The prefix "Ben-" in the Bible is a Hebrew term meaning "son of." It is commonly used in Hebrew names to denote lineage or descent, indicating the person's father. This prefix is integral to understanding the genealogies and familial relationships that are often detailed in the Scriptures. The use of "Ben-" highlights the importance of family heritage and tribal affiliation in the biblical narrative.

Biblical Usage:

1. Ben-Hadad: This name, meaning "son of Hadad," refers to several kings of Aram (Syria) mentioned in the Old Testament. Ben-Hadad I is noted for his conflicts with the kings of Israel, particularly during the reign of King Ahab. In 1 Kings 20:1 , it is recorded, "Now Ben-Hadad king of Aram gathered all his army, and there were thirty-two kings with him, along with horses and chariots. He marched up, besieged Samaria, and fought against it."

2. Ben-Hur: Mentioned in 1 Kings 4:8 , Ben-Hur was one of Solomon's twelve district governors, responsible for providing food for the king and his household. The verse states, "These were their names: Ben-Hur, in the hill country of Ephraim."

3. Ben-Abinadab: Another of Solomon's district governors, Ben-Abinadab, is noted in 1 Kings 4:11 . The text reads, "Ben-Abinadab, in all the heights of Dor (Taphath, a daughter of Solomon, was his wife)."

4. Ben-Zohar: While not as prominently featured as other "Ben-" names, Ben-Zohar is mentioned in the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles 4:20 , which states, "The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-Hanan, and Tilon. The descendants of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-Zohar."

Theological Significance:

The use of "Ben-" in biblical names underscores the significance of paternal lineage in the Hebrew culture. It reflects the patriarchal structure of ancient Israelite society, where family identity and inheritance were passed down through the male line. This naming convention also serves to connect individuals to their tribal and familial heritage, which was crucial for maintaining the covenantal promises given to the patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

In the broader biblical narrative, the emphasis on lineage and descent through names prefixed with "Ben-" points to the fulfillment of God's promises through specific family lines, ultimately culminating in the genealogy of Jesus Christ as presented in the Gospels. The genealogies trace Jesus' lineage back to David and Abraham, affirming His rightful place in the messianic line and fulfilling Old Testament prophecies.

Cultural Context:

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, names were more than mere identifiers; they often conveyed significant meaning about a person's character, destiny, or familial connections. The prefix "Ben-" was a common way to denote one's father, thereby situating the individual within a broader family narrative. This practice is evident not only in the Bible but also in other ancient Semitic cultures, where lineage and ancestry were vital components of one's identity and social standing.

Understanding the use of "Ben-" in biblical names provides insight into the cultural and theological framework of the Scriptures, highlighting the importance of family, heritage, and the fulfillment of divine promises through specific lineages.BEN-

Ben (prefix) (singular ben, "son of"; plural bene, "sons of" = Aramaic bar): This word is used in the singular or plural to express relationship of almost any kind:

(1) to a person; as such it is found as part of many compound names like Benjamin, Benhur, etc. (compare Bar);

(2) to a clan; in this connection it is found in the plural only: "children of Israel," "children of Ammon," etc.;

(3) to a town; perhaps as place of birth ("son of Jabesh"; 2 Kings 15:10);

(4) to occupation, state of life, age, character, quality even of things;

(5) peculiarly employed in the sense of "scholar disciple" ("son of prophet"), or in phrases like "son of death," etc.;

(6) in poetry, "sons of flame" for "sparks" (Job 5:7 margin), etc. The frequent metaphorical use of the word indicates that it was rarely used to express the relation of father to son like the Arabic Ibn. Compare HPN, 64.

A. L. Breslich

993. Boanerges -- Boanerges, an epithet applied to the two sons of ...
... Word Origin of Aramaic origin ben and regaz Definition Boanerges, an epithet applied
to the two sons of Zebedee NASB Word Usage Boanerges (1). ... see HEBREW ben. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/993.htm - 8k

958. Beniamin -- Benjamin, one of the twelve Isr. tribes
... tribes. Part of Speech: Proper Noun, Indeclinable Transliteration: Beniamin Phonetic
Spelling: (ben-ee-am-een') Short Definition: Benjamin Definition: Benjamin ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/958.htm - 6k

1151. Ben-ammi -- "son of my people," a son of Lot
Ben-ammi. 1150, 1151. Ben-ammi. 1152 . "son of my people," a son of Lot.
Transliteration: Ben-ammi Phonetic Spelling: (ben-am-mee ...
/hebrew/1151.htm - 6k

1132. Ben-zocheth -- "son of Zoheth," a man of Judah
Ben-zocheth. 1131b, 1132. Ben-zocheth. 1133 . "son of Zoheth," a man of
Judah. Transliteration: Ben-zocheth Phonetic Spelling: (ben ...
/hebrew/1132.htm - 6k

1126. Ben-oni -- "son of my sorrow," Rachel's name for Benjamin
Ben-oni. 1125, 1126. Ben-oni. 1127 . "son of my sorrow," Rachel's name
for Benjamin. Transliteration: Ben-oni Phonetic Spelling ...
/hebrew/1126.htm - 6k

1130. Ben-hadad -- "son of Hadad," the name of several Aramean ...
Ben-hadad. 1129, 1130. Ben-hadad. 1131 . "son of Hadad," the name of
several Aramean (Syrian) kings. Transliteration: Ben-hadad ...
/hebrew/1130.htm - 6k

1145. Ben-yemini -- a descendant of Benjamin
Ben-yemini. 1144, 1145. Ben-yemini. 1146 . a descendant of Benjamin.
Transliteration: Ben-yemini Phonetic Spelling: (ben-yem-ee ...
/hebrew/1145.htm - 6k

1122. Ben -- a Levite
... Ben. 1123 . a Levite. Transliteration: Ben Phonetic Spelling: (bane) Short Definition:
Ben. Word Origin from ben Definition a Levite NASB Word Usage Ben (1). ...
/hebrew/1122.htm - 6k

1134. Ben-chayil -- "son of might," one of Jehoshaphat's leaders
Ben-chayil. 1133, 1134. Ben-chayil. 1135 . "son of might," one of
Jehoshaphat's leaders. Transliteration: Ben-chayil Phonetic ...
/hebrew/1134.htm - 6k

1125. Ben-abinadab -- "son of Abinadab," one of Solomon's leaders
Ben-abinadab. 1124, 1125. Ben-abinadab. 1126 . "son of Abinadab," one
of Solomon's leaders. Transliteration: Ben-abinadab Phonetic ...
/hebrew/1125.htm - 6k

1127. Ben-geber -- "son of a man," one of Solomon's leaders
Ben-geber. 1126, 1127. Ben-geber. 1128 . "son of a man," one of Solomon's
leaders. Transliteration: Ben-geber Phonetic Spelling ...
/hebrew/1127.htm - 6k

1136. Ben-chesed -- "son of mercy," one of Solomon's leaders
Ben-chesed. 1135, 1136. Ben-chesed. 1137 . "son of mercy," one of Solomon's
leaders. Transliteration: Ben-chesed Phonetic Spelling ...
/hebrew/1136.htm - 6k

Usha
... "The Sanhedrim went from Jabneh to Usha, and from Usha to Shepharaam." The Gloss
is, "To Jabneh in the days of Rabban Jochanan (Ben Zaccai); to Usha in the ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 84 usha.htm

It was Near the Middle Hour of the Night. ...
... "To John ben Joreb I present the noble Manius," said Antipater. "Blessings
of the one God be upon thee," said Ben Joreb, bowing low. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bacheller/vergilius/chapter 8 it was near.htm

Ascalon. Gerar. The Story of the Eighty Witches.
... And yet, "when R. Ismael Ben R. Josi, and Ben Hakkaphar, were set over the space
of Ascalon" (that is, when it was intrusted to them to judge concerning the ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 14 ascalon gerar the.htm

Lydda
... the barber's shop. Here it was, that Ben Satdah was surprised and taken,
and brought before the Sanhedrim, and stoned... Since it ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 16 lydda.htm

Acon. Ptolemais.
... "In Acon the land of Israel is, and is not." And therefore, "R. Josi Ben Hananiah
kissed the arch of Acon, and said, Hitherto is the land of Israel.". ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 64 acon ptolemais.htm

The South Country. Judea Called 'the South,' in Respect of Galilee ...
... Therefore, said they of Zippor, R. Joshua Ben Levi obtained rain for the southern
people: but R. Chaninah hinders it from coming upon the people of Zippor. ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 12 the south country.htm

Jabneh. Jamnia.
... Jerusalem being destroyed, Rabban Jochanan Ben Zaccai obtained of Titus the conqueror,
that he might still receive and retain the Sanhedrim of Jabneh: which ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 15 jabneh jamnia.htm

The Consistories of More Note: Out of the Babylonian Talmud ...
... Go to (Beth-Din) the famous consistory, to R. Eleazar to Lydda, to Rabban Jochanan
Ben Zaccai. ... Go to R. Chananiah Ben Teradion to Sicni. To R. Jose to Zippor. ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 96 the consistories of.htm

Editions and Manuscripts.
... Martyrs. The mss. collated by the Ben. Edd. ... Paris. The Ben. Regius Secundus
(2293) is described by Omont (Inventaire Sommaire des mss. ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/x editions and manuscripts.htm

Samaria. Sychem.
... "R. Ismael Ben R. Josi, went to Neapolis. ... "Rabbi said, 'A Samaritan is as a heathen.'
R. Simeon Ben Gamaliel saith, A Cuthean is as an Israelite in all things. ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 56 samaria sychem.htm

Ben (40 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) Alt. of Ben nut. 2. (adv. ...BEN. ben (ben, "son"): A Levite appointed to
assist as musician in the temple service (1 Chronicles 15:18). ...
/b/ben.htm - 20k

Ben-
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia BEN-. Ben (prefix) (singular ben, "son
of"; plural bene, "sons of" = Aramaic bar): This word is ...
/b/ben-.htm - 7k

Ben-hadad (27 Occurrences)
Ben-hadad. Benhadad, Ben-hadad. Ben-ha'dad . Easton's Bible Dictionary
The ... Multi-Version Concordance Ben-hadad (27 Occurrences). 1 ...
/b/ben-hadad.htm - 16k

Ben-hanan (1 Occurrence)
Ben-hanan. Benhanan, Ben-hanan. Ben-ha'nan . Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia BEN-HANAN. ben-ha'-nan (ben-chanan, "son ...
/b/ben-hanan.htm - 7k

Ben-abinadab (1 Occurrence)
Ben-abinadab. Benabinadab, Ben-abinadab. Ben-abin'adab . Int. Standard
Bible Encyclopedia BEN-ABINADAB. ben-a-bin'-a-dab ...
/b/ben-abinadab.htm - 7k

Ben-zoheth (1 Occurrence)
Ben-zoheth. Benzoheth, Ben-zoheth. Ben-zo'heth . Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia BEN-ZOHETH. ben-zo'-heth (ben-zoheth, "son ...
/b/ben-zoheth.htm - 7k

Ben-hur (1 Occurrence)
Ben-hur. Benhur, Ben-hur. Ben-hushai . Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia BEN-HUR. ben-hur' (ben-chur, "son of Hur"; the ...
/b/ben-hur.htm - 7k

Ben-oni (1 Occurrence)
Ben-oni. Benoni, Ben-oni. Ben-o'ni . Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia
BEN-ONI. ben-o'-ni (ben-'oni; huios odunes mou, "son ...
/b/ben-oni.htm - 7k

Ben-hesed (1 Occurrence)
Ben-hesed. Benhesed, Ben-hesed. Ben-hinnom . Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia BEN-HESED. ben-he'-sed (ben-checedh, "son ...
/b/ben-hesed.htm - 7k

Ben-ammi (1 Occurrence)
Ben-ammi. Benammi, Ben-ammi. Bench . Easton's Bible Dictionary Son of my kindred ...
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BEN-AMMI. ben-am'-i (ben...
/b/ben-ammi.htm - 9k

Who was Ben-Hadad in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Is Ben-Hur in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that God is the God of the hills and valleys (1 Kings 20:28)? | GotQuestions.org

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