Every family has secrets; topics or things people are afraid to bring up or mention. As for Benjamin, his birth came at a great cost, the death of his mother Rachel. Prior to Benjamin’s birth, Joseph was the only other child Rachel was able to conceive. Unlike Joseph who was likely a young teenager when Rachel passed away, Benjamin never got a chance to know or be held by his mother.
And Jacob called the name of the place where God had talked with him Bethel [house of God]. 16 And they journeyed from Bethel and had but a little way to go to Ephrath [Bethlehem] when Rachel suffered the pangs of childbirth and had hard labor. 17 When she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, Do not be afraid; you shall have this son also. 18 And as her soul was departing, for she died, she called his name Ben-oni [son of my sorrow]; but his father called him Benjamin [son of the right hand]. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath, that is, Bethlehem, Genesis 35:16-19.
To the observant, there are certain mannerisms that parents often pass down to their children. Meanwhile, there are also physical features like a smirk or smile that are distinct and unique to one member of your family. Subsequently, as aunts and uncles spoke to Benjamin about his mother, one relative likely exclaimed at some point, “you’re just like your mother.”
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a [distinctive] long tunic with sleeves. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved [Joseph] more than all of his brothers, they hated him and could not say, Peace [in friendly greeting] to him or speak peaceably to him, Genesis 37:3-4.
Perhaps, one of the reasons that Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons is that something inside of Joseph reminded him of his wife Rachel. Jacob loved Rachel so much that he worked for free for 7 years so he could marry her. In addition, based upon Moses’ description of Joseph in the story of Potiphar’s wife, Joseph was blessed with Rachel’s looks. Subsequently, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jacob also told Joseph at some point in his life, “you look just like your mother.”
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 