Who was Becher in the Bible?

Becher was a son of Benjamin, making him a grandson of Jacob (Israel) and a great-grandson of Isaac and Abraham. He is listed among the family members who entered Egypt with Jacob during the famine (Genesis 46:21).

What is the significance of Becher in the Bible?

Becher's significance lies in his place within the genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. His descendants, the Becherites, are mentioned as a clan within the tribe (Numbers 26:35), contributing to the tribal structure of God's people.

Are there any key events in Becher's life?

The Bible records no specific events in Becher's life. His primary mention is genealogical, noting his existence as a son of Benjamin and his journey to Egypt with Jacob's family, which was a pivotal event for the Israelites (Genesis 46).

Becher

Old TestamentEgypt & WildernessMaleSon

Becher was a son of Benjamin and is listed among the family members who entered Egypt with Jacob.

Becher

Biography

Becher was the second son of Benjamin, the youngest of Jacob's twelve sons (Genesis 46:21). He is numbered among the seventy members of Jacob's household who journeyed to Egypt to escape the devastating famine in Canaan. As part of this great migration, Becher became one of the founding figures of a Benjaminite clan, serving as a tribal ancestor. The name Becher likely derives from a Hebrew root meaning 'firstborn' or 'young camel.' In Numbers 26:38, however, Becher does not appear among the Benjaminite clans counted in the wilderness census, which some scholars attribute to possible manuscript variation or family line extinction before the Exodus. He is also referenced in 1 Chronicles 7:6-8 as a son of Benjamin, where his own sons are named.

Significance

Though Becher receives little individual narrative attention, his inclusion in the genealogical record of Genesis 46 underscores the biblical theme of covenant continuity. God's promise to Abraham was carried forward through Jacob's family, and each son, including Becher, represents a strand in that redemptive lineage. The genealogical lists in Chronicles served a theological purpose for the post-exilic community: they affirmed identity, land inheritance rights, and the unbroken covenant between God and Israel across generations. Becher's place in this record reminds readers that even unnamed, peripheral figures are woven into the larger tapestry of God's saving purposes.

Authority Records

Wikidata

FatherBenjaminChildAbijahChildZemirah

Verse Appearances (3)

Genesis

Genesis 46:21

1Chr

1Chr 7:6 1Chr 7:8

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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