What were the two names given to Rachel's son in Genesis 35?
In Genesis 35, Rachel, while dying in hard labor, named her son Ben-Oni, meaning son of my suffering or sorrow. Jacob renamed him Ben-Jamin, meaning son of my right hand, strength, or power. Thus the two names were Ben-Oni and Ben-Jamin.
Les explains from Genesis 35:17-18 that as Rachel was in hard labor and her soul was departing, the midwife told her, "Fear not, thou shalt have this son also." Rachel named the child Ben-Oni, which in Hebrew meant the son of my suffering, sorrow, or heartbreak, because she was dying. Jacob then called him Ben-Jamin, meaning in the Hebrew the son of my right hand, or the son of strength, the son of power. Les also notes that ancient rabbis studied this and some 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.
And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.
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