Interesting Facts

• Benon is identified as one of the sons of Kesed.
• He is listed amongst the grandchildren of Nahor who were born in Haran.
• The text states that the children of Kesed journeyed to find a place to dwell and discovered a valley opposite the land of Shinar.
• Benon, along with his brothers, participated in the construction of a city in this valley.
• This city was named Kesed after their father, and the region became known as Kasdim.

Genealogy

• Benon’s father was Kesed, who was one of the twelve sons of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, and they were born in Haran.
• This lineage places Benon as a grandson of Nahor and a nephew of Abraham.
• Benon’s brothers were Anamlech, Meshai, and Yifi.
• The provided source does not specify Benon’s birth order among the sons of Kesed.
• The text provides no information regarding Benon’s marital status or any offspring he may have had.

Historical Context

The narrative concerning Benon unfolds within the context of the broader movements of the descendants of Terah. While Abraham journeyed into the land of Canaan and experienced various encounters, as detailed elsewhere in these venerable texts, Benon’s life is situated within the expansion of Nahor’s lineage in Mesopotamia. The departure of Kesed’s sons from Haran to seek new territories and establish their own settlement is indicative of a period where familial groups migrated and sought suitable lands for habitation and growth. The naming of their city after their father, Kesed, reflects the significance of patriarchal lineage and the practice of memorializing ancestors through place names, a custom observed in various accounts within these ancient writings. Their choice to settle in a valley opposite Shinar places them in a geographical region with its own historical resonance, separate from the developments occurring in Canaan with Abraham and his immediate descendants.

Narrative

The personal narrative of Benon, as gleaned from this ancient record, is interwoven with the collective endeavors of his brothers, Anamlech, Meshai, and Yifi. As sons of Kesed, they shared in the decision to depart from Haran and seek a new dwelling place. Their discovery of a valley facing the land of Shinar and their subsequent united effort in building a city, which they named in honor of their father Kesed, highlights their shared purpose and capacity for communal organization. This act of establishing a city and giving the land the name Kasdim, which endured “unto this day”, signifies the lasting impact of their migration and settlement, contributing to the geographical and possibly cultural landscape of Mesopotamia beyond the immediate sphere of Abraham’s wanderings. While the text does not offer specific individual actions or pronouncements by Benon, his inclusion in the account of the sons of Kesed’s movements and city-building firmly establishes his participation in this significant event within the history of Nahor’s progeny.