Your email address will not be published. Was Benjamin born before or after Joseph was sold into slavery? 1850) Vol. 22Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive. When and how did the Twelve Apostles die? WebThus, Jacob was 121 years old. This was presented in the story when Joseph was filled with tears as he met Benjamin after a long time. Isaac born to Abraham at the age of 100, Gen 21:5, Isaac marries Rebekah at age 40, Gen 25:20, Isaac becomes the father of Jacob at age 60, Gen 25:26, Jacob (at age 71) deceives Isaac when he is 131, Gen 47:9, 45:6, 41:47. Thus she would be eighteen years of age when she married. Joseph is 39 and Benjamin is about 23. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock. C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Pentateuch (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1885). and she called his name Asher" (Gen. 30:9-13). With this system of calculation Jacob would have left his home to find his wife twenty years earlier, or at approximately fifty-seven years of age. Leah had had six children, between which both of the maids, Bilhah and Zilpah, had had four children between them. May he be an example to all the Benjamin(s) on earth. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. So, he ordered his men to place secretly a silver cup inside the bag of his youngest brother, Benjamin. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mothers brother. The following is a chronology of Jacob's life according to this view and a chart indicating the arrangement of the births of the twelve children in seven years. So Jacob was 120 years old when Issac died. Since we have determined the period to be confined to the seven years, the arrangement of the births in the seven years must be dealt with. Ten years later, at the age of 130 years, he appeared before Pharaoh in Egypt (Genesis 47:9). Jacob went to Padam Aram 20 years earlier at the age of 71. If a law is new but its interpretation is vague, can the courts directly ask the drafters the intent and official interpretation of their law? Are there conventions to indicate a new item in a list? Isaac, Jacob's father, lived to be 180 years old, so Jacob would have been 120 at his father's death. Jacob lives in Egypt for seventeen years after his arrival (Genesis 47:28). M. degrees from Grace Theological Seminary. To make it clear of Genesis 37:3 KJV How old was Jacob when he first saw Rachel? Joseph has his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, during the seven years of plenty that came upon the land before it experienced seven years of famine (Genesis 41:50 - 53). Joseph is sold into slavery at age 17 (Gen 37:2), Jacob is 108, Isaac is 168. 30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her Israel and his family then travel to the tower of Edar where they stay for an unknown time. Web16 They left Bethel, and when they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into hard labor. Therefore, Jacob was 71 years old at the time he met Rachel. When and how was it discovered that Jupiter and Saturn are made out of gas? [ b] Read full chapter. How can I explain to my manager that a project he wishes to undertake cannot be performed by the team? On this basis, Benjamin was born about 10 years before Joseph was sold (??) In contrary to his 10 older brothers. Hence, Joseph was born to Jacob at the age of 91 just as he returned from Padam Aram. He can be found on the Biblical Timeline Poster around 1754 BC. WebGen 30 describes the birth of the first 11 sons (and 1 daughter, Dinah) of Jacob born in the that second 7 year period. into slavery and about 22 years before Isaac died. Instead of having the young boy held captive, Judah pleaded to take his place as a slave. How Long Was Joseph In Potiphars House? The maximum likely age for Rachel at the time of the birth of Benjamin is thirty-nine years. Then there is the problem of harmonizing the dates of the patriarchs with the exodus. 16 Then they moved on from Bethel. 9. By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 23She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, God has taken away my disgrace. 24 She named him Joseph, and said, May the Lord add to me another son.. Benjamin was also born in the land of Canaan, and his name meant Son of My Days, according to the Hebrew. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. There were also several towns in the Book of Joshua that were all the possession of Benjamin. He then fathered Gad and Asher through Leah's handmaid Zilpah (9 - 13). The patriarch Isaac dies at the age of 180 (Genesis 35:28 - 29). He married his two wives (sisters) seven years later at the age of 78. Genesis 29:18-23. Gen. 37:18-35). Was 130 years when he greeted Pharaoh and lived in Egypt for 17years and died at the age of 147years. When we bear in mind that the imperfect tense with theconsecutive expresses not only the order of time, but also the order of thought as well it becomes apparent that in the history of the births, the intention to arrange them according to the mothers prevails over the chronological order. On this basis, Benjamin was born about 10 years before Joseph was sold (??) Joseph, after thirteen years of various trials and troubles, correctly interprets Pharaoh's dream as symbolizing seven years of bountiful harvests followed by seven years of famine (Genesis 41:1 - 36). Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Jacob returns from Padam Aram after 20 years at age 91, as Joseph is born, Isaac 151. It doesn't make much sense that Benjamin was a little over nine-years-old when he traveled to Egypt, and unlikely that Joseph would make that request. Please. Joseph revealed the meaning of Pharaoh's dream in Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! Jacob went to Padam Aram 20 years earlier at the age of 71. Jacob then says to Laban, his father-in-law, "Send me away, that I may go into my own place and to my country. This conflict can be relieved a bit by making Jacob's stay with Laban forty years instead of twenty. You have another son. 18 As her life faded away, just before she died, she named him Ben-oni,[ a] but his father named him Benjamin. Story Identification: Nanomachines Building Cities. This is an extreme contradiction with the ancient history calculation of eighteen years of age. Did Jacob acquire all his wealth in Paddan Aram in the last 6 years of working for Laban? In Jacob 's deathbed blessing, he said of Benjamin: Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours his prey, in the evening he divides the plunder. It is also worth noting that Benjamin was also Josephs favorite brother. So what *is* the Latin word for chocolate? On 2298 AM (1706 BC), Benjamin, his wife, and his ten sons entered Egypt to live. Thus, Joseph was possibly at least 5 or 6 years old when Benjamin was born. Hence, the brothers rekindled their love for each other, and they were filled with joy that Joseph was still alive. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. hast changed my wages ten times. In addition, Bethel was claimed as a part of the land owned by the Tribe of Ephraim, although Joshua gave this lot to Benjamin, according to the scriptures. Jacob was 130 when he went to Egypt. He is buried is the same place as Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah and Leah (Genesis 49:29 - 50:13). Let us look at both sides. Is Koestler's The Sleepwalkers still well regarded? Jacob and Joseph reunion and meeting with Pharoah when Jacob was 130 years. into slavery and about 22 years before Isaac died. Moreover, in Josephs dream of the sun, moon, and stars, eleven stars made obeisance to me (37:9): eleven, not ten. Dinah is raped by a man from Shechem. And where the KJV has a little one, the Hebrew is simply or qatan, glossed small, young, unimportant. Manasseh, Ephraim are between 2 and 9. And during the last period though only six years, he charges Laban with changing his wages ten times. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was (The son of his old age): and he-Israel made him a coat-robe of many colors. How Long In Prison? Jacob comes from Haran to Succoth (Dinah defiled), Benjamin at 32 has 10 sons, and Jacob goes to Egypt, Those who hold to this view suggest that if Jacob's first child was born in the first year of his second period of service, and if the other births followed in the order in which they are enumerated in chapter 30, it is impossible that Leah could have borne her six sons and one daughter and Rachel could have borne afterwards Joseph by the end of the period, so that the new contract could be made at the beginning of the fifteenth year. It was at the end of the second seven year period that Joseph was born (Gen 30:25ff) and that Jacob wanted to leave but was persuaded to stay longer. This would seem quite unlikely biologically and would cause one to wonder why Jacob did not keep a closer eye upon such a young girl. Thus, Benjamin was still a child in the eyes of the culture at the time. because Benjamin had already been born. (Genesis 25:26). I look forward to seeing more of your thoughts on the site. Joseph had to be born before the six year period of Jacob's service for Laban's cattle. Issac dies at 180 years(Genesis 35:28). The writer was impressed by the fact that not one Hebrew scholar whom he confronted with the suggested translation for this theory could find any justifiable evidence in the text for such a translation. How does a fan in a turbofan engine suck air in? It is interesting to note, however, that Rea is not at all interested in accepting this interpretation to help resolve some of the distance between the calculation from ancient history and the seeming Scriptural chronology. as in example? This problem with this view arises when we come to chapter 34. He was the 12th and final son of Jacob; whose sons represent the 12 tribes of Israel (Jacobs other name). Of course, that age does not tally with the Scriptural indication of his age. 17 During her difficult labor, the midwife said to her, Dont be afraid. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. Benjamin was also born in the land of Canaan, and his name meant Son of My Days, according to the Hebrew. It seems strange to refer to a grown man of 22 years as a childa little one. 1860Abraham is 100 (Genesis 17:21, 24, 21:5).Sarah is 91 years old (Genesis 17:21, 21:5).Ishmael is 14 years old (Genesis 17:25). This would mean, since Jacob was born when Isaac was 60, that Jacob did not leave until he was at least 72. How to react to a students panic attack in an oral exam? His story is found in Genesis chapters 3549. I agree with the answers given here, particularly Dottard's with the details of the dreams given to Joseph. Joseph enters the service of Pharoah at the age of 30 years and gets married. Thus, Jacob was at least 96 or 97 and Isaac was at least 156 or 157 years old. In these verses Jacob mentions twenty years of service to Laban two times. 71+7=78 Gets married. Leah then produced Issachar, Zebulun and Dinah (17 - 21). Theoretically, however, Leah or Bilhah could have taken the place of Rachel as Josephs mother. You have another son. 18 As her life faded away, just before she died, she named him Ben-oni,[ a] but his father named him Benjamin. Benjamin was the twelfth-born and youngest son in Jacobs family. In Genesis 30:25, 26 it seems the last seven years of service had been completed and the twelve children had been born. Joseph is 6 years old.Jacob's children are between 6 and 13. "So that the one came not near the other" (Ex. 6. Laban agreed to the arrangement. Joseph is 39 and Benjamin is about 23. Jacob and Laban mutually agree that he will continue working with Laban's herd. WebJacob is 130 years old. WebAnd since Jacob was 130 years old when he came to Egypt, Joseph's birth occurred 39 years earlier. +1. And during the last period though only six years, he charges Laban with changing his wages ten times.1, It should be observed that this interpretation is proposed, not only to answer this problem, but also to solve many related problems, with the Biblical chronology of the period of the Bible patriarchs, Isaac and Jacob. Afterwards, all of the sons spoil the city (Genesis 34:1 - 31). Charles L. Zimmerman, Pastor Evangelical Church, Archbold, Ohio. His mother Rachel died giving birth to him. Genesis 29:26-28. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Genesis 41: 28 It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Joseph reassures his brothers that he will not exact revenge on them for the evil of selling him as a slave (Genesis 50:15 - 21). After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esaus heel; so he was named Jacob. Does Cast a Spell make you a spellcaster? Laban agreed to the arrangement. Answer. And Leah said, 'Fortunate!' years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou In fact, whether naturally or supernaturally, it must be answered if the inerrancy of the Scripture is not to be sacrificed. 5And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you. rev2023.3.1.43269. public search, it was discovered that the cup was planted in Benjamins sack. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's Thus, Jacob was at least 96 or 97 and Isaac was at least 156 or 157 years old. It is felt by the writer that there was a wilful cooperation in this act of defilement. The basis of this interpretation is found in Gen. 31:38, 41. Jacob, during his second seven year period serving Laban, produces eleven of his twelve sons and his only daughter (Genesis 29:32 - 30:25)! How does a fan in a turbofan engine suck air in? 17And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, Do not fear, for you have another son. 18And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. Thus, Joseph was indeed a child of Isaacs old age (Gen 37:3). He even ordered that Benjamin should receive five times more food than what his other brothers were served. Another solid bit of evidence that Benjamin was born before the sale of Joseph is that Joseph was later insistent upon the brothers bringing their youngest brother to him (42:15-16)suggesting he had a special interest in him, and thus, had known and thought about him for all the years he had been in Egypt. Marrys Leah at 78, Rachel at 85, leaves Laban at 91 when Joseph is born. For instance, this longer period of time at Laban's house gives relief to a very crowded chronology of events in the life of Jacob. The age of Jacob Jacob was 120 at the death of his father Isaac (Genesis 25:26). Welcome to Bible Hermeneutics SE and thank you for your contribution. Rachel at 85, leaves Laban at 91 when Joseph is sold slavery... Tally with the exodus and Dinah ( 17 - 21 ) simply or qatan, glossed small young... At 85, leaves Laban at 91 when Joseph is sold into slavery and about 22 as., do not fear, for you have another son years and gets married thus, Benjamin still... Years at age 17 ( Gen 37:2 ), Benjamin welcome to Bible Hermeneutics SE and thank for. Twenty years of service, privacy policy and cookie policy what his other were... Problem of harmonizing the dates of the patriarchs with the ancient history calculation eighteen. Hebrew is simply or qatan, glossed small, young, unimportant her difficult labor, the midwife to... 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