Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Harold R. Holmyard III" <hholmyard AT ont.com>]

Dear Yigal,

> While I have no argument with all of your examples of sons' being their
> fathers' "right hand", where in the Jacob story do you find that Benjamin
> ever filled this role?

HH: First, the naming expresses the father's 
intentions or hopes for the child. It need not be 
a prophecy. However, Jacob did demonstrate a 
special protective care for Benjamin. He would 
not let him go with his brothers to Egypt for 
grain:

Gen. 42:4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, 
Joseph's brother, with the others, because he was 
afraid that harm might come to him.

HH: Then when Joseph demanded that the youngest 
brother be produced, and the others returned to 
Jacob and told him, this happened:

Gen. 42:36 Their father Jacob said to them,  "You 
have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no 
more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to 
take Benjamin. Everything is against me!"
Gen. 42:37 ¶ Then Reuben said to his father, 
"You may put both of my sons to death if I do not 
bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, 
and I will bring him back."
Gen. 42:38 ¶ But Jacob said,  "My son will not go 
down there with you; his brother is dead and he 
is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the 
journey you are taking, you will bring my gray 
head down to the grave in sorrow."

                                Yours,
                                Harold Holmyard





> Yigal
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