Genesis 35:18

Translation
King James Version
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.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And it came to pass, as her soul H5315 was in departing H3318,(for she died H4191) that she called H7121 his name H8034 Benoni H1126: but his father H1 called H7121 him Benjamin H1144.
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Complete Jewish Bible
But she died in childbirth. As she was dying she named her son Ben-Oni [son of my grief], but his father called him Binyamin [son of the right hand, son of the south].
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Berean Standard Bible
And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni. But his father called him Benjamin.
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American Standard Version
And it came to pass, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.
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World English Bible Messianic
As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Then as she was about to yeelde vp the Ghost (for she died) she called his name Ben-oni, but his father called him Beniamin.
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Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass in the going out of her soul (for she died), that she calleth his name Ben-Oni; and his father called him Benjamin;
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See also
Acts 7:591 Chronicles 4:9Luke 23:46Genesis 30:1Psalms 16:10Lamentations 2:12Exodus 12:7
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Genesis 35:16-19
Genesis 35:16-19 View full PDF

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In the KJVVerse 1,030 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Genesis 35:18 poignantly narrates the death of Rachel during the arduous birth of her second son near Ephrath. In her final moments, overwhelmed by pain, she names him "Benoni," meaning "son of my sorrow." However, Jacob, her devoted husband, immediately renames the child "Benjamin," signifying "son of my right hand," thereby transforming a legacy of grief into one of strength, honor, and future blessing, and completing the foundational lineage of the twelve tribes of Israel.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is situated within a significant transitional period in Jacob's life, following his return to the Promised Land after wrestling with God at Peniel and his reconciliation with Esau. The preceding verses in Genesis 35 recount God's reaffirmation of the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob at Bethel, commanding him to be fruitful and multiply, and promising that nations and kings would come from him. The narrative then shifts to Jacob's journey towards Ephrath, marked by the tragic loss of Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, and culminating in Rachel's death. This sorrowful event is immediately followed by Reuben's transgression and the listing of Jacob's twelve sons, emphasizing the completion of the patriarchal family unit despite the pain.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Childbirth in the ancient Near East was often perilous, with high mortality rates for both mother and child. Rachel's difficult labor and subsequent death were not uncommon tragedies of the time, highlighting the harsh realities of life. The act of naming a child was profoundly significant, often reflecting the circumstances of birth, the parents' emotions, or a prophetic hope for the child's future. The "right hand" (Hebrew: yamin) held immense cultural symbolism, representing strength, authority, honor, favor, and a position of blessing or power. Kings and honored guests sat at the right hand, and blessings were often bestowed with the right hand, as seen in Jacob's blessing of Ephraim over Manasseh.
  • Key Themes: Genesis 35 is rich with themes central to the patriarchal narratives. Divine Sovereignty and Covenant Fulfillment are paramount, as God continues to guide Jacob and fulfill His promise of a numerous offspring, even through sorrowful events like Rachel's death, which paradoxically completes the twelve-son lineage. The Significance of Naming is powerfully demonstrated, showing how names can convey immediate emotional states or enduring prophetic declarations of identity and destiny. The contrast between Rachel's "Benoni" and Jacob's "Benjamin" underscores the theme of Sorrow and Hope, illustrating how human grief can coexist with divine purpose and the transformation of tragedy into blessing, a recurring motif in the biblical narrative (e.g., Joseph's story).

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • nephesh (Hebrew, nephesh', H5315): This word, translated as "soul" in the phrase "as her soul was in departing," refers to a breathing creature, vitality, or life. In this context, it vividly describes Rachel's life force ebbing away, her very being departing from her body as she succumbs to the pain of childbirth. It emphasizes the profound and final nature of her death, as her animating principle leaves her.
  • Ben-ʼÔwnîy (Hebrew, Ben-ʼÔwnîy', H1126): This is the name "Benoni," meaning "son of my sorrow." It is a compound word derived from ben (son) and ʼâven (trouble, sorrow, mischief, or even vanity/futility). Rachel's choice of this name is a raw, immediate, and deeply personal expression of her agonizing pain, the tragic circumstances of her death, and perhaps even a lament over the brevity and hardship of her life. It encapsulates the profound grief and suffering of a dying mother.
  • Binyâmîyn (Hebrew, Binyâmîyn', H1144): This is the name "Benjamin," meaning "son of (the) right hand." This name, given by Jacob, carries immense symbolic weight. The "right hand" (Hebrew: yamin) signifies strength, honor, favor, authority, and blessing. Jacob's renaming transforms the child's identity from one defined by sorrow to one imbued with strength, a favored position, and a hopeful future. It reflects Jacob's faith and his desire to bestow a legacy of blessing rather than pain upon his youngest son.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died)": This clause describes the climactic moment of Rachel's death during childbirth. The phrase "her soul was in departing" vividly portrays the final struggle of life leaving the body, emphasizing the agony and the irreversible nature of her demise. The parenthetical "for she died" confirms the tragic outcome, underscoring the profound loss for Jacob and his family.
  • "that she called his name Benoni": In her final, agonizing moments, Rachel exercises her dying wish by naming her newborn son. Her choice, "Benoni" ("son of my sorrow"), is a poignant and immediate reflection of her overwhelming pain and the sorrowful circumstances of his birth. This act reveals the depth of her suffering and her perception of the event as a tragic culmination.
  • "but his father called him Benjamin.": In stark contrast to Rachel's dying lament, Jacob immediately intervenes to rename the child. His choice, "Benjamin" ("son of the right hand"), is a deliberate act of transforming the child's identity from one of sorrow to one of strength, blessing, and honor. This renaming asserts Jacob's paternal authority and his hopeful outlook, redirecting the narrative from grief to a future imbued with favor and purpose within the covenant lineage.

Literary Devices

The verse powerfully employs Contrast to highlight the opposing perspectives of Rachel and Jacob in the face of tragedy. Rachel's name "Benoni" (son of sorrow) stands in stark opposition to Jacob's "Benjamin" (son of the right hand), creating a tension between immediate grief and enduring hope. This contrast is further amplified by Symbolism, particularly in the meaning of "right hand," which universally represents strength, honor, and favor, transforming a birth marked by death into one imbued with future significance. The narrative also uses Foreshadowing by establishing Benjamin's name as one of strength and favor, hinting at the future prominence of his tribe, known for its warriors and for producing Israel's first king. Finally, the act of Naming itself serves as a crucial literary device, as the names chosen reflect character, circumstance, and destiny, emphasizing their profound significance in biblical narratives.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Genesis 35:18 offers a profound theological reflection on the interplay of human suffering and divine sovereignty. Rachel's dying act of naming her son "Benoni" ("son of my sorrow") is a raw, honest expression of human grief and the reality of pain in a fallen world. Yet, Jacob's immediate renaming of the child to "Benjamin" ("son of the right hand") serves as a powerful testament to faith and hope, transforming a moment of profound loss into one of future blessing and strength. This narrative underscores that even in the midst of tragedy, God's overarching redemptive plan continues to unfold, bringing forth new life and purpose. The completion of Jacob's twelve sons, despite the sorrow of Rachel's death, signifies the faithful progression of God's covenant promises, ensuring the lineage through which the nation of Israel would be established.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The poignant narrative of Benjamin's birth in Genesis 35:18 offers a powerful lens through which to view our own experiences of sorrow and hope. Rachel's naming of "Benoni" reminds us that it is natural and human to acknowledge and express our pain, grief, and the profound impact of life's tragedies. Her raw honesty validates our own struggles. However, Jacob's subsequent renaming of the child to "Benjamin" provides a profound spiritual counterpoint. It challenges us to look beyond immediate pain, to exercise faith, and to trust in God's ability to transform our deepest sorrows into sources of strength, blessing, and renewed purpose. This passage encourages us to embrace a perspective that, while acknowledging the reality of suffering, also actively seeks and proclaims God's redemptive work, believing that He can bring good out of even the most difficult circumstances. It invites us to consider how we might rename our own "Benoni" moments with the "Benjamin" of God's grace and future hope, trusting that our identity and destiny are ultimately defined by His sovereign plan, not by our pain.

Questions for Reflection

  • How do you typically respond to moments of profound sorrow or loss in your life? Do you tend to dwell on the "Benoni" or seek the "Benjamin"?
  • In what ways can acknowledging pain (like Rachel) be a necessary step before moving towards hope (like Jacob)?
  • Can you identify a "Benoni" moment in your past that God has transformed into a "Benjamin" blessing? What did that transformation look like?
  • How does the symbolism of the "right hand" encourage you to trust in God's strength and favor, even when circumstances seem bleak?

FAQ

Why did Rachel name her son "Benoni" and what does it mean?

Answer: Rachel named her son "Benoni" (Hebrew: Ben-ʼÔwnîy) in her dying moments. This name literally means "son of my sorrow" or "son of my pain." It was a direct and poignant expression of her overwhelming agony during childbirth and her realization that she was dying. It reflects the immediate, profound grief and suffering she experienced in those final moments.

Why did Jacob rename his son "Benjamin" and what is its significance?

Answer: Jacob renamed his son "Benjamin" (Hebrew: Binyâmîyn) immediately after Rachel's death. This name means "son of the right hand." Jacob's renaming was a deliberate act to transform the legacy of sorrow into one of hope, strength, honor, and blessing. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the "right hand" symbolized power, favor, and a position of authority and privilege. By renaming him Benjamin, Jacob bestowed a name that looked forward to a positive future and a favored place within the family and the unfolding covenant, ensuring the child's identity was not solely defined by the tragedy of his birth.

Does this passage suggest that God causes sorrow or death?

Answer: This passage highlights the reality of suffering and death in a fallen world, even within the lives of those chosen by God. While God is sovereign over all events, including life and death, the text does not attribute Rachel's death to a specific punitive act of God. Instead, it demonstrates how God's overarching plan of redemption and covenant fulfillment continues to unfold even amidst human tragedy. The birth of Benjamin, despite the sorrow, completes the lineage of the twelve tribes, showing how God can work through difficult circumstances to achieve His purposes and transform sorrow into a path for future blessing, as seen in Joseph's later declaration in Genesis 50:20.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The poignant narrative of Benjamin's birth and renaming powerfully prefigures the person and work of Jesus Christ. Just as Benjamin was born of profound sorrow yet renamed "Son of the Right Hand," Jesus, the true Son, entered a world steeped in pain and ultimately experienced the deepest sorrow and suffering, even death on the cross, to bring forth new life and eternal hope for humanity. He is the ultimate "man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" as prophesied in Isaiah 53:3. Yet, through His resurrection and ascension, Christ is now exalted to the right hand of God, a position of ultimate power, honor, and blessing, as affirmed in Hebrews 1:3 and Romans 8:34. Through His sacrifice, Christ transforms our "Benoni" moments of pain, sin, and death into "Benjamin" moments of spiritual strength, new identity, and eternal life, fulfilling God's ultimate covenant promise to bring blessing to all nations through His lineage and reign.

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Commentary on Genesis 35 verses 16–20

We have here the story of the death of Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob. 1. She fell in travail by the way, not able to reach to Bethlehem, the next town, though they were near it; so suddenly does pain sometimes come upon a woman in travail, which she cannot escape, or put off. We may suppose Jacob had soon a tent up, convenient enough for her reception. 2. Her pains were violent. She had hard labour, harder than usual: this was the effect of sin, Gen 3:16. Note, Human life begins with sorrow, and the roses of its joy are surrounded with thorns. 3. The midwife encouraged her, Gen 35:17. No doubt she had her midwife with her, ready at hand, yet that would not secure her. Rachel had said, when she bore Joseph, God shall add another son, which now the midwife remembers, and tells her her words were made good. Yet this did not avail to keep up her spirits; unless God command away fear, no one else can. He only says as one having authority, Fear not. We are apt, in extreme perils, to comfort ourselves and our friends with the hopes of a temporal deliverance, in which we may be disappointed; we had better found our comforts on that which cannot fail us, the hope of eternal life. 4. Her travail was to the life of the child, but to her own death. Note, Though the pains and perils of childbearing were introduced by sin, yet they have sometimes been fatal to very holy women, who, though not saved in childbearing, are saved through it with an everlasting salvation. Rachel had passionately said, Give me children, or else I die; and now that she had children (for this was her second) she died. Her dying is here called the departing of her soul. Note, The death of the body is but the departure of the soul to the world of spirits. 5. Her dying lips called her new-born son Ben-oni, The son of my sorrow. And many a son, not born in such hard labour, yet proves the son of his parent's sorrow, and the heaviness of her that bore him. Children are enough the sorrow of their poor mothers in the breeding, bearing, and nursing of them; they should therefore, when they grow up, study to be their joy, and so, if possible, to make them some amends. But Jacob, because he would not renew the sorrowful remembrance of the mother's death every time he called his son by his name, changed his name, and called him Benjamin, The son of my right hand; that is, "very dear to me, set on my right hand for a blessing, the support of my age, like the staff in my right hand." 6. Jacob buried her near the place where she died. As she died in child-bed, it was convenient to bury her quickly; and therefore he did not bring her to the burying-place of his family. If the soul be at rest after death, it matters little where the body lies. In the place where the tree falls, there let it be. No mention is made of the mourning that was at her death, because that might easily be taken for granted. Jacob, no doubt, was a true mourner. Note, Great afflictions sometimes befal us immediately after great comforts. Lest Jacob should be lifted up with the visions of the Almighty with which he was honoured, this was sent as a thorn in the flesh to humble him. Those that enjoy the favours peculiar to the children of God must yet expect the troubles that are common to the children of men. Deborah, who, had she lived, would have been a comfort to Rachel in her extremity, died but a little before. Note, When death comes into a family, it often strikes double. God by it speaks once, yea, twice. The Jewish writers say, "The death of Deborah and Rachel was to expiate the murder of the Shechemites, occasioned by Dinah, a daughter of the family." 7. Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave, so that it was known, long after, to be Rachel's sepulchre (Sa1 10:2), and Providence so ordered it that this place afterwards fell in the lot of Benjamin. Jacob set up a pillar in remembrance of his joys (Gen 35:14), and here he sets up one in remembrance of his sorrows; for, as it may be of use to ourselves to keep both in mind, so it may be of use to others to transmit the memorials of both: the church, long afterwards, owned that what God said to Jacob at Bethel, both by his word and by his rod, he intended for their instruction (Hos 12:4), There he spoke with us.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 16–20. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Hebrew Questions on Genesis
(Verse 18.) And it came to pass, when her soul departed, for she died, that he called her name, 'The Son of my Sorrow'; but his father called his name Benjamin. In Hebrew, the similarity of the name is echoed; for the son of my sorrow, which the dying mother gave him as a name, is called Benoni (). However, the son of the right hand, that is, of strength, which Jacob changed, is called Benjamin. Hence, those who think Benjamin () is interpreted as 'Son of Days' are mistaken. For when the right hand is called Jamin (), and it ends in the letter n: the days are indeed called Jamim (), but they end in the letter m.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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