The Tribe of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, traces its lineage to Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel. At the time of the Israelites' encampment at Mount Sinai, the tribe played a significant role in the formation and organization of the nascent nation of Israel.

Census and Organization

During the Israelites' encampment at Sinai, God instructed Moses to take a census of the entire assembly of the Israelites. According to the Book of Numbers, the tribe of Benjamin was counted among the twelve tribes. The census recorded in Numbers 1:36-37 states: "From the sons of Benjamin, their genealogies according to their clans and families, every male twenty years of age and older able to serve in the army, those registered to the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400."

This census was crucial for organizing the Israelites into a structured community, preparing them for their journey to the Promised Land, and establishing their military capabilities. The tribe of Benjamin, though smaller in number compared to some other tribes, was recognized for its valor and strategic importance.

Position in the Camp

The arrangement of the Israelite camp around the Tabernacle was divinely ordained, with each tribe assigned a specific position. The tribe of Benjamin was positioned on the west side of the Tabernacle, alongside the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, forming the camp of Ephraim. Numbers 2:22 details this arrangement: "The tribe of Benjamin will be next. The leader of the Benjamites is Abidan son of Gideoni."

This positioning was significant as it placed Benjamin in a strategic location within the camp, contributing to the overall defense and order of the Israelite community. The tribe's proximity to the Tabernacle underscored its integral role in the spiritual and communal life of Israel.

Role in the Covenant

At Sinai, the Israelites entered into a covenant with God, receiving the Law through Moses. The tribe of Benjamin, like the other tribes, was bound by this covenant, which established the laws and commandments that would govern their lives. The giving of the Law at Sinai was a pivotal moment for the Israelites, as it defined their identity as God's chosen people and set the standards for their conduct and worship.

The tribe of Benjamin, along with the other tribes, participated in the ratification of this covenant, affirming their commitment to follow God's commandments and to uphold the covenantal relationship established at Sinai.

Significance in Israel's Journey

The tribe of Benjamin's presence at Sinai marked the beginning of its journey as part of the unified nation of Israel. Despite its relatively small size, the tribe's contributions to the community were significant, both in terms of military strength and spiritual commitment. The experiences at Sinai laid the foundation for the tribe's future role in the history of Israel, as it would later become known for its warriors and its strategic importance in the land of Canaan.

In summary, the Tribe of Benjamin at Sinai was a vital component of the Israelite community, participating fully in the census, the organization of the camp, and the covenantal relationship with God. Its legacy, rooted in the events at Sinai, would continue to influence its identity and role within the broader narrative of Israel's history.Numbers 1:37
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
Nave's Topical Index

The Israelites
... the founder of Edom, and it may be that the name of the tribe of Benjamin has been ...
First at Sinai, among the mountains of Seir and Paran, and then at Kadesh ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

Israel the Beloved
... great ode, the reference of the text may be to the tribe of Benjamin, as specially ...
into the mouth of the ancient Lawgiver, for to him even Sinai, with all ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/israel the beloved.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... Moses Removed From Mount Sinai, And Conducted The People To The Borders Of The ... And
When There Was A Sedition Arisen, The Tribe Of Benjamin Was Destroyed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

Faith Illustrated
... He was a Hebrew of the Hebrews, of the tribe of Benjamin, as touching ... his stone up
hill, as for him to find a road to heaven up the steeps of Sinai; that as ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/faith illustrated.htm

Chapter xxxv
... Sinai the changing of garments was to do honour to the occasion and ... on the southeast
hill of Jerusalem on old territory of the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18 ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxv.htm

Chapter xxxiv
... Sinai the changing of garments was to do honour to the occasion and ... on the southeast
hill of Jerusalem on old territory of the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18 ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxiv.htm

The Training of a Statesman.
... together with the southern tribes of Benjamin and Judah ... The priest of the sub-tribe
of the Kenites ... holy mountain Horeb (elsewhere called Sinai) where Kenites ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study viii the training of.htm

Acts XIII
... gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, forty years. ... of
dissimilarity between it and the old covenant made at Mount Sinai, the Lord ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xiii.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... covenant; His dwelling-place was Mount Sinai or Mount ... an early date into some
fellow-tribe, as in ... Gad;*** others, such as Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin, and Judah ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Doctrine of Arbitrary Scriptural Accommodation Considered.
... of Moses: of the former,"in connexion with the covenant of Sinai; of the ... Son [573]
"if behind those captive Jews of the tribe of Benjamin whom Nebuzar ...
/.../burgon/inspiration and interpretation/sermon vi the doctrine of.htm

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Benjamin: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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