Genesis 35:18
in Genesis 35And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni. But his father called him Benjamin.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben–oni: but his father called him Benjamin.
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This verse in Genesis 35
Commentary
7 notes on this verse(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.
This site's exposition
some distance from Ephrath
on Genesis 35:16-18
Rachel had asked God for another son at Genesis 30:24, and Benjamin is that son. Bearing him kills her, and with her last breath she names him Ben-oni, son of sorrow. He is the one child in Genesis whose mother's name for him is overruled by his father.
This site's exposition
with her last breath
Her last breath is in Hebrew her nephesh going out, the word for the living being God formed at Genesis 2:7. Benjamin's tribe gives Israel its first king, Saul, at 1 Samuel 9:1 to 2. Paul claims it at Philippians 3:5.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
If the soul be at rest after death, the matter is not great where the body lies. In the place where the tree falls, there let it lie. 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.
And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, for she died,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
As her soul was in departing - Is not this a proof that there is an immortal spirit in man, which can exist separate from and independent of the body? Of Rachel’s death it is said, בצאת נפשה betseth naphshah, in the going away of her soul; her body did not go away, therefore her soul and body must have been distinct. If her breath only had been in tended, נשמה neshamah or רוח ruach would have rather been used, as the first means breath, the latter breath or spirit indifferently.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
She called his name Ben-oni--The dying mother gave this name to her child, significant of her circumstances; but Jacob changed his name into Benjamin. This is thought by some to have been originally Benjamin, "a son of days," that is, of old age. But with its present ending it means "son of the right hand," that is, particularly dear and precious.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֞י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בְּצֵ֤את | betzet | when went out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| נַפְשָׁהּ֙ | nafshah | life her | H5315 → | 754 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מֵ֔תָה | metah | she died | H4191 → | 839 times |
| וַתִּקְרָ֥א | vatikra' | and she called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| שְׁמ֖וֹ | shemo | name his | H8034 → | 864 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | Ben- | H1126 → | |
| אוֹנִ֑י | ʾoni | Oni | H1126 → | |
| וְאָבִ֖יו | veaviv | and father his | H1 → | 1212 times |
| קָֽרָא־ | kara'- | he called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| ל֥וֹ | lo | <to> <the> him | ||
| בִנְיָמִֽין׃ | vinyamin | Benjamin | H1144 → | 166 times |
וַיְהִ֞יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
בְּצֵ֤אתwhen went out
betzetH3318 →1067 times
נַפְשָׁהּ֙life her
nafshahH5315 →754 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
מֵ֔תָהshe died
metahH4191 →839 times
וַתִּקְרָ֥אand she called
vatikra'H7121 →733 times
שְׁמ֖וֹname his
shemoH8034 →864 times
בֶּן־Ben-
ben-H1126 →
אוֹנִ֑יOni
ʾoniH1126 →
וְאָבִ֖יוand father his
veavivH1 →1212 times
קָֽרָא־he called
kara'-H7121 →733 times
ל֥וֹ<to> <the> him
lo
בִנְיָמִֽין׃Benjamin
vinyaminH1144 →166 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 23:46Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this, He breathed His last.
it leads to
- Psalms 31:5
Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD, God of truth.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 7:59
While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
- John 19:30
When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.
- 1 Peter 2:23
When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
- Mark 15:34–41
At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
- Psalms 31:5
Through
Luke 12:20But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’
it leads to
- Job 27:8
For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
- Jeremiah 17:11
Like a partridge hatching eggs it did not lay is the man who makes a fortune unjustly. In the middle of his days his riches will desert him, and in the end he will…
- 1 Timothy 6:7
For we brought nothing into the world, so we cannot carry anything out of it.
- Job 27:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies15
On this verse
On this chapter
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.