Becher

Son of Benjamin

Also known as: Becher

The patriarchsPatriarchc. 1800 BC

Becher was one of the sons of Benjamin, Jacob's youngest son. He is mentioned in the genealogies in Genesis and 1 Chronicles as part of the tribe of Benjamin, which later became one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Although little is known about his personal life, his place in the family record is important for understanding the tribal structure of Israel.

Family

Key events

Mentioned among the sons of Benjamin

Becher is listed as one of Benjamin's sons when Jacob's family went down to Egypt.

21The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
וּבְנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֗ן בֶּ֤לַע וָבֶ֙כֶר֙ וְאַשְׁבֵּ֔ל גֵּרָ֥א וְנַעֲמָ֖ן אֵחִ֣י וָרֹ֑אשׁ מֻפִּ֥ים וְחֻפִּ֖ים וָאָֽרְדְּ׃ ‬

Jacob's family in Egypt

Becher was part of the larger group of 70 people from Jacob's household who settled in Egypt during the famine.

26All the persons belonging to Jacob who came to Egypt, his own direct descendants, not counting the wives of Jacob's sons, numbered sixty-six in all.
כָּל־הַ֠נֶּפֶשׁ הַבָּאָ֨ה לְיַעֲקֹ֤ב מִצְרַ֙יְמָה֙ יֹצְאֵ֣י יְרֵכ֔וֹ מִלְּבַ֖ד נְשֵׁ֣י בְנֵי־יַעֲקֹ֑ב כָּל־נֶ֖פֶשׁ שִׁשִּׁ֥ים וָשֵֽׁשׁ׃ ‬
27With the two sons born to Joseph in Egypt, the persons of Jacob's household who came to Egypt numbered seventy.
וּבְנֵ֥י יוֹסֵ֛ף אֲשֶׁר־יֻלַּד־ל֥וֹ בְמִצְרַ֖יִם נֶ֣פֶשׁ שְׁנָ֑יִם כָּל־הַנֶּ֧פֶשׁ לְבֵֽית־יַעֲקֹ֛ב הַבָּ֥אָה מִצְרַ֖יְמָה שִׁבְעִֽים׃ פ ‬

The Genealogy in the Book of Numbers

In the census of the Book of Numbers, Benjamin's descendants are recorded, and Becher's lineage is mentioned as the family of the Becherites.

35These were the sons of Ephraim by their clans: from Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan; from Becher, the Becherite clan; from Tahan, the Tahanite clan.
אֵ֣לֶּה בְנֵי־אֶפְרַיִם֮ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לְשׁוּתֶ֗לַח מִשְׁפַּ֙חַת֙ הַשֻּׁ֣תַלְחִ֔י לְבֶ֕כֶר מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַבַּכְרִ֑י לְתַ֕חַן מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽתַּחֲנִֽי׃ ‬

Becher's Descendants in Chronicles

1 Chronicles gives a detailed list of Becher's sons and their families, which numbered 20,200 men fit for battle.

8The sons of Becher: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth — all of these were the sons of Becher.
וּבְנֵ֣י בֶ֗כֶר זְמִירָ֡ה וְיוֹעָ֡שׁ וֶ֠אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְאֶלְיוֹעֵינַ֤י וְעָמְרִי֙ וִירֵמ֣וֹת וַאֲבִיָּ֔ה וַעֲנָת֖וֹת וְעָלָ֑מֶת כָּל־אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵי־בָֽכֶר׃ ‬
9Their genealogical record, by their generations, listed the heads of their fathers' houses, mighty warriors: twenty thousand two hundred.
וְהִתְיַחְשָׂ֣ם לְתֹלְדוֹתָ֗ם רָאשֵׁי֙ בֵּ֣ית אֲבוֹתָ֔ם גִּבּוֹרֵ֖י חָ֑יִל עֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף וּמָאתָֽיִם׃ ס ‬

The Significance of the Tribe of Benjamin

The tribe of Benjamin, to which Becher belonged, became an important tribe in Israel's history and gave rise to figures such as King Saul and the apostle Paul.

6The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, and Jediael — three.
בִּנְיָמִ֗ן בֶּ֧לַע וָבֶ֛כֶר וִידִֽיעֲאֵ֖ל שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ ‬
7The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri — five, heads of their fathers' houses, mighty warriors. Their genealogical record numbered twenty-two thousand thirty-four.
וּבְנֵ֣י בֶ֗לַע אֶצְבּ֡וֹן וְעֻזִּ֡י וְ֠עֻזִּיאֵל וִירִימ֨וֹת וְעִירִ֜י חֲמִשָּׁ֗ה רָאשֵׁי֙ בֵּ֣ית אָב֔וֹת גִּבּוֹרֵ֖י חֲיָלִ֑ים וְהִתְיַחְשָׂ֗ם עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙ אֶ֔לֶף וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים וְאַרְבָּעָֽה׃ ס ‬
8The sons of Becher: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth — all of these were the sons of Becher.
וּבְנֵ֣י בֶ֗כֶר זְמִירָ֡ה וְיוֹעָ֡שׁ וֶ֠אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְאֶלְיוֹעֵינַ֤י וְעָמְרִי֙ וִירֵמ֣וֹת וַאֲבִיָּ֔ה וַעֲנָת֖וֹת וְעָלָ֑מֶת כָּל־אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵי־בָֽכֶר׃ ‬
9Their genealogical record, by their generations, listed the heads of their fathers' houses, mighty warriors: twenty thousand two hundred.
וְהִתְיַחְשָׂ֣ם לְתֹלְדוֹתָ֗ם רָאשֵׁי֙ בֵּ֣ית אֲבוֹתָ֔ם גִּבּוֹרֵ֖י חָ֑יִל עֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף וּמָאתָֽיִם׃ ס ‬
10The son of Jediael: Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar.
וּבְנֵ֥י יְדִיעֲאֵ֖ל בִּלְהָ֑ן וּבְנֵ֣י בִלְהָ֗ן *יעיש **יְע֡וּשׁ וּ֠בִנְיָמִן וְאֵה֤וּד וּֽכְנַעֲנָה֙ וְזֵיתָ֔ן וְתַרְשִׁ֖ישׁ וַאֲחִישָֽׁחַר׃ ‬
11All these were the sons of Jediael, listed as heads of their fathers' houses, mighty warriors — seventeen thousand two hundred ready to march out to war.
כָּל־אֵ֜לֶּה בְּנֵ֤י יְדִֽיעֲאֵל֙ לְרָאשֵׁ֣י הָאָב֔וֹת גִּבּוֹרֵ֖י חֲיָלִ֑ים שִׁבְעָֽה־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֙לֶף֙ וּמָאתַ֔יִם יֹצְאֵ֥י צָבָ֖א לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ ‬

Mentioned in the Bible (4)