BENJAMIN: Difference between revisions

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|Lehite PN
|'''[[:Category:Lehite PN|Lehite PN]]'''
|Son of Mosiah I, prophet-king in Zarahemla, ca. 200–121 BC (Omni 23; Helaman 5:9)
|1.
|Son of [[MOSIAH|M<small>OSIAH</small>]] I, prophet-king in [[ZARAHEMLA|Z<small>ARAHEMLA</small>]], ca. 200–121 BC ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/omni/1.23,%2024,%2025?lang=eng#22 Omni 1:23, 24 (x2), 25]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/w-of-m/1.3,%2010,%2011,%2012,%2013,%2016,%2017,%2018?lang=eng#2 Words of Mormon 1:3 (x2), 10 (x2), 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/1.1,%208,%209,%2015?lang=eng#primary Mosiah 1:1 (x2), 8, 9, 15]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/2.1,%206,%207?lang=eng#primary 2:1, 6, 7]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/4.1,%203,%204?lang=eng#primary 4:1, 3, 4]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/5.1,%206?lang=eng#primary 5:1, 6]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/6.1,%203,%205?lang=eng#primary 6:1, 3, 5]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/8.3?lang=eng#2 8:3]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/26.1?lang=eng#primary 26:1]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/29.13?lang=eng#12 29:13]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/5.9?lang=eng#8 Helaman 5:9])
|}
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For the etymology see the standard biblical commentaries.
'''Etymology'''


Notes
For the etymology of '''B<small>ENJAMIN</small>''' בנימין see the standard biblical commentaries, which usually suggest the meaning “son of the right (hand)” ([http://lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/35.18?lang=eng#17 Genesis 35:18]).<ref>[https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/benjamin?lang=eng&letter=b LDS “Bible Dictionary,” ''Benjamin''].</ref>  This interpretation is derived from the [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] for "son," ''bēn'' and from the usual word in [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] for “right,” ימין ''yāmîn''. However, because the Middle Bronze Age tribes attested in the archives of Mari, the Sim’al and Yamina (the former cognate with the [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] word for “left,” ''śĕmōʾl'', and the latter cognate with the [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] word for “right,” ''yāmîn'') occupied the land north and south of each other respectively in the Euphrates River valley, it has been popular to interpret [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] ''yāmîn'' as “south,” yielding the meaning "son of the south" for '''B<small>ENJAMIN</small>'''. The fact that '''B<small>ENJAMIN</small>''' was the only son of [[ISRAEL|I<small>SRAEL</small>]] to be born in what became the land of [[ISRAEL|I<small>SRAEL</small>]], which is south of Aram-Naharaim, has been seized upon to support the idea that '''B<small>ENJAMIN</small>''' means “son of the south.”<ref>For a dated but useful and succinct discussion of the biblical name '''B<small>ENJAMIN</small>''', see E. A. Speiser, ''Genesis'', Anchor Bible 1 (Garden City NY: Doubleday, 1964), 273-74.  For a discussion of the philologic evidence of the Yamina tribe in Mari, see Wolfgang Heimpel, ''Letters to the King of Mari'' (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 603-4.</ref>


If the usual etymology of Benjamin as bin yāmīn, “son of the right (hand),” is accepted, and given the fact that the Hebrews used many puns and plays on words (at least  
If the usual etymology of '''B<small>ENJAMIN</small>''' (''binyāmîn'' < ''bēn yāmîn''), “son of the right (hand),” is accepted, and given the fact that the [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREWS</small>]] used many puns and plays on words (at least in parts of the Old Testament), then a possible play on words appears in King <b>B<small>ENJAMIN</small></b>’s speech: “Ye shall be called the children of [[CHRIST|C<small>HRIST</small>]] [the possible underlying word on the plates, ''bĕnê ham-māšîaḥ'', contains a near homonym to [[MOSIAH|M<small>OSIAH</small>]]’s name], his sons, and his daughters” ([http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/5.7?lang=eng#6 Mosiah 5:7]); “whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand [possible underlying word, ''bîmīn''] of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called” ([http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/5.9?lang=eng#8 Mosiah 5:9]); “whosoever shall not . . . he findeth himself on the left hand of God” ([http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/5.10?lang=eng#9 Mosiah 5:10]).  In [http://lds.org/scriptures/ot/ezek/21.22?lang=eng#21 Ezekiel 21:22] (21:27 in the [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] text), “at his right hand” is ''bîmînô''. However, in other passages in [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] Bible, “at the right hand” is rendered differently. In [http://lds.org/scriptures/ot/ps/109.31?lang=eng#30 Psalms 109:31], “at the right hand” is written ''lîmîn'', not ''bîmîn''. And in [http://lds.org/scriptures/ot/zech/3.1?lang=eng#primary Zechariah 3:1], “at his right hand” is ''ʿal-yĕmînô''.
in parts of the Old Testament), then a possible play on words appears in King Benjamin’s speech: “Ye shall be called the children of Christ [Nephite Vorlage possibly
similar to Hebrew benē ham-mešîaḥ, with a near homonym to Mosiah’s name], his sons, and his daughters” (Mosiah 5:7); “. . .whosoever doeth this shall be found at the  
right hand [bîmīn] of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called” (Mosiah 5:9); “. . .whosoever shall not . . . he findeth himself on the left hand of God” (Mosiah 
5:10) (RFS). However, if a Hebrew Vorlage for “at the right hand” is assumed, then bîmīn may not be the correct form. Note that in Psalms 109:31, “at the right hand of the
poor” is written lymyn ʾbywn, not bymyn. In Ezekiel 21:22 (21:27 in Tanakh), “At his right hand” is bymynw. And in Zechariah 3:1, “at his right hand” is ʿl-ymynw.


[[Category:Names]]
'''Variants'''
 
'''[[Deseret Alphabet]]:''' 𐐒𐐇𐐤𐐖𐐈𐐣𐐆𐐤 (bɛndʒæmɪn)
 
'''Notes'''
----
<references/>
[[Category:Names]][[Category:Lehite PN]]
 
<div style="text-align: center;"> [[BATH|<<]] Benjamin [[BETHABARA|>>]] </div>
 
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Latest revision as of 03:56, 6 July 2023

Lehite PN 1. Son of MOSIAH I, prophet-king in ZARAHEMLA, ca. 200–121 BC (Omni 1:23, 24 (x2), 25; Words of Mormon 1:3 (x2), 10 (x2), 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18; Mosiah 1:1 (x2), 8, 9, 15; 2:1, 6, 7; 4:1, 3, 4; 5:1, 6; 6:1, 3, 5; 8:3; 26:1; 29:13; Helaman 5:9)

Etymology

For the etymology of BENJAMIN בנימין see the standard biblical commentaries, which usually suggest the meaning “son of the right (hand)” (Genesis 35:18).[1] This interpretation is derived from the HEBREW for "son," bēn and from the usual word in HEBREW for “right,” ימין yāmîn. However, because the Middle Bronze Age tribes attested in the archives of Mari, the Sim’al and Yamina (the former cognate with the HEBREW word for “left,” śĕmōʾl, and the latter cognate with the HEBREW word for “right,” yāmîn) occupied the land north and south of each other respectively in the Euphrates River valley, it has been popular to interpret HEBREW yāmîn as “south,” yielding the meaning "son of the south" for BENJAMIN. The fact that BENJAMIN was the only son of ISRAEL to be born in what became the land of ISRAEL, which is south of Aram-Naharaim, has been seized upon to support the idea that BENJAMIN means “son of the south.”[2]

If the usual etymology of BENJAMIN (binyāmîn < bēn yāmîn), “son of the right (hand),” is accepted, and given the fact that the HEBREWS used many puns and plays on words (at least in parts of the Old Testament), then a possible play on words appears in King BENJAMIN’s speech: “Ye shall be called the children of CHRIST [the possible underlying word on the plates, bĕnê ham-māšîaḥ, contains a near homonym to MOSIAH’s name], his sons, and his daughters” (Mosiah 5:7); “whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand [possible underlying word, bîmīn] of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called” (Mosiah 5:9); “whosoever shall not . . . he findeth himself on the left hand of God” (Mosiah 5:10). In Ezekiel 21:22 (21:27 in the HEBREW text), “at his right hand” is bîmînô. However, in other passages in HEBREW Bible, “at the right hand” is rendered differently. In Psalms 109:31, “at the right hand” is written lîmîn, not bîmîn. And in Zechariah 3:1, “at his right hand” is ʿal-yĕmînô.

Variants

Deseret Alphabet: 𐐒𐐇𐐤𐐖𐐈𐐣𐐆𐐤 (bɛndʒæmɪn)

Notes


  1. LDS “Bible Dictionary,” Benjamin.
  2. For a dated but useful and succinct discussion of the biblical name BENJAMIN, see E. A. Speiser, Genesis, Anchor Bible 1 (Garden City NY: Doubleday, 1964), 273-74. For a discussion of the philologic evidence of the Yamina tribe in Mari, see Wolfgang Heimpel, Letters to the King of Mari (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 603-4.
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