BENJAMIN

Lehite PN

1.

Son of Mosiah I, prophet-king in Zarahemla, ca. 200–121 BC (Omni 1:23; Helaman 5:9)

For the etymology see the standard biblical commentaries.

Notes

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 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.