original owners, among other thingstook place after seven cycles of seven years. David condemned the man in the story, unaware that it was a metaphor for what hed done to Uriah with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1-10). Thus Shimei, the son of Gera, who was of the house of Saul, when he saw David and his men fleeing from Absalom, cursed him, raining dust and stones on his head (16:5ff.). Referring to the start (morning) and the end (evening) of the state-history of Israel, we read there: Benjamin as a wolf will he tear to pieces; In the morning he will devour the prey, And in the evening he will divide the booty. (Darby). Jerusalem: From Canaanite City to Israelite Capital the larger division of the tribe of Benjamin, to which the house of Saul, a much smaller subdivision of the family, belonged (see note on 2 Samuel 14:7). With Sauls family out of the picture, Israels elders met with David and anointed him king over all of Israel when he was thirty years old (2 Samuel 5:3-4). It was a famous nonaggression treaty between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The army commanded by Abner for Ishbosheth, Sauls son, consisted mainly of Benjamites and was successful in mounting considerable opposition to the appointment of David as king (2 Sam 2:15ff.). When, at the Red Sea, all the other tribes stood in desperation only the tribe of Benjamin trusted in God and leaped into the sea (Mekilta, Beshalla, Wayira 5; Sotah 36b).[23]. Saul, Israel's first king, was from the Tribe of Benjamin (1 Samuel 9:1527), as were Mordecai and Esther (Esther 2:57) and the apostle Paul (Romans 11:1). He killed a lot of prisoners after battles. The Exilarchate in Mesopotamia was officially restored after the Arab conquest in the 7th century and continued to function during the early Caliphates. Isa 11:1-10)? 12 The city of Tyre will come with a gift,[d] And he executed plenty of criminals. ). : Because Benjamin did not bow down before Esau as did his brothers and his father (Gen. xxxiii. The prophecy of Ahijah, who divided his new garment into twelve pieces and gave ten to Jeroboam with the explanation that he would rule over ten tribes, allows the possibility that Benjamin remained with Judah. Exilarchs continued to be appointed until the 11th century, with some members of the Davidic line dispersing across the Islamic world. His intention was to try them and thus to learn whether they would act in a brotherly manner toward Benjamin if he were in danger of losing his liberty. ; "Sefer ha-Yashar," Wayishla, ed. One could also ask, why did not God choose David to start with, since God had already decided that the Messiah would be a son of David (i.e. Members of the tribe are referred to as Benjamites or Benjaminites. Gen 49:27 Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. Many years before Samuel anointed David and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, Samuel anointed Saul, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul (1 Samuel 10:16). The "right hand" means prosperity and is associated with authority or power. Unfortunately for Ish-bosheth, his reign was short-lived. Who was Cush and what had he done to David? (Psalm 7 title) - eBible 12; Sifre, l.c.). He also supports his own Jewish credentials by reference to his descent from the tribe of Benjamin (Rom 11:1; Phil 3:5). And the more successful David became, the more responsibility Saul gave him: Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. ; "Sefer ha-Yashar," Wayishla, ib. Defeating Goliath marked the beginning of Davids life as a warrior. Tribe of Benjamin - Wikipedia According to scholars within Orthodox Judaism, this is considered to have contributed to their downfall and the eventual downfall of Judea; internal strife allowing for Roman occupation and the violent installation of Herod the Great as client king over the Roman province of Judea; and the subsequent destruction of the Second Temple by the future Emperor Titus. 180 et seq.). This is the same kingdom Jesus was referring to in Matt. One Christian interpretation of the Davidic line counts the line as continuing to Jesus son of Joseph, according to the genealogies which are written in Matthew 1:1-16 descendants of Solomon and Luke 3:23-38 descendants of Nathan son of David through the line of Mary. Before he was a king, David was a shepherd. Birthplace Giving Benjamin the first opportunity to rule fulfills the meaning of the new name given by Jacob. The Hasmoneans, also known as the Maccabees, established their own monarchy in Judea following their revolt against the Hellenistic Seleucid dynasty. Is it plausible for constructed languages to be used to affect thought and control or mold people towards desired outcomes? Mar Ahunai lived in the period succeeding Mar Zutra II, but for almost fifty years after the failed revolt he did not dare to appear in public, and it is not known whether even then (c.550) he really acted as Exilarch. BENJAMIN, TRIBE OF bn j mn (, or , or ; LXX ; , G1021; ; Benjamin or sons of Benjamin). Jewish Quarterly Review, hereafter "J. Q. R.", xv. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. However, The Jewish Quarterly Review mentions that Hezekiah was liberated from prison, and became head of the academy, and is mentioned as such by a contemporary in 1046. In geographical terms, the term Benjamin can be read as "son of the south" from the perspective of the northern Kingdom of Israel, as the Benjamite territory was at the southern edge of the northern kingdom.[1]. While the description of Benjamite territory stops there, the description of the area assigned to the house of Joseph gives one more reference point to the W, namely Gezer (see The Land of the Bible [1962, 1967], 235, 236 and the map on p. 229). ); 2) in another (subsequent) crucial moment, a special individual would receive this honor (that the tribe of Judah received for a previous period). Then again, perhaps the Biblical writers simply enjoyed a bit of word play. I think the prophecy in Gen 49:10 does not require that all kings would be of Judah, but that eventually the kingship would be of Judah. The stele is dated to circa 840 BCE; however, the name of the Davidic king is not totally preserved, as much of the stele has not survived since the 9th century BCE. David was too young. David killed a lot of people in battle. One interpretation refers the blessing to the early ripening of the fruits in the territory of Benjamin, and the great fertility of the region of Jericho and Beth-el, and another refers the expression "wolf" to the altar of the Temple, which devoured the sacrifices in the morning and in the evening (Gen. R. The Exilarchate in the Sasanian Empire was briefly abolished as a result of revolt by the Mar-Zutra II in the late 5th century CE, with his son Mar-Zutra III being denied the office and relocating to Tiberias, then within the Byzantine Empire. Left-Handed Benjaminites and the Shadow of Saul - JSTOR Conclusion Joshua 18:21-27 gives a list of the many cities and towns contained within the territory of Benjamin and, included among them are Jebus (=Jerusalem) and Jericho. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. ; Targ. Deu. 4 and 3 respectively; Identifying Biblical Persons in Northwest Semitic Inscriptions of 1200539 B.C.E. The first king of this new entity was Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin (1 Samuel 9:12), which at the time was the smallest of the tribes. 1 Chronicles 21:6 But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the King Saul later broke the treaty that Joshua had signed and attacked the Gibeonites. He was later succeeded by his son, Solomon. The other 10 tribes were exiled from the Kingdom of . When David asked the Lord about the famine, God said, "It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained . Ruth 4:18 lists descendants of Judah as Perez, Hezron, Ram, Amminidab, Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz, Obed, Jesse, David (the tenth). At first the intention of the other tribes was to efface Benjamin completely, since the number of twelve tribes could be preserved through Ephraim and Manasseh; but they remembered God's promise to Jacob shortly before Benjamin's birth (Gen. xxxv. Friedmann, 146a) was privileged to have the Shekinah dwell in his territory because all the other tribes (that is, fathers of the tribes) had taken part in the selling of Joseph. or to Ehud or to Saul. 8). ", "Recent decades, for example, have seen a remarkable reevaluation of evidence concerning the conquest of the land of Canaan by Joshua. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Then, according to the book of Chronicles, some twenty years after the breakup of the United Monarchy, Abijah, the second king of Judah, defeated Jeroboam of Israel and took back the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages. He beheaded Goliath and took his weapons as trophies. When the captivity ended, the distinction between Benjamin and Judah was lost in favour of a common identity as Israel, though in the biblical book of Esther, Mordecai is referred to as being of the tribe of Benjamin,[5] and as late as the time of Jesus of Nazareth some (notably Paul the Apostle) still identified their Benjamite ancestry: If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised on the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.[6]. Was David responsible for Saul's insane order to slaughter everyone in the city of Nob (1 Sam. When Samuel anointed David, it didnt instantly make him king, but it did signal that he was the Lords chosen one, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David (1 Samuel 16:13). But David came to the Israelite camp to play music for Saul, and he heard Goliaths taunts. In the Blessing of Jacob, Benjamin is referred to as "a ravenous wolf";[8] traditional interpretations often considered this to refer to the might of a specific member of the tribe, either the champion Ehud, king Saul, or Mordecai of the Esther narrative, or in Christian circles, the apostle Paul. Israels first king, Saul, was a Benjamite and his appointment enhanced the prestige of the tribe. But then people started to see David as greater than Saul. [49], Another Christian interpretation emphasizes the minor, non-royal, line of David through Solomon's brother Nathan as it is recorded in the Gospel of Luke chapter 3 (entirely undocumented in the Hebrew Bible), which is often understood to be the family tree of Mary's father. The Israelite and Philistine armies lined up on opposing hills, Goliath taunted the Israelites and challenged them to decide the battle with a duel: him against one of them (1 Samuel 17:8-11). 23:2 prevented it. The Book of Judges recounts that the rape of the concubine of a member of the tribe of Levi, by a gang from the tribe of Benjamin resulted in a battle at Gibeah, in which the other tribes of Israel sought vengeance, and after which members of Benjamin were killed, including women and children. Kenneth Kitchen dates this conquest to just after 1200 BCE. I would add that 1 Samuel 8 -- specifically the exchange between Samuel, God, and the people in verses 6-22 -- provides a reasonable explanation. Because as an imperfect human, anointed by God to save and rule his people, David lays the foundation for Jesus Christthe only sinless human, whom God would use to save and rule all of humanity. In the Christian interpretation the "Davidic covenant" of a Davidic line in 2 Samuel 7 is understood in various ways, traditionally referring to the genealogies of Jesus in the New Testament. As a result, the number seven came to represent completion and perfection in every facet of ancient Jewish culture. Originally, the Levites did not have a land assigned to them, as their inheritance was the service to the Lord, and were scattered throughout all the . [10][11][12], The Bible recounts that Joshua assigned to Benjamin the territory between that of Ephraim to the north and Judah to the south, with the Jordan River as the eastern border, and included many historically important cities, such as Bethel, Gibeah, and encroached on the northern hills of Jerusalem. [8][c] Additionally, a tombstone dated to the Second Temple Period claiming to mark the grave (or, reburial) site of Uzziah, was discovered in a convent on the Mount of Olives in 1931, but there is no way of determining if the remains were genuinely Uzziah's as the stone had to have been carved more than 700 years after Uzziah died and was originally interred, and the tablet's provenance remains a mystery. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Forget your people and your fathers house. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom Yhwh hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? While modern readers tend to focus on Jesus birth in a manger, its important to consider the implications that this manger was in Bethlehema town the Jewish people associated with one of the biggest announcements in their history, where their most important king had his humble beginnings. 352); and in order to comfort Benjamin concerning his brother's fate, God showed him, while awake, Joseph's form and countenance (Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, Benjamin x.; compare Tan., ed. The tribe was named after the younger of two children born to Jacob (also called Israel) and his second wife, Rachel. Moses- Is Benjamin Netanyahu in direct lineage to King David? - Quora When David was crowned kingDavid was from the tribe of Judah (one of Leah's tribes)the Benjamites rebelled (2 Samuel 2-3). Historically the fulfillment is: "(when) the scepter is (finally given), it will not depart from Judah" Once it is taken from Benjamin and given to Judah, it will remain. The land of Gibeon would later be allotted to the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 21:17). ; J. It is very interesting the comment of John Gill (bold is mine): Some apply this to particular persons of this tribe, as to Saul the first king of Israel, who was of Benjamin; and who as soon as he took the kingdom of Israel, in the morning, in the beginning of that state, fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines, and the Amalekites, 1Sa 14:47 and to Mordecai and Esther, who were of the same tribe, who after the captivity, and in the evening of that state, divided the spoil of Haman, Est 8:1 this is observed by Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Ben Gersom. (John Gill, Exposition of the Bible; on Gen 49:27). The lives of Gods people were simply collateral damage in Davids effort to cover up his sin. The Davidic line or House of David (Hebrew: , romanized: Beit David) refers to the lineage of the Israelite king David through texts in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and through the succeeding centuries.. This was why he wasnt with his brothers when Samuel came to anoint the next king (1 Samuel 16:11). David was not the firstborn sona privileged position in Judaismand the authors were intent on working in the number seven, associating David with holiness and Gods perfect plan for his people. David knew all that, but he sent for her anyways, slept with her, and got her pregnant (2 Samuel 11:4-5). I'm just a layman but this is my analysis. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. 11.23: 'Thus Joshua conquered the whole country, just as the L. Rashi on Joshua 15:21; Babylonian Talmud, destruction of the northern kingdom by the Assyrians, Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on 2 Samuel 3, accessed 6 July 2017, "Early Israel in Recent Biblical Scholarship", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tribe_of_Benjamin&oldid=1138853522, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia without a Wikisource reference, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 12 February 2023, at 00:34. Benjamin, Joseph's brother, took no part in the selling of Joseph (Sifre, Deut. After Uzziah, each successive king of Judah is attested to in some form, with the exception of Amon of Judah: Jotham, Uzziah's successor, is named on the seals of his own son and successor, Ahaz,[9] who ruled from 732 to 716 BCE. The Tribe of Benjamin remained a part of the southern Kingdom of Judah. The other Israelite tribes were grieved at the near loss of the tribe of Benjamin. Why did Ahimaaz the son of Zadok run ahead of the Cushite to Only provide good news about War Victory, & Not the Bad News about Absalom's death? Hes also mentioned in several other books, and nearly half of the Psalms are attributed to him. King Saul of Israel: History & Timeline - Study.com So he sent Samuel to Jesse of Bethlehem, telling him I have chosen one of his sons to be king (1 Samuel 16:1). The Quran mentions the House of David once: "Work, O family of David, in gratitude. The tribe of Benjamin continued to oppose David being named as king. The descendants of Benjamin, it is true, did not always show themselves worthy of their ancestor, especially in connection with the incident at Gibeah (Judges xix.). Twins were born, one being Perez. [29] On another occasion, however, the Benjamites showed themselves worthy of their pious ancestor. Those who held the position traced their ancestry to the House of David in the male line. ; Num. Join our email list, and well send you some of our best free resourcesplus well tell you whenever we make something new. (Gen 49:10, I Sam 8-9), We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. Why was Israel accused of "evil" by seeking a king (1 Samuel 12, cf. The Tribe of Benjamin: Smallest, Youngest, but Incredibly Important in From this point on, the fortunes of Benjamin are tied up with those of Judah. A controversial artifact called the Jehoash Tablet recalls deeds performed by Jehoram of Judah, who reigned about 44 years before Uzziah; however, scholars are tensely divided on whether or not the inscription is genuine. Following his death, one of his sons named Ishbosheth was the second king who only ruled for two years. Generally, Benjamins territory lay between that of Judah on the S and that of the house of Joseph on the north. For example: Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, [7] Uzziah may also be mentioned in the annals of Tiglath-Pileser III; however, the texts are largely fragmentary. . her virgin companions follow her xxxviii.). [33][34] The patriarch of the Meisels family, Yitskhak Eizik Meisels, was an alleged 10th generation descendant of the Exilarch, Mar Ukba. As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing! 2 Samuel 11:11. they enter the palace of the king. Why is there a voltage on my HDMI and coaxial cables? 10 Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: xlii. David was around 15 years old when Samuel anointed him king in the midst of his brothers. History. In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In Jewish eschatology, the Messiah is a future Jewish king from the Davidic line, who is expected to rule the Jewish people during the Messianic Age and world to come. When they came to David with their good news, he had them executed for their crime. If God had initiated the kingship, I think He would have started with David. All except Judah followed him and Joab pursued him on behalf of David. The day on which the reconciliation took place between the tribes is said to have been the fifteenth of Ab, and for this reason it was made a festive day (ib. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. The Tree of Jesse (a reference to David' father) is a traditional Christian artistic representation of Jesus' genealogical connection to David. Tribe of Benjamin - Encyclopedia of The Bible - Bible Gateway But in the Bible, this isnt an underdog story. On the other hand, excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa[20] and Gath[21] were interpreted by some to show that Judah was capable of accommodating large-scale urban societies centuries before minimalist scholars claim, and some have taken the physical archaeology of tenth-century Canaan as consistent with the former existence of a unified state on its territory,[22] as archaeological findings demonstrate substantial development and growth at several sites, plausibly related to the tenth century. Benjamins position was on the W side of the Tabernacle along with Ephraim and Manasseh, the leader of the tribe at this time being Abidan the son of Gideoni (2:22). Origen ("In Genesim," xlii. The kingdom fell to the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 587/6 BCE. A special feature of the Benjamite warriors was that they were completely ambidexterous, being able to handle the sling equally well with either hand (Judg 20:16; 1 Chron 8:40; 12:2). Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. Some have thought that the origin of the tribe is to be found in the Binu (or Maru) yamina of the 18th cent. 22:24, 28), and therefore of the royal line of David. And it was time for God to choose someone else. (1906) "Benjamin," in the, "Besides the rejection of the Albrightian 'conquest' model, the general consensus among OT scholars is that the Book of Joshua has no value in the historical reconstruction. His great-grandson Simeon ben Gamliel became one of the Jewish leaders during the First JewishRoman War.[27]. [38][39], In 2012, The Jerusalem Post reported that philanthropist Susan Roth created Davidic Dynasty as subsidiary of her Eshet Chayil Foundation, dedicated to finding, databasing, and connecting Davidic descendants and running the King David Legacy Center in Jerusalem. 2. As Davids fame as a warrior grew, Saul feared him more and more. The tribe descended from Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob.

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