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"Benjamin is a wolf that tears in pieces, in the morning he devours the prey and in the evening, he divides the spoil."
Genesis 49:27
BACKGROUND OF THE TRIBE:
Benjamin means "Son of My Right Hand." He was the last son of the patriarch Jacob and his wife Rachel, who died at this son's birth in approximately 1875 B.C. Benjamin was the only one of Jacob's sons born in Palestine between Bethel and Ephrath.
His mother wanted to name him: BEN-ONI, "Son of My Sorrow." But his father had different ideas for his infant son, naming him "The Son of My Right Hand." (Genesis 35:18) The man Benjamin was the ancestral source or head of the tribe of Benjamin.
He was the younger brother of Joseph, with 10 other siblings being through Jacob's first-wife Leah. He himself became the father of 10 sons, who are names in Genesis 46:21
In God's inspired prophetic blessing pronounced through Jacob, in Genesis 49:27; Benjamin is likened to a "wolf that ravens in the morning," and "in the evening devours the spoil." The wolf here is ZEEB in the Hebrew.
In Palestine, the wolf is a rather large, light colored dog. Unlike those of the Western world, they do not hunt in packs, but they more resemble the proverbial "lone wolf," which you may have heard about. They are nocturnal in character with a readiness to destroy.
For these reasons, God likens the man and the tribe of Benjamin to a wolf, for they were "fierce warriors," whose war-like courage made them men of great reknown. It was a bravery seen not only in their warfare against the foreign nations, but in civil wars against the wickedness of the other tribes of Israel themselves, when there was sin in the camp.
They were bold and unintimidated, if need be; such as in the case of the sin in Gibeah mentioned in Judges 20, as well as on other occasions. Judges 5:14, 1 Sam. 9:21, 1 Kings 2:8, Judges 3:15, 19:16-25, 20:1
WHAT DOES IT MEAN "BENJAMIN SHALL RAVEN?"
The word "ravin or raven" simply means
"To seek to plunder or prey, to eat, or feed voraciously. To seize or spoil or prey. To devour plunder eagerly.
The prophetic blessing of Jacob which states that "Benjamin shall
The tribe of Banjamin had many distinguished slingers and
archers such as in Judges 20:16, where we read of 700
"left-handed" slingers who could sling stones at a hair and not miss! One such
Benjamite by the name of Ulam, had 150 sons and grandsons who were expert
archers. (1 Chron 8:40) while King Asa had an army comprised of 280,000 valient
warriors from the tribe of Benjamin. (2 Chron. 14:8, 17:7)
We see this type of bold, courageous and unintimidated spirit in the
left-handed judge Ehud and in the Psalmist David's ode of honour to the warlike
bravery of Saul the first king of Israel, and his son Jonathan who jeopardized
their lives in the high places. (2 Sam. 1:19-27) For they too sprang from this
heroic tribe.
At the time of the Exodus, Benjamin was comprised of 35,400 and their place
or position was with the standard of Ephraim, on the west of the tabernacle.
(Numbers 2:22) They numbered among the spies sent into Palestine in Numbers
13:9, sending the warrior Palti, the son of Raphu. (Num. 13:9) And at the
division of the land, Elidad, son of Chislon. (Num 34:21)
THE STRATEGIC PLACEMENT OF THE
TRIBE:
Benjamin held the main avenues of approach to the highlands,
from the east and the west, by which Joshua led Israel past Ai, from Gilgal; as
well as the longer ascents from the west, along which the battle was so often
fought in the valley of Aijalon.
Nehemiah gives the Valley of Hinnom as their southern boundary. They also sat
astride a great highway connecting north and south which was a district calling
for bravery and war-like courage; hence the multitude of skilled archers and
slingers who cultivated the use of both of their hands, giving them the distinct
advantage in battle. (Judges 20:16, 1 Chron. 8:40, 12:2) These charactristics
are reflected in the blessing spoken by Jacob on their behalf. (Gen. 49:27)
They fought in the days of Deborah and Barak when the captain of
Jabin's army named Sisera. (Judges 5:14)
THE HISTORY OF THE TRIBE:
When Israel entered Canaan, the portion of land allotted to Benjamin was in
direct proportion to it's small number, encompassing the districts of Ephraim,
Dan, and Judah in central Palestine. We see it's boundaries described in Joshua
18:11-20
It was a highly cultivated area, with 36 townships, among which we find
Jericho, (that ancient city which was conquered under the direction of the
Almighty) Bethel, (Whose name means "House of Bread") Gibeon, Ramah, (famous for
it's prophets) Jerusalem, (capital of Judah) and Bethagla. The first group of
cities mentioned in Joshua 18:21-25, were cities taken by conquest. The latter,
in Joshua 18:25-28 were occuppied in accordance with a treaty described in
Joshua 9.
IN THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM:
When the kingdom of Israel split after the death of Solomon, the tribe of
Benjamin espoused the cause of Judah, forming together with it, a united kingdom
in themselves. We read of them in such a close proximity as to be included under
the single term "JUDAH." (1 Kings 11:13, 12:20)
"They chose themselves wives at one time at least, from among the dancers of
Shiloh, i.e. those women who danced in the fields of Shiloh at harvest time."
