The tribe of Benjamin occupied the smallest territory of all the tribes. Yet, it played a significant role in Israelite history. Saul, Israel's first king, was a Benjamite. Furthermore, the city of Jerusalem was near the border between the territories of Benjamin and Judah and may have been in Benjamin originally (Joshua 18:16; Judges 1:21 ). Benjamin's appetite for territory may be seen in Jacob's blessing (Genesis 49:27 ). Moses' blessing highlights Benjamin's special place in God's care (Deuteronomy 33:12 ). Late in the period of the judges, Benjamin almost disappeared from history when they mistreated a Levite and his concubine (Judges 19-21 ).
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul proudly proclaimed his heritage in the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1; Philippians 3:5 ). See Tribes of Israel; Patriarchs.
The product of over 6 years of work by hundreds of people, the Holman Bible Dictionary manages to be readable and easy to use, yet take advantage of the finest modern Bible scholarship without heavy technical language. The over 6,600 entries includes extensive cross-referencing of related articles, and quotes from 6 different Bible translations.Wikipedia
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