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Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clearImportance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV)But Rahel was dying, and as her spirit was leaving her, she named the baby ‘Ben’oni’ (which means ‘son of my sorrow’), but afterwards Yacob renamed him ‘Benyamin’ (which means ‘son of my right hand’).
Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
BrLXXἘγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ ἀφιέναι αὐτὴν τὴν ψυχὴν, ἀπέθνησκε γὰρ, ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, υἱὸς ὀδύνης μου· ὁ δὲ πατὴρ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, Βενιαμίν. (Egeneto de en tōi afienai autaʸn taʸn psuⱪaʸn, apethnaʸske gar, ekalese to onoma autou, huios odunaʸs mou; ho de pataʸr ekalesen to onoma autou, Beniamin. )
BrTrAnd it came to pass in her giving up the ghost (for she was dying), that she called his name, The son of my pain; but his father called his name Benjamin.
ULTThen it happened as her soul was leaving her—for she was dying, then she called his name Ben-oni, but his father called him Benjamin.
USTBut Rachel was dying, and as her spirit was leaving her body, she named her baby Benoni which means “son of my sorrow”. But later, his father Jacob changed his name to Benjamin, which means “son of my right hand.”
BSB § And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni.[fn] But his father called him Benjamin.[fn]
35:18Ben-oni could mean son of my sorrow or son of my strength.
35:18“Benjamin” means “son of my right hand.” The right hand was considered more favorable.
T4TBut she was dying, and with her last breath she said, “Name him Benoni,” which means ‘son of my sorrow’, but his father named him Benjamin, which means ‘son of my right hand’.
LEBAnd it happened that when her life was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-Oni.[fn] But his father called him Benjamin.[fn]
BBEAnd in the hour when her life went from her (for death came to her), she gave the child the name Ben-oni: but his father gave him the name of Benjamin.
JPSAnd it came to pass, as her soul was in departing — for she died — that she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
ASVAnd it came to pass, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.
DRAAnd when her soul was departing for pain, and death was now at hand, she called the name of her son Benoni, that is, The son of my pain: but his father called him Benjamin, that is, The son of the right hand.
YLTAnd it cometh to pass in the going out of her soul (for she died), that she calleth his name Ben-Oni; and his father called him Benjamin;
DrbyAnd it came to pass as her soul was departing — for she died — that she called his name Benoni; but his father called him Benjamin.
RVAnd it came to pass, as her soul was in departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.
WbstrAnd it came to pass as her soul was in departing (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.
KJB-1769And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.[fn][fn]
KJB-1611[fn][fn]And it came to passe as her soule was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Beniamin. (Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)
BshpsThen as her soule was a departing (for she died) she called his name Benoni, but his father called hym Beniamin. (Then as her soul was a departing (for she died) she called his name Benoni, but his father called him Benyamin.)
GnvaThen as she was about to yeelde vp the Ghost (for she died) she called his name Ben-oni, but his father called him Beniamin. (Then as she was about to yeelde up the Ghost (for she died) she called his name Ben-oni, but his father called him Benyamin. )
CvdlBut as hir soule was departynge, yt she must dye, she called him Ben Oni: neuertheles his father called hi Be Iamin. (But as her soul was departynge, it she must dye, she called him Ben Oni: nevertheles his father called hi Be Yamin.)
WyclForsothe while the soule yede out for sorew, and deeth neiyede thanne, she clepide the name of hir sone Bennony, that is, the sone of my sorewe; forsothe the fadir clepide hym Beniamyn, that is the sone of the riyt side. (Forsothe while the soul went out for sorew, and death neiyede thanne, she called the name of her son Bennony, that is, the son of my sorewe; forsothe the father called him Benyamin, that is the son of the right side.)
LuthDa ihr aber die SeeLE ausging, daß sie sterben mußte, hieß sie ihn Benoni; aber sein Vater hieß ihn Benjamin. (So you/their/her but the SeeLE ausging, that they/she/them die mußte, was_called they/she/them him/it Benoni; but his father was_called him/it Benyamin.)
ClVgEgrediente autem anima præ dolore, et imminente jam morte, vocavit nomen filii sui Benomi, id est, Filius doloris mei: pater vero appellavit eum Benjamin, id est, Filius dextræ.[fn] (Egrediente however anima præ dolore, and imminente yam morte, he_called nomen children sui Benomi, id it_is, Son doloris mei: father vero he_called him Benyamin, id it_is, Son dextræ. )
35.18Egrediente autem, etc. ISID. Quid sibi vult quod eumdem Bennoni Rachel, cum pareret, vocavit filium doloris mei? Nisi futurum ex ea tribu Paulum, qui affligeret filios Ecclesiæ tempore persecutionis suæ? Aliter per Benjamin terrestris Hierusalem figuratur, quæ est in tribu Benjamin: cujus populus gravi dolore matrem afficit fundendo sanguinem prophetarum, et in necem Christi clamando: Sanguis ejus super nos, et super filios nostros Matth. 27. Et factum est cum dimitteret animam. HIERON. Siquidem moriebatur, vocavit nomen ejus, filius doloris mei: pater vero ejus vocavit nomen ejus Benjamin. In Hebræo similitudo nominis resonat, filius enim doloris mei, quod nomen moriens mater imposuit, dicitur Bennoni. Filius vero dextræ, id est virtutis, quod Jacob mutavit, dicitur Benjamin. Unde errant qui putant Benjamin filium dierum interpretari: dextera enim dicitur iamin, et finitur in n; dies vero appellatur iamim, et terminatur in m.
35.18Egrediente however, etc. ISID. What sibi vult that eumdem Bennoni Rachel, when/with pareret, he_called filium doloris mei? Nisi futurum from ea tribu Paulum, who affligeret filios Ecclesiæ tempore persecutionis suæ? Aliter through Benyamin terrestris Hierusalem figuratur, which it_is in tribu Benyamin: cuyus populus gravi dolore mother afficit fundendo sanguinem prophetarum, and in necem of_Christ clamando: Sanguis his over we, and over filios ours Matth. 27. And done it_is when/with to_releaset animam. HIERON. Siquidem moriebatur, he_called nomen his, son doloris mei: father vero his he_called nomen his Benyamin. In Hebræo similitudo nominis resonat, filius because doloris my/mine, that nomen moriens mater imposuit, it_is_said Bennoni. Son vero dextræ, id it_is of_virtue, that Yacob mutavit, it_is_said Benyamin. Unde errant who putant Benyamin filium dierum interpretari: dextera because it_is_said iamin, and finitur in n; days vero appellatur iamim, and terminatur in m.
35:18Rachel found the name son of my sorrow appropriate to the situation, but Jacob did not want such a sad name for his son, so he changed it to son of my right hand. Jacob thus turned the day of sorrow into a day of hope that gave his son the prospect of success.
Some translations use an idiom here, for example, “as she was taking her last breath” or “as her life was slipping/fading away”, but it is best to translate this in a way that preserves the biblical teaching that at death the soul or spirit leaves the body. Alternate translation: “But Rachel was dying, and as her soul was leaving her body,” or “But in fact Rachel was about to die, and just before her soul left her,”
The meaning of this name could imply that the child caused Rachel’s death. In the Hebrew text this name is two words connected with a dash (Ben-oni). Many translations write it that way or as one word (“Benoni”), and a few translations write it as “Ben Oni.” Any of these spellings is fine.
Make sure it is clear in your translation that this phrase refers to Jacob. Also, consider whether or not it is better in your language to begin a new sentence here.
As with many of the stories of the Bible, the events of Jacob’s life are often misunderstood by readers as disjointed pericopes arranged primarily for theological and cultural purposes. Because of this, readers often fail to see that these stories follow a clear geographical progression of the patriarch throughout the land of Canaan. This realistic and coherent geographical framework behind the stories gives strong support to the belief that these stories are authentic, historical accounts of the experiences of Jacob and his ancestors. The overall framework for virtually all of Jacob’s stories is very simple: Jacob is born and raised in southern Canaan but comes into conflict with his twin brother Esau, so he flees to Paddan-aram in Mesopotamia (Genesis 25-28; see “Jacob Goes to Paddan-Aram” map). There he builds a large family and great wealth (Genesis 29-30) and eventually returns to southern Canaan, likely retracing the exact steps he followed when he fled (Genesis 31-35; see also “Jacob Returns to Canaan” map). During this time, Esau moves to the hill country of Seir, likely just south of southern Canaan (“Edom and the Land of Seir” map), and establishes his own family there, giving rise to the nation of Edom (Genesis 36). Though the primary intent of Jacob’s return was no doubt to resettle in Canaan, comments made during his reunion with Esau near Peniel may reveal that he also intended to travel even further to Seir to visit his brother there (Genesis 33:12-14). After crossing from Mahanaim to Peniel in Gilead, Jacob reunites with Esau and settles in Succoth for a time and builds a house for himself and booths for his cattle. He eventually crosses the Jordan River and enters Canaan, stopping first at the ancient city of Shechem. There Jacob’s daughter Dinah is defiled by the son of the region’s leader, and her brothers take revenge by killing all the men of the city. Thus, Jacob is forced to leave, but first he calls upon all his household to purify themselves. He collects their idols and rings and buries them beneath a tree in Shechem. Upon reaching Bethel, Jacob builds an altar and calls it El-bethel. The nurse of Jacob’s mother Rebekah also dies at Bethel and is buried under an oak below the town, leading them to call the place Allon-bacuth (“oak of weeping”). Jacob and his family leave for Bethlehem, but very soon after they start the journey Rachel gives birth to Benjamin and then dies. Jacob buries her along the way, apparently near a place called Zelzah (or perhaps Elzah; see 1 Samuel 10 and “Saul Search for His Donkeys” map). Jacob continues on and camps beyond the tower of Eder, perhaps near Bethlehem, since that seems to have been his original destination. Finally Jacob reaches Mamre and Hebron. Soon after this Isaac dies, and Esau and Jacob bury him. The story of Jacob’s journey ends at Genesis 35, and we are not explicitly told if Jacob traveled even further to Seir. Genesis 36, however, catalogs the descendants of Esau, the Edomites, perhaps indicating that Jacob did indeed fulfill the intentions he stated in Genesis 33:12-14.
Though the patriarch Isaac moved from place to place several times within southern Canaan, compared to his father Abraham and his son Jacob, Isaac appears to have been a bit of a homebody. In fact, unless Isaac resettled in places not recorded in Scripture, the farthest extent he ever traveled appears to have been only about 90 miles (113 km). Yet, as the child of God’s promise to Abraham to build a great nation from his descendants, Isaac’s relatively simple life served as a critical bridge from Abraham to the beginnings of the twelve tribes of Israel, who were descended from Isaac’s son Jacob. It is likely that Isaac was born at Beersheba (see Genesis 21:1-24), and later Abraham offered him as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah (located at Jerusalem; see 2 Chronicles 3:1). Then Abraham, Isaac, and those with them returned to Beersheba (Genesis 22:1-19). When Isaac reached adulthood, his father sent a servant to bring back a bride for him from Aram-naharaim, far north of Canaan. When his bride, Rebekah, arrived, Isaac had just come from Beer-lahai-roi and settled in the Negev (Genesis 24:62). Later Isaac resettled with Rebekah in Beer-lahai-roi, and this may have been where their twins son Esau and Jacob were born. A famine forced Isaac to go to Gerar (Genesis 26:1-6) in “the land of the Philistines.” The distinct people group known as the Philistines in later books of the Bible did not arrive until the time of the Judges, so the term here must have referred to another people group living in this region, and this is supported by the fact that King Abimelech’s name is Semitic, not Aegean (the likely origin of the later Philistines). While Isaac was there, he repeated his father’s error (Genesis 20) by lying to the king that his wife was only his sister. Isaac also became increasingly prosperous at Gerar, so the Philistines told him to leave their region. Isaac moved away from the town of Gerar and settled further away in the valley of Gerar. There he dug a well, but the Philistines claimed it for themselves, so he called it Esek, meaning “argument.” So Isaac’s men dug another well and called it Sitnah (meaning “hostility”), but it led to more quarreling, so he dug yet another well and called it Rehoboth (meaning “open space”). The locations of these two later wells are not certain, but they may have been located near Ruheibeh as shown on this map. Then Isaac moved to Beersheba and built an altar. He also dug a well there, and King Abimelech of the Philistines came and exchanged oaths of peace with him. It was likely at Beersheba that Isaac blessed his sons Esau and Jacob, and both sons eventually left Canaan (see “Jacob Goes to Paddan-Aram” map). When Jacob later returned, he traveled to Mamre near Hebron and reunited with Isaac. Sometime after this Isaac died, and Jacob and Esau buried him there.
