Ten Tribes Vs. One Tribe/2
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Ten Tribes Vs. One Tribe
Exegetical Approaches
Binyamin
Achiyah had included the tribe of Binyamin with Yehuda.
Evidence that Binyamin was loyal to Rechovam
Why isn't Binyamin mentioned? These sources explain that since Binyamin was both less important and less numerous than the tribe of Yehuda, it is not mentioned on its own but only included as part of the more glorified Yehuda. In addition, sine Yerushalayim fell within the borders of both tribes, they were considered as one.
Why did Hashem have Binyamin join Yehuda? Radak implies that since Hashem had left Yerushalayim to Yehuda, and the city was within the territory of Binyaimn, it too had to be under control of the Davidic dynasty.
Why would Binyamin side withYehuda? From a political perspective, it does not make sense that Binyamin would have wanted to join Yehuda, its rival from the days of Shaul. They would appear to be the prime candidates to join a rebellion. Hoil Moshe suggests that they sided with Rechovam out of fear. Alternatively, it is possible that their allegiance to Rechovam demonstrates that David's attempts at reconciliation with the tribe had in fact succeeded.1
Status of Yerushalayim – According to this approach, Yerushalayim was, and was always meant to be, firmly under the control of the Davidic dynasty.
"וַיַּקְהֵל אֶת כׇּל בֵּית יְהוּדָה וְאֶת שֵׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִן"
וַיִּקְבֹּץ אֶת כׇּל יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִן
"לְמַעַן עַבְדִּי דָוִד וּלְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלִַם הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי" – These sources could suggest that Hashem kept Yehuda "לְמַעַן עַבְדִּי דָוִד" and Binyamin "לְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלִַם".
Shimon?
Shimon
Achiyah had not intended that Binyamin was to join Yehuda. The missing twelfth tribe was Shimon, which had been subsumed under its neighbor already in the period of the Conquest.
