Son of Jacob and Rachel; his birth, Gen. 35: 18; how brought to Egypt and treated by Joseph, chs. 42-45; blessing of, by Jacob, Gen. 49: 27; by Moses, Deut. 33: 12; border and cities, Josh. 18: 11-28; Josh. 21: 4, 17; Judg. 1: 21. The Benjamites were a warlike race, and did great service in resisting the Philistine oppression. The tribe provided the first king in the person of Saul (1 Sam. 9: 1) At the division of the kingdom Benjamin joined the northern tribes (1 Kgs. 12: 21), but the nearness to Jerusalem seems to have caused Benjamin gradually to become part of the kingdom of Judah. The most distinguished Benjamite was the apostle Paul (Rom. 11: 1).
Ezra 10: 32; Neh. 3: 23; Neh. 12: 34.