Why did Rachel name her son Ben-Oni?
Rachel named her son Ben-Oni because she was dying after hard labor; in Hebrew the name meant son of my suffering, or of my sorrow, my heartbreak. She named him from her own anguish, while Jacob called him Benjamin, meaning son of my right hand, strength, or power.
Les teaches that Genesis 35:17–18 records Rachel dying in childbirth for the little babe Benjamin. As her soul was departing, she called his name Ben-Oni. Les explains that Ben-Oni in Hebrew meant the son of my suffering, or of my sorrow, my heartbreak, because she was dying and had hard labor. Jacob, however, named him Benjamin, which in Hebrew meant the son of my right hand, or the son of strength, the son of power. Les adds that ancient rabbis studied the two names and some concluded they pictured two messiahs—a suffering messiah, Ben-Oni, and a ruling messiah, Benjamin—not seeing both embodied in the one and only Messiah.
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.
More Questions
Who named Rachel's son Benjamin?
Les explains from Genesis 35:17-18 that Rachel was dying in childbirth with the babe Benjamin. The midwife told her, "Fear not, thou shalt have this son also." As her soul was departing, Rachel called his name Ben-Oni, which in the Hebrew meant the son of my suffering, sorrow, or heartbreak, because she was dying after hard labor. But Jacob called him Benjamin, which meant in the Hebrew the son of my right hand, or the son of strength, the son of power. Les also notes that some ancient rabbis studied this and concluded it pictured two messiahs: a suffering messiah, Ben-Oni, and a ruling messiah, Ben-Jamin. They could not picture both being embodied in the one and only Messiah.
What does the name Benjamin mean in Hebrew?
Benjamin in Hebrew means 'the son of my right hand' or 'the son of strength, the son of power.'