The SMALLEST tribe

 

Psalm 68:27

King James Version

27 There is little Benjamin with their ruler, 

the princes of Judah and their council, 

the princes of Zebulun, 

and the princes of Naphtali.

Many conjecture which is the smallest tribe in Israel.

But Benjamin happens to be the smallest tribe.

Because Scripture says so, through Saul:

1 Samuel 9:21

King James Version

21 And Saul answered and said, 

Am not I a Benjamite, 

of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? 

and my family the least of all the families 

of the tribe of Benjamin? 

wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

According to Agape Bible Study, the tribe of Benjamin had 35,4oo members.

As seen from this verses.

Where GOD commanded Moses create an army.

You will marvel at GOD's thoughts, vision, and organization:

Numbers 1:1-2

King James Version

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses 

in the wilderness of Sinai, 

in the tabernacle of the congregation, 

on the first day of the second month, 

in the second year after they were come out 

of the land of Egypt, 

saying,

2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation 

of the children of Israel, 

after their families, 

by the house of their fathers, 

with the number of their names, 

every male by their polls;

Numbers 1:3-4

King James Version

3 From twenty years old and upward, 

all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: 

thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; 

every one head of the house of his fathers.

Benjamin's tribe consisted of this:

Numbers 1:36-37

King James Version

36 Of the children of Benjamin, 

by their generations, 

after their families, 

by the house of their fathers, 

according to the number of the names, 

from twenty years old and upward, 

all that were able to go forth to war;

37 Those that were numbered of them, 

even of the tribe of Benjamin, 

were thirty and five thousand 

and four hundred.

Numbers 2:23

King James Version

23 And his host, 

and those that were numbered of them, 

were thirty and five thousand 

and four hundred.

Their head was Abidan:

Numbers 1:11

King James Version

11 Of Benjamin; 

Abidan the son of Gideoni.

Numbers 2:22

King James Version

22 Then the tribe of Benjamin: 

and the captain of the sons of Benjamin 

shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.

Note the numbers "11" and "22".

We shall explore that in another post.

SPIRIT alerted me to it.

Among many other things He made me notice.

This particular post is RICH in information.

Through SPIRIT's help, I should be able to gather.

All the "threads" I've seen -- excited to do so.

For now, let's look into this "smallest" tribe.

And why it is so.

Bible Tools says Benjamin has the smallest number because of this:

"This was due to a war Benjamin fought against the other eleven tribes, in which Benjamin was virtually annihilated (Judges 19-21)."

We've written about that in "BENJAMIN folly".

This tribe is really intriguing, in these last days.

And all because of that "wolf" dream.

This post makes me think of GOD.

And His lovely, quirky, unpredictable ways.

"Smallest" doesn't mean forgotten.

"Smallest" doesn't mean powerless.

"Smallest" doesn't mean useless.

As you shall see in this post.

More articles on Benjamin here.

Related material:

GOD's WILL

GOD's WAYS

GOD's WISDOM

Image: Clipart Library

CITIES of BENJAMIN

 

Joshua 18:20

King James Version

20 And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. 

This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, 

by the coasts thereof round about, 

according to their families.

We saw in the previous post, the BOUNDARIES of BENJAMIN.

This time, we look at the cities given this tribe:

Joshua 18:21-28

King James Version

21 Now the cities of the tribe 

of the children of Benjamin 

according to their families were 

Jericho, 

and Bethhoglah, 

and the valley of Keziz,

22 And Betharabah, 

and Zemaraim, 

and Bethel,

23 And Avim, 

and Pharah, 

and Ophrah,

24 And Chepharhaammonai, 

and Ophni, 

and Gaba; 

twelve cities with their villages:

25 Gibeon, 

and Ramah, 

and Beeroth,

26 And Mizpeh, 

and Chephirah, 

and Mozah,

27 And Rekem, 

and Irpeel, 

and Taralah,

28 And Zelah, 

Eleph, 

and Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, 

Gibeath, 

and Kirjath; 

fourteen cities with their villages. 

This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin 

according to their families.

Interestingly, it has these crucial cities:

Jericho

Bethel

Jebusi (Jerusalem)

That, in itself is food for thought.

Will explore that further as we go along.

The next post tells us more about this tiny tribe.

Image: Clipart Library

BOUNDARIES of BENJAMIN

 

Joshua 18:1-2

King James Version

18 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel 

assembled together at Shiloh, 

and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. 

And the land was subdued before them.

2 And there remained among the children of Israel 

seven tribes, 

which had not yet received their inheritance.

Considering there were 12 tribes of Israel, what boundaries were given Benjamin?

First, a backgrounder:

Joshua 18:3-4

King James Version

3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, 

How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, 

which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?

4 Give out from among you three men for each tribe: 

and I will send them, 

and they shall rise,

 and go through the land, 

and describe it according to the inheritance of them; 

and they shall come again to me.

Joshua 18:5-6

King James Version

5 And they shall divide it into seven parts: 

Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, 

and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts 

on the north.

6 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, 

and bring the description hither to me, 

that I may cast lots for you here 

before the Lord our God.

Joshua 18:7

King James Version

7 But the Levites have no part among you; 

for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance: 

and Gad, and Reuben, 

and half the tribe of Manasseh, 

have received their inheritance beyond Jordan 

on the east, 

which Moses the servant of the Lord 

gave them.

Joshua 18:8-9

King James Version

8 And the men arose, and went away: 

and Joshua charged them that went 

to describe the land, 

saying, 

Go and walk through the land, 

and describe it, 

and come again to me, 

that I may here cast lots for you 

before the Lord in Shiloh.

9 And the men went and passed through the land, 

and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, 

and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.

The casting of lots Joshua does before the LORD:

Joshua 18:10

King James Version

10 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh 

before the Lord:

 and there Joshua divided the land 

unto the children of Israel 

according to their divisions.

This applies to Benjamin:

Joshua 18:11-20

King James Version

11 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin 

came up according to their families: 

and the coast of their lot came forth 

between the children of Judah 

and the children of Joseph.

12 And their border on the north side was from Jordan; 

and the border went up to the side of Jericho 

on the north side, 

and went up through the mountains westward; 

and the goings out thereof 

were at the wilderness of Bethaven.

13 And the border went over from thence toward Luz, 

to the side of Luz, which is Bethel, southward; 

and the border descended to Atarothadar, 

near the hill that lieth on the south side 

of the nether Bethhoron.

14 And the border was drawn thence, 

and compassed the corner of the sea southward, 

from the hill that lieth before Bethhoron southward; 

and the goings out thereof were at Kirjathbaal, 

which is Kirjathjearim, 

a city of the children of Judah: 

this was the west quarter.

15 And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjathjearim, 

and the border went out on the west, 

and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah:

16 And the border came down to the end of the mountain 

that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom, 

and which is in the valley of the giants on the north, 

and descended to the valley of Hinnom, 

to the side of Jebusi on the south, 

and descended to Enrogel,

17 And was drawn from the north, 

and went forth to Enshemesh, 

and went forth toward Geliloth, 

which is over against the going up of Adummim, 

and descended to the stone of Bohan 

the son of Reuben,

18 And passed along toward the side 

over against Arabah northward, 

and went down unto Arabah:

19 And the border passed along 

to the side of Bethhoglah northward: 

and the outgoings of the border 

were at the north bay of the salt sea 

at the south end of Jordan: 

this was the south coast.

20 And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. 

This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, 

by the coasts thereof round about, 

according to their families.

The next post will tell us of the CITIES of BENJAMIN.

Image: Free Bible Images

MOSES blesses BENJAMIN

 

Deuteronomy 33:1

King James Version

33 And this is the blessing, 

wherewith Moses the man of God blessed 

the children of Israel before his death.

On the previous post, we saw how Jacob/Israel blessed his son, Benjamin.

Now, we will see how Moses blessed this tribe, too.

The backgrounder:

Deuteronomy 33:2-5

King James Version

2 And he said, 

The Lord came from Sinai, 

and rose up from Seir unto them; 

he shined forth from mount Paran, 

and he came with ten thousands of saints: 

from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

3 Yea, he loved the people; 

all his saints are in thy hand: 

and they sat down at thy feet; 

every one shall receive of thy words.

4 Moses commanded us a law, 

even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.

5 And he was king in Jeshurun, 

when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel 

were gathered together.

The blessing:

Deuteronomy 33:12

King James Version

12 And of Benjamin he said, 

The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; 

and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, 

and he shall dwell between his shoulders.

Moses then gives all GLORY to GOD:

Deuteronomy 33:26-27

King James Version

26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, 

who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, 

and in his excellency on the sky.

27 The eternal God is thy refuge, 

and underneath are the everlasting arms: 

and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; 

and shall say, Destroy them.

And blesses the whole of Israel:

Deuteronomy 33:28-29

King James Version

28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: 

the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land 

of corn and wine; 

also his heavens shall drop down dew.

29 Happy art thou, O Israel: 

who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, 

the shield of thy help, 

and who is the sword of thy excellency! 

and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; 

and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

As with Jacob/Israel who died after he gave his blessings/prophecy to the 12 tribes, so with Moses:

Deuteronomy 34:1-8

King James Version

34 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab 

unto the mountain of Nebo, 

to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho.

And the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, 

unto Dan,

2 And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, 

and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, 

unto the utmost sea,

3 And the south, 

and the plain of the valley of Jericho, 

the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.

4 And the Lord said unto him, 

This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, 

unto Isaac, 

and unto Jacob, 

saying, 

I will give it unto thy seed: 

I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, 

but thou shalt not go over thither.

5 So Moses the servant of the Lord died there 

in the land of Moab, 

according to the word of the Lord.

6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, 

over against Bethpeor: 

but no man knoweth of his sepulchre* unto this day.

7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old 

when he died: 

his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses 

in the plains of Moab thirty days: 

so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses 

were ended.

*Surely, it's for GOD's purposes that 

"no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day", 

thus, no one knows where Moses is buried.

Which brings a verse to mind:

Jude 9

King James Version

9 Yet Michael the archangel, 

when contending with the devil 

he disputed about the body of Moses, 

durst not bring against him a railing accusation, 

but said, 

The Lord rebuke thee.

The next post tells us of the BOUNDARIES of BENJAMIN.

As given by GOD.

Related material:

Moses on JESUS

Image: Free Bible Images

JACOB blesses BENJAMIN

 

Genesis 49:1-2

King James Version

49 And Jacob called unto his sons,

 and said, 

Gather yourselves together, 

that I may tell you that which shall befall you 

in the last days.

2 Gather yourselves together, 

and hear, 

ye sons of Jacob; 

and hearken unto Israel your father.

Jacob, renamed "Israel" by GOD, blesses his sons.

He tells them of what shall "befall" them in the "last days".

Is that why GOD made me dream of the "wolf" yesterday?

Signifying the urgency of the times?

That we are truly in the last days now?

That got me thinking right as I write this today.

But that's how I write with SPIRIT.

He makes me take things, one step at a time.

He knows how I think.

He knows I will explore His clues, and leads.

Making sure I don't miss a thing.

Knowing there's a "discovery" somewhere.

Which I can't wait to tell you.

After I have come to know it first.

Through Scripture.

Yesterday, He led me to the tribe of Benjamin.

And to the blessing they received from Jacob.

It's only today I realized, the blessing was for the "last days".

Of what will "befall" his 12 sons and their tribes.

Including Benjamin:

Genesis 49:27

King James Version

27 Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: 

in the morning he shall devour the prey, 

and at night he shall divide the spoil.

Yesterday, we did a "word study" on that verse.

Jacob/Israel gave his last instructions to all 12 tribes:

Genesis 49:29

King James Version

29 And he charged them, and said unto them, 

I am to be gathered unto my people: 

bury me with my fathers in the cave 

that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

After which:

Genesis 49:33

King James Version

33 And when Jacob had made an end 

of commanding his sons, 

he gathered up his feet into the bed, 

and yielded up the ghost, 

and was gathered unto his people.

Thus ends Jacob's saga.

But his children live on.

All 12 tribes of Israel.

Benjamin being one.

The next post tells us of Moses' blessing.

Related material:

The WOLF dream

The BENJAMIN connection

JACOB's PROPHECY on the LAST DAYS

Image: Free Bible Images

TRIBE of BENJAMIN

 

Apostle Paul says:

Romans 11:1

King James Version

11 I say then, 

Hath God cast away his people? 

God forbid. 

For I also am an Israelite, 

of the seed of Abraham, 

of the tribe of Benjamin.

If you know anything about the tribe of Benjamin, then you'd understand the character of apostle Paul.

A man devoted to GOD's WORD.

Taking great risks, and all, in defense of the WORD.

What other traits characterize this tribe?

"The tribe is best known for its warrior-like people who were skilled in archery, slinging rocks, and left-handed fighting. The tribe also controlled the major city of Jerusalem early in Jewish history and produced the first king, Saul, of the United Kingdom of Israel. Later, the Benjamites united with the Judahites to control the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and most modern-day Jews are descended from one of these tribes."

-- Tribe of Benjamin in the Bible | Overview, History & Symbol

"These are descendants of the man Benjamin. They were called Benjamites.

During the Exodus, this tribe was the smallest but one (Numbers 1:36-37; Psalm 68:27). During the march its place was along with Manasseh and Ephraim on the west of the tabernacle.

At the entrance into Canaan it counted 45,600 warriors.

It has been inferred by some from the words of Jacob (Genesis 49:27) that the figure of a wolf was on the tribal standard.

This tribe is also mentioned in the New Testament (Romans 11:1; Philippians 3:5)."

-- Christian Answers

The verses describing the tribe of Benjamin:

Numbers 1:36-37

King James Version

36 Of the children of Benjamin, 

by their generations, 

after their families, 

by the house of their fathers, 

according to the number of the names, 

from twenty years old and upward, 

all that were able to go forth to war;

37 Those that were numbered of them, 

even of the tribe of Benjamin, 

were thirty and five thousand 

and four hundred.

Psalm 68:27

King James Version

27 There is little Benjamin with their ruler, 

the princes of Judah and their council, 

the princes of Zebulun, 

and the princes of Naphtali.

GOD commanded each of the 12 tribes to pitch their own "standards".

And a captain was appointed to lead each tribe:

Numbers 2:1-2

King James Version

2 And the Lord spake unto Moses 

and unto Aaron, 

saying,

2 Every man of the children of Israel 

shall pitch by his own standard, 

with the ensign of their father's house: 

far off about the tabernacle of the congregation 

shall they pitch.

Numbers 2:22-23

King James Version

22 Then the tribe of Benjamin: 

and the captain of the sons of Benjamin 

shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.

23 And his host, 

and those that were numbered of them, 

were thirty and five thousand 

and four hundred.

Numbers 2:34

King James Version

34 And the children of Israel did 

according to all that the Lord commanded Moses: 

so they pitched by their standards, 

and so they set forward, 

every one after their families, 

according to the house of their fathers.

Apostle Paul speaks more of himself here:

Philippians 3:5

King James Version

5 Circumcised the eighth day, 

of the stock of Israel, 

of the tribe of Benjamin, 

an Hebrew of the Hebrews;

 as touching the law, a Pharisee;

As the men are brave, we also came to know a folly.

From which the tribe of Benjamin lost thousands of men.

Here's that story.

More articles here.

Related video:

The Tribe of Benjamin - Part 1

Image: Benjamin stamp designed by G Hamon (issued 1955/56), sourced from Israel Philately

BIRTH of BENJAMIN

 

Genesis 35:17

King James Version

17 And it came to pass, 

when she was in hard labour, 

that the midwife said unto her, 

Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

Benjamin's birth was both a mixture of happy, and sad, events.

Happy, because GOD blessed Jacob, Benjamin's father.

GOD actually gave him THREE blessings:

Genesis 35:9-10

King James Version

9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, 

when he came out of Padanaram, 

and blessed him.

10 And God said unto him, 

Thy name is Jacob: 

thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, 

but Israel shall be thy name: 

and he called his name Israel.

Genesis 35:11

King James Version

11 And God said unto him, 

I am God Almighty: 

be fruitful and multiply; 

a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, 

and kings shall come out of thy loins;

Genesis 35:12

King James Version

12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, 

to thee I will give it, 

and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.

Sad, for Benjamin's mother, Rachel, died giving birth to him.

Genesis 35:15-16

King James Version

15 And Jacob called the name of the place 

where God spake with him, Bethel.

16 And they journeyed from Bethel; 

and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: 

and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.

Genesis 35:18

King James Version

18 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**.

Genesis 35:19-20

King James Version

19 And Rachel died, 

and was buried in the way to Ephrath, 

which is Bethlehem.

20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: 

that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.

Benjamin happens to be the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel.

Another son was Joseph.

The next post reveals Joseph's amazing love for his father.

As well as for Benjamin, and his other half-brothers.

*Benoni means "son of my sorrow" (as Rachel called Benjamin when she gave birth to him, and died.

**Benjamin or Binyamin (in Hebrew) means "son of my right hand" (as Jacob called Benjamin at birth).

Image: Free Bible Images