Interesting Facts

• Ehi, also listed as Achi, is one of the sons born to Benjamin.
• Benjamin named some of his sons, including Achi, after his brother Joseph whom he had not seen. This suggests a deep familial bond and remembrance.

Genealogy

• Ehi/Achi is the son of Benjamin.
• Benjamin is the son of Jacob and Rachel.
• Jacob is the son of Isaac, and Isaac is the son of Abraham. This establishes Ehi/Achi’s lineage tracing back to the patriarch Abraham.
• According to one source, Aribath, the daughter of Shomron (son of Abraham), bore Benjamin five sons: Achi, Vosh, Mupim, Chupim, and Ord. Another source lists Benjamin’s sons as Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. A further list in another part of the text also includes Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Achi, Rosh, Mupim, Chupim, and Ord as Benjamin’s ten sons. These lists, while varying slightly in order and number (ten versus five initially attributed to Aribath), consistently include both Ehi and Achi as sons of Benjamin.

Historical Context

Ehi/Achi was born into the household of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, likely in the land of Canaan before the descent into Egypt. The act of Benjamin naming his sons after Joseph reflects the significant event of Joseph’s disappearance and the lasting impact it had on the family. Later, Ehi/Achi would have been among those who journeyed with Jacob and the rest of the family to dwell in the land of Goshen in Egypt during the time of the famine, under the provision of his uncle Joseph, who had risen to a position of great power. This migration was a pivotal event in the history of Jacob’s descendants, transitioning them from nomadic life in Canaan to settlement in Egypt. The secure dwelling and prosperity they experienced during Joseph’s lifetime would have shaped the early lives of Ehi/Achi and his brothers.

Narrative

The narrative concerning Ehi/Achi is primarily genealogical, serving to document the descendants of Jacob. His inclusion in the lists of Benjamin’s sons highlights his place within the twelve tribes of Israel and his contribution to the growth of Jacob’s family. The detail that Benjamin named him (as Achi) and other sons after Joseph suggests a conscious effort to keep the memory of his lost brother alive within his immediate family. While the texts do not record specific actions or dialogues involving Ehi/Achi, his existence as a son of Benjamin and a member of the extended family that migrated to Egypt is significant. He would have been part of the community that benefited from Joseph’s leadership and provision during the famine. His life would have been intertwined with the broader narrative of his family’s sojourn in Egypt, their eventual increase in numbers, and the foundation of what would later become the nation of Israel.