Journey Through The Scriptures

We could almost draw a line through the family record of Jacob, and put Joseph and Benjamin on one side opposite their ten brothers. Their mother was Jacob’s favorite wife, Rachel, and so these two became his favorite sons. Our next study book will explore the lives of Joseph and his own sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, whose families attained tribal status in Israel. The story many people are familiar with is Joseph and his special coat, a gift from Jacob to signal Joseph’s favored status – which soon cost him his freedom. But God was at work to save Jacob’s family, and actually the nation of Israel, from a deadly famine by Joseph’s exile to Egypt.

Benjamin’s birth cost Rachel her life, so it is understandable why Jacob’s youngest son was very dear to him. Rachel named him Ben-Oni,�“son of my sorrow,”�in her suffering. But Jacob renamed him Benjamin,�“son of the right hand.”�Benjamin’s birth was an answer to Rachel’s prayer for another son (Genesis 30:24). She made this prayer when Joseph was born, and his name indicated Rachel’s belief and hope in God’s answer: Joseph means�“may the Lord add.”