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Book of Genesis - Chapter 35 - Verse 18

35:18
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.

Meaning

In this verse, we see the poignant moment of a mother giving birth to her child just as she is about to pass away. The mother, Rachel, in her last moments of life, names her newborn son Benoni, which means "son of my sorrow" in Hebrew. This name reflects the circumstances surrounding his birth, as Rachel experienced great pain and sorrow during labor. However, the child's father, Jacob, who was also known as Israel, decided to change the boy's name to Benjamin, meaning "son of the right hand" or "son of the south." This name change not only signifies Jacob's desire to honor his son but also to distance him from the memory of Rachel's death. It is a reminder of the significance of names in the Bible and how they often reflect the circumstances and emotions surrounding the individual at the time of their birth.

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