And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni. But his father called him Benjamin.
Parallel translations
- WEB As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.
- KJV And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.
- NKJV And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
- NASB And it came about, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
- NLT Rachel was about to die, but with her last breath she named the baby Ben-oni (which means “son of my sorrow”). The baby’s father, however, called him Benjamin (which means “son of my right hand”).
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Dying, Rachel names her son Benoni, 'son of my sorrow,' but Jacob names him Benjamin, 'son of the right hand.'
Overview
With her last breath Rachel names the child for her grief, but Jacob renames him Benjamin, a name of strength and favor. The contrast between the two names captures both the sorrow of her death and hope for the child's future. Benjamin becomes the twelfth son, completing the sons who father the tribes of Israel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Luke 23:46Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this, He breathed His last.
- Luke 12:20But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’
- Acts 7:59While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
- 1 Chr 4:9Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”
- 1 Sam 4:20–21As she was dying, the women attending to her said, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son!” But she did not respond or pay any heed.
- Gen 30:1When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.
- Gen 44:27–31And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
- Ps 16:10For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.
- Exod 12:7They are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs.
- Ps 80:17Let Your hand be upon the man at Your right hand, on the son of man You have raised up for Yourself.
- Lam 2:12They cry out to their mothers: “Where is the grain and wine?” as they faint like the wounded in the streets of the city, as their lives fade away in the arms of their mothers.
- Gen 42:4But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm might befall him.”
- Gen 42:38But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”
- Gen 43:14May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 35:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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