Thread by @JamesBejon

THREAD: The Story of Benjamin.

Scripture is not a library; Scripture is a holistic *story* (of creation and redemption and more besides).

Intertwined within it, however, are various sub-stories, which are defined by their intertextuality.

#StoryTimeThread

A nice example is Benjamin’s.

Benjamin’s story unfolds against an enigmatic backdrop—one characterised by a mixture of joy and sorrow.

When Jacob first meets Rachel (Benjamin’s mother), he begins to weep (Gen. 29.11).

At first blush, his tears appear to be tears of joy.

But might they also have a deeper significance? (Rashi at least thinks so.)

The last person to ‘lift up his voice and weep’ (לשאת את קולו ולִבְכות) in Scripture is Esau, who weeps because he has been tricked out of his ‘birthright’ (בכורה).

Might Jacob’s tears anticipate the grief and trickery entailed in his marriage to Laban’s ‘firstborn’ (בכירה)?

Either way, Benjamin’s story begins enigmatically, and continues in the same vein.

Rachel is Jacob’s beloved (Gen. 29.18ff., 33.2),

yet her life is one of hardship.

Her relationship with Leah is a constant source of strife (Gen. 25.22 w. 30.6–8).

And, later in life, as Benjamin is born, Rachel passes away amidst ‘severe (קשה) birthpains’.

Consequently, the prophet Jeremiah (a resident of Benjamin) depicts Rachel in a state of separation from her sons and hence, poetically, a state of bereavement (Jer. 31).

Note: Jeremiah describes Rachel’s loss of her sons in the same terms as Jacob’s loss of Joseph. Just as Joseph is referred to as ‘gone’ (איננו), so are Rachel’s sons. And, just as Joseph ‘refuses to be comforted’ (וימאן להתנחם), so does Rachel (cp. Gen. 37.30, 35 w. Jer. 31).

The *names* and *prophecies* assigned to Rachel’s son Benjamin are similarly enigmatic.

With her last breath, Rachel names her son ‘Ben-Oni’ (cp. the Ebla PN ⟨Ūnī⟩),

presumably in reference to her pain and travail (און = ‘grief, lamentation’: cp. Deut. 26.14, Ugar. ⟨un⟩).

Jacob, however, assigns Ben-Oni son the name ‘Benjamin’ = ‘son of my right (hand)’,

most likely on the basis of a different interpretation of ‘Ben-Oni’ (given און = ‘strength’ per Gen. 49.3, Deut. 21.17, Ugar. ⟨an⟩),

and duly keep Benjamin at his right hand (in Canaan) rather than allow him to descend to Egypt with his brothers.

Meanwhile, Benjamin is prophetically referred to (by Moses) as ‘the beloved of YHWH’ (ידיד יהוה) and one who ‘dwells in safety’ (Deut. 33),

yet is depicted as a military leader and a ‘ravenous wolf’ by Jacob (Gen. 49).

As such, Benjamin’s background is rich with ambiguity and multiple possibilities,

which gradually unfold throughout the course of the Biblical narrative.

Also important for us to bear in mind is the fact Benjamin is Jacob’s lastborn son.

Benjamin is not born until Jacob returns to Canaan.

Consequently, Benjamin is the only one of Jacob’s sons *not* to bow before Esau when Jacob and Esau are reunited (Gen. 33.1–7),

which, as we’ll see, is a significant fact,

since, later in Israel’s history, Benjamin’s descendant Mordecai will refuse to bow before Esau’s descendant Haman.

But, for the moment, let us follow the story of Benjamin in the order in which it unfolds in the Biblical narrative.

———————

The first major story associated with Benjamin revolves around a Levite’s stay in Gibeah (Judg. 19–20).

Suffice it to say, the story in question is one of the most horrific in the Biblical narrative.

Its end result is abuse, bloodshed, and the near extinction of the Benjaminites.

Hence, in the aftermath of Judg. 20’s battle, we again hear people ‘lift up their voices and weep’ (וישאו קולם ויבכו cp. 21.2), just as Jacob and Esau did.

In the end, a ‘solution’ to Benjamin’s extinction is found—one which involves Jabesh-Gilead, a yearly feast at Shiloh, further abuse, and further bloodshed—,

and the line of Benjamin is hence enabled to continue.

The story of 1 Samuel is deliberately framed in light of these events.

It opens with another threat of extinction—viz. the end of Hannah’s line—, which is the cause of many tears (בכה).

But, by means of events which take place at Shiloh’s yearly feast,...

...Hannah’s line is enabled to continue.

And, a little while later, Saul arises, who is a son (of sorts) to Samuel (cp. 10.11–12, 14 w. 9.3!)…

…and whose reign is framed against the same backdrop as Samuel’s.

Like the Benjaminites of Judg. 19–20, Saul is: a] a Gibeonite,

b] a warrior,

and c] a man of renown (i.e., איש חיל cp. Judg. 20.46) with skilled archers at his disposal (cp. 1 Chr. 12.2).

Note: The near-extinction of the Benjaminites and the slaughter of the Gibeonites explains why Saul refers to himself as a man ‘from the least of the tribes of Israel’ and ‘the humblest of its clans’ (1 Sam. 9.21).

As such, Saul emerges from the background of Judg. 19–20,

as is underlined in the text of 1 Sam. 11–14:

🔹 Just as 600 Benjaminites hole out at ‘the Rock of Rimmon/Pomegranates’ (סלע רמון) near Migron in the aftermath of Judg. 20’s events,

so Saul later sets up camp ‘in the cave of Rimmon’ (תחת הרמון, alt. ‘under the pomegranate tree’) near Migron,

accompanied by 600 elite warriors.

🔹 Just as the Levite of Judg. 19 dismembers his concubine and sends her bodyparts throughout Israel in order to stir up the men of Israel against Gibeon (who are said to ‘assemble as one man’ in response),

so Saul dismembers a team of oxen and sends their bodyparts through Israel in order to stir up the men of Israel to action (who are said to ‘come out as one man’ in response).

🔹 And, just as the men of Jabesh-Gilead find themselves threatened with death in the aftermath of Judg. 20’s events,

so, in the aftermath of Saul’s coronation, the men of Jabesh-Gilead again find themselves threatened with death,

and we hear a now familiar sound as the men of Israel ‘lift up their voices and weep’ in response (11.4–5).

As such, Saul is portrayed as a potential redeemer—a chance for the tribe of Benjamin to make amends for its past failures.

The book of Judges closes with the statement, ‘No king reigned in Israel’, and, in Saul, Israel now have a king.

So then. What difference will he make?

Will he prove to be Benjamin’s redeemer?

Can something good come out of Gibeon?

The answer, sadly, is ‘No’.

Saul turns out to be a calamitous choice of king.

Just as the Levite of Judg. 19 makes a disastrous decision when he decides whether to lodge in Gibeah (Saul’s town-to-be) or Ramah (Samuel’s town-to-be),

so the Israelites make a distastrous decision when they reject Samuel and accept Saul in his place.

Samuel is the kind of man Israel *should* have asked for (hence Hannah provides an etymology for his name which *should* lead him to be called שָׁאוּל: cp. 1 Sam. 1.20),

but Israel instead ask for a king like Saul (שָׁאוּל),

whose name is uncomfortably similar to the word ‘Sheol’ (שְׁאוֹל) = ‘the grave’…

…and whose life and reign rapidly spiral out of control.

Saul’s first mistake is to reject YHWH’s appointed priesthood.

While the men of Ramah are happy to wait for Samuel to arrive at his chosen high place, Saul is not (cp. 1 Sam. 9 w. 13).

Saul decides to officiate over Israel’s sacrifice, and goes on to ally himself with a divinely deposed priesthood, namely the descendants of Ichabod (1 Sam. 14).

Next, Saul rejects YHWH’s appointed prophet insofar as he disobeys Samuel’s command (to slay Agag).

His rebellion is likened to the sin of ‘witchcraft’ (1 Sam. 15), which is exactly what Saul ends up involved with at En-Dor (1 Sam. 28), in search of divine guidance.

And, finally, Saul rejects YHWH’s appointed king, David.

Saul becomes insanely jealous of David’s success.

And, while he would not slay Agag, he travels the length and breadth of Israel to slay David.

As a result, it is Saul himself who ‘lifts up his voice and weeps’ (in 1 Sam. 24) as he realises how grievously he has sinned against David.

Ultimately, therefore, Saul dies the death of one of God’s enemies, skewered like Eglon and Sisera (cp. תקע in Judg. 3.21, 4.21) and beheaded like Goliath.

The chain of events which lead to Saul’s death are in fact curiously similar to those which lead to the death of Judas Iscariot.

🔹 Like Judas, Saul is plagued by an evil spirit;

🔹 like Judas, Saul sets himself against Israel’s Messiah;

🔹 and, like Judas, Sauls ends up hung.

Saul even, like Judas, has two apparently contradictory accounts of his death devoted to him in Scripture (cp. 1 Sam. 31 w. 2 Sam. 1).

As such, Saul’s demise is an extremely tragic one which has a number of sinister undertones.

It is also part of a transfer of power since it coincides with the rise of David, who is Saul’s superior in every way:

🔹 While Saul slays his thousands, David slays his tens of thousands.

🔹 Whereas Saul loses his father’s donkeys, David faithfully keeps his father’s sheep.

🔹 Whereas Saul is plagued by an evil spirit, David is led by the Holy Spirit.

🔹 And, whereas Saul loses the affection of his son (Jonathan), David gains it.

At the same time, David begins to act like a Benjaminite and to fulfil a number of the prophecies associated with Benjamin.

🔹 While Saul is scared to do battle against Goliath, David defeats him with a Benjaminite weapon, namely a sling.

🔹 While Saul is unable to sleep, David dwells in security (ישכן לבטח: Psa. 16)—a promise originally vouchsafed to Benjamin (Deut. 33.12).

🔹 And, while Saul is defeated by an enemy he should have defeated (1 Sam. 31), David ‘devours the prey’ of the Amalekites at dawn and ‘divides their spoils’ among his people at nightfall (1 Sam. 30.17–19)…

…per Jacob’s prophecy in Gen. 49.27.

David even gives his son (Solomon) the alternative name ‘Jedidah’ (ידידיה per 2 Sam. 12.25), which resonates with Deut. 33.12, where Benjamin is prophetically referred to as ידיד יהוה = ‘the beloved of YHWH’.

These events are unusual, but are not without foundation in the Biblical narrative.

That Saul is appointed as Israel’s king resonates with the text of Gen. 35 where God tells Jacob ‘kings will arise from his loins’ and Benjamin is born immediately afterwards.

And that Saul will be succeeded by a Judahite is clear on the basis of Gen. 49.10, where Judah is earmarked as the line within which YHWH’s authority will reside.

Just as the tribe of Judah is chosen to go up against Benjamin in Judg. 20, so the tribe of Judah is destined to succeed Benjamin.

Also worthy of note is the fact Rachel gives birth to Benjamin en route to Bethlehem.

The king who arises from Benjamin’s loins (viz. Saul) does not inherit the kingship permanently, since the kingship is en route to a man whose ancestors reside in Bethlehem itself, namely David.

In sum, then, Saul dramatically fails to make amends for the Gibeonites’ sins.

Redemption must arise from another place, which it eventually does.

——————

In the book of Esther, an age-old foe arises against Israel.

The foe in question is Haman.

Haman is a foe whose rise Saul *should* have prevented, since his origins can be traced back to Agag.

Happily, however, a Benjaminite is in a position to make amends for Saul’s failures, namely Esther.

As such, Esther’s battle against Haman constitutes a replay of Saul’s against Agag.

And, significantly, Esther and Saul rise to power in similar ways.

🔹 Both are selected on the basis of their impressive physical appearance, which is acknowledged by all who see them (2.15 cp. 1 Sam. 9.2, 10.24).

🔹 Both are chosen out by lot. Saul is literally the winner of a lottery (1 Sam. 10), while Esther’s lottery takes the form of a beauty contest.

🔹 Both are adopted (Saul by Samuel, and Esther by Mordecai).

🔹 Both are anointed with oil (in Esther’s case, by Persia’s beauticians).

🔹 And both act with considerable discretion. Saul declines to tell his father/uncle about his coronation (1 Sam. 10.16) and remains silent (חרש) when his authority is questioned (10.27),...

...while Esther declines to disclose her ethnic identity.

Esther and Saul’s careers therefore begin in similar ways.

But they soon begin to diverge.

While Saul lets his power go to his head, Esther uses her power with great wisdom.

In 1 Sam. 20, David fails to attend two feasts (held on consecutive days), which leads Saul to fly into a rage and sentence his friend (David) to death.

Meanwhile, Esther arranges a similar sequence of feasts, at which she turns Ahasuerus’s anger against her enemy, Haman,

whose life begins to nosedive in highly Saul-like fashion.

Consumed by hatred, Haman’s behaviour becomes progressively more extreme…

…until he finds himself prostate on the ground at the feet of a woman whom he previously terrorised, overcome by fear and anxiety.

Haman’s death is also Saul-like:

🔹 Just as Saul falls on his sword in battle (1 Sam. 31), Haman is impaled on his own stake.

🔹 Just as Saul’s three sons are hung/impaled (תקע) on a wall alongside him, later to be joined by seven more (2 Sam. 21), so Haman’s (ten) sons are impaled on the same stake as him.

🔹 And, just as news of Saul and his sons’ death is broadcast throughout the land, so too is news of Haman and his sons’ death.

As such, Esther succeeds precisely where Saul fails.

She acts with discretion, disposes of Benjamin’s age-old enemy, and breathes life into Benjamin’s fallen line.

——————

But, as wonderful as it may be, Esther’s heroism does not constitute a *full* reversal of Saul’s past,

since the consequences of Saul’s failures go beyond an unvanquished foe.

Saul didn’t only miss out on an opportunity to dispose of Agag;

he put great enmity between the lines of Benjamin and Judah.

And that enmity is removed only when a later ancestor of Saul’s rises to power, namely the apostle Paul.

Saul and Paul have a number of things in common:

🔹 Both men have the same Hebrew name.

🔹 Both men rise to power against the backdrop of a nation which has rejected her God. (The Israelites of Samuel’s day reject God when they reject Samuel’s kingship [1 Sam. 8.7], while the Israel of Jesus’ day openly declare they have no king but Caesar.)

🔹 Both men ally themselves with a fallen priesthood.

🔹 And both men set themselves against Israel’s Messiah and his people.

But the *trajectories* of Saul and Paul’s lives are very different.

In 1 Sam. 19, Saul sets out to slay David, at which point he is overborne by the Spirit and (involuntarily) begins to prophesy. His attempt on David’s life is hence averted, but only temporarily, since Saul’s character remains largely unchanged.

Paul’s experiences are in some ways similar to Saul’s, yet are at the same time poles apart.

Like his namesake, Paul sets out to persecute God’s people, at which point he is overborne by a heavenly light. Paul’s persecution of the synagogues of Damascus is hence averted. And, like his namesake, Paul later begins to prophesy.

(‘Is Paul among the prophets?’, some may have asked.)

But other things also transpire.

Paul encounters the risen Messiah and is permanently converted.

Whereas Saul’s hostility is only temporarily averted by Jonathan’s question, ‘Why would you sin against innocent blood?’ (1 Sam. 19), Paul’s is forever taken away by Jesus’ question, ‘Saul, why do you persecute me?’.

Paul submits to the authority of Jesus, the Judahite Messiah.

And, like Benjamin, he becomes the lastborn of ‘the twelve’ (1 Cor. 15).

At the same time, Paul’s life takes on a new shape; specifically, it takes on elements of Saul’s early years combined with elements of David’s.

Like the young Saul, Paul views himself as ‘the least’ among his people (1 Cor. 15) and replies with prudence (as opposed to anger) when his authority is questioned (1 Cor. 4, 9).

And, like David, Saul is forced to flee from his own people.

He is lowered through a window in a basket in the middle of the night in order to escape from his enemies.

He is viewed with suspicion by all sides (and appears mad to some).

And he finds himself more welcome among the Gentiles than among the Jews.

Yet Paul labours on and never looks back for one simple reason: he at last knows himself to be ‘the (Benjaminite) beloved of YHWH’ referred to in Deut. 33.12.

What was once gain to him he now counts as loss for the sake of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, his Lord.

The ravenous Benjamite wolf has lain down with the lamb (Isa. 11, 65),

and Benjamin’s past has finally been redeemed,

not through a second chance or a fresh start, but through a personal encounter with the risen Judahite Messiah.

THE END.

And here’s a pdf version for anyone who’s interested:

academia.edu/41392347/