Bible Strands
Genesis 49:27
Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jacob, on his deathbed, addresses his twelve sons to pronounce final tribal blessings. He speaks directly to Benjamin as the last recipient of these declarations.
The words — The Hebrew זְאֵב (ze'ev) translates literally to "wolf," paired with יִטְרָף (yitraf), meaning "tears to pieces" or "devours." These terms frame the tribe's identity around aggressive consumption and division of spoil.
The thread — The imagery of martial ferocity recurs in Judges 20:21 and Judges 20:25, where Benjamite warriors inflict heavy casualties on Israelite forces. The name itself derives from Genesis 35:18, where Jacob renames his dying son Ben-oni to Benjamin.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition of a tribe defined by relentless combat and territorial acquisition. It requires the reader to track how Jacob's metaphor anticipates historical military outcomes without softening the violence described.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.
Cross-references
- Judges 20:21 And the Benjamites came out of Gibeah and cut down 22,000 Israelites on the battlefield that day.
- Judges 20:25 That same day the Benjamites came out against them from Gibeah and cut down another 18,000 Israelites, all of them armed with swords.
- Genesis 35:18 And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni. But his father called him Benjamin.
- Genesis 46:21 The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
- Numbers 23:24 Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.”
- Ezekiel 22:27 Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
- Deuteronomy 33:12 Concerning Benjamin he said: “May the beloved of the LORD rest secure in Him; God shields him all day long, and upon His shoulders he rests.”
- Judges 3:15 And again they cried out to the LORD, and He raised up Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed Benjamite, as their deliverer. So they sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.
- 1 Samuel 11:4 When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and relayed these words in the hearing of the people, they all wept aloud.
- 1 Samuel 14:1 One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But Jonathan did not tell his father.