Daily Affirmations - Day 2 - Now What Do You Say? - A New Name
- Alisa B.
- May 18
- 2 min read
Day 2: A new name
While they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty. And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, “Don’t despair, for you have another son.” As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni [son of my trouble] But his father named him Benjamin [son of my right hand] (Genesis 35:16-18).
Rachel was taken in labour not far from Ephratah…The birth was a difficult one: she had difficulty in her labour. The midwife comforted her by saying: "Fear not, for this also is to thee a son," - a wish expressed by her when Joseph was born (Genesis 30:24).
But she expired; and as she was dying, she called him Been-oni, "son of my pain." Jacob, however, called him Ben-jamin, probably son of good fortune...
~ Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament
Ben-oni, i.e. the son of my sorrow: Rachel, as she dies, names her son; but the father cannot acquiesce in a name of such sad memories.
Benjamin, i.e. the son of the right hand: Jacob refuses to give his child an ill-omened name. The right hand was regarded as the auspicious side.
~ Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
About Benjamin [Moses] said: “Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders” (Deuteronomy 33:12).
Our Father in heaven, thank You that we are not defined by the pain and the travail of this world. You are the Father who gives us a new name:
The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of My God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from My God; and I will also write on them My new name (Revelation 3:12).
To work for Thee, my dearest Friend,
On whom my every hope depends;
Who washed away my earthly shame,
And gave to me a new, best name
~ William Fawcett ~ pub. 1890
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