Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Fw: Re: Names of Rachel's Second-Born Son

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: jimstinehart AT aol.com
  • To: yishalom AT sbcglobal.net, b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Cc: George.Athas AT moore.edu.au
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Fw: Re: Names of Rachel's Second-Born Son
  • Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 23:17:33 -0400 (EDT)


Something seems askew here. In chapter 35 of Genesis, Jacob calls Rachel’s
second-born son BN-YMYN, “Son of my Right Hand”. And we have an entire
chapter of Genesis, chapter 48, which is all about on which one “son”/BN of
Rachel’s firstborn son Joseph that Jacob will place Jacob’s “right
hand”/YMYN. Yet to the best of my knowledge, no analysis of the name BN-YMYN
that Jacob gives to Rachel’s second-born son at Genesis 35: 18 ever mentions
how Jacob uses his “right hand”/YMYN in chapter 48 of Genesis to select one
“son”/BN of Rachel’s firstborn son Joseph to have the finer inheritance. Why
is the name BN-YMYN/“Son of my Right Hand” never connected to the placing by
Jacob of his “right hand”/YMYN on one “son”/BN in chapter 48 of Genesis?

Here are the relevant verses from chapter 48 of Genesis:

[13] “And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand/YMYN toward
Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right
hand/YMYN, and brought [them] near unto him. [14] And Israel stretched out
his right hand/YMYN, and laid [it] upon Ephraim's head, who [was] the
younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly;
for Manasseh [was] the firstborn. … [17] And when Joseph saw that his father
laid his right hand/YMYN upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he
held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's
head. [18] And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this [is]
the firstborn; put thy right hand/YMYN upon his head. [19] And his father
refused, and said, I know [it], my son, I know [it]: he also shall become a
people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be
greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. [20] And
he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God
make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.”

Why is it that none of the analyses of Genesis ever seems to mention the
foregoing story of Jacob placing his “right hand”/YMYN on one “son”/BN of
Rachel’s firstborn son Joseph in chapter 48 of Genesis in analyzing the name
BN-YMYN/“Son of my Right Hand” that Jacob gives to Rachel’s second-born son
at Genesis 35: 18?

Jim Stinehart
Evanston, Illinois







Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page