Benjamin’s sons represent God’s faithfulness to preserve His people, ensuring His covenant holds true through each generation.
In Genesis 46:21, the scripture records, “And the sons of Benjamin: Bela and Becher and Ashbel, Gera and Naaman, Ehi and Rosh, Muppim and Huppim and Ard.” (v.21). These names belong to the youngest son of Jacob (also called Israel), who lived around 2006-1859 BC. Benjamin was born to Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife, and would eventually become the head of the tribe of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. By listing Benjamin’s descendants here, the sacred text highlights his place of honor within Jacob’s household as they journey to Egypt.
In the broader context, Genesis 46 describes Jacob’s entire family moving from Canaan to Egypt at God’s command. This relocation set the stage for the generations who would eventually multiply in Egypt, from an initial count of seventy people (Genesis 46:27). Centuries later, the LORD would deliver these same descendants out of bondage in the exodus. Traces of this migration appear again within Exodus, which connects back to these genealogical lists by noting that “the family of Jacob started out as seventy…” (Exodus 1:5. The names of Benjamin’s children—Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard—reflect the ongoing fulfillment of God’s promise to multiply Abraham’s offspring.
Although this verse provides only names without explicit narration, it reinforces how God’s covenantal blessings passed from one generation to the next. The sons of Benjamin featured prominently in Israel’s tribal history, and their lineage contributed to the spiritual heritage of the nation. Their mention underscores the thorough care with which the Scriptures track each branch of Jacob’s family—particularly pertinent to the fullness of Israel’s (and later the world’s) redemption story, which eventually extends through Jesus Christ (Luke 3:34).
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Genesis 46:21 meaning
In Genesis 46:21, the scripture records, “And the sons of Benjamin: Bela and Becher and Ashbel, Gera and Naaman, Ehi and Rosh, Muppim and Huppim and Ard.” (v.21). These names belong to the youngest son of Jacob (also called Israel), who lived around 2006-1859 BC. Benjamin was born to Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife, and would eventually become the head of the tribe of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. By listing Benjamin’s descendants here, the sacred text highlights his place of honor within Jacob’s household as they journey to Egypt.
In the broader context, Genesis 46 describes Jacob’s entire family moving from Canaan to Egypt at God’s command. This relocation set the stage for the generations who would eventually multiply in Egypt, from an initial count of seventy people (Genesis 46:27). Centuries later, the LORD would deliver these same descendants out of bondage in the exodus. Traces of this migration appear again within Exodus, which connects back to these genealogical lists by noting that “the family of Jacob started out as seventy…” (Exodus 1:5. The names of Benjamin’s children—Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard—reflect the ongoing fulfillment of God’s promise to multiply Abraham’s offspring.
Although this verse provides only names without explicit narration, it reinforces how God’s covenantal blessings passed from one generation to the next. The sons of Benjamin featured prominently in Israel’s tribal history, and their lineage contributed to the spiritual heritage of the nation. Their mention underscores the thorough care with which the Scriptures track each branch of Jacob’s family—particularly pertinent to the fullness of Israel’s (and later the world’s) redemption story, which eventually extends through Jesus Christ (Luke 3:34).