WAS BENJAMIN BORN AFTER JOSEPH WAS SOLD INTO SLAVERY OR BEFORE?
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You are right. The margin of error is very slim and I would certainly concede the possibility of a margin of error of perhaps a year or two, but I think one would be hard pressed to find that error. It really does not matter whether I am off on this particular point one year or 15 years, Joseph would still be older than Benjamin.
Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin. She was going to call him, son of my sorrows, Benoni, but Israel would have none of that, and named him, Benjamin, son of the right hand. Benjamin is always referred to as the youngest in reference to the brothers, and being born of the same mother, it is only reasonable that Benjamin is the youngest of the twelve. He is, however, older than the two half-tribes' patriarchs.
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Keil, (of Keil and Delitzch) suggests that Dinah is probably between 13 and 15 years of age when this incident occurred and no older. This does not seem to add up because according to 30:22, it was after the birth of Dinah that God remembered Rebekah and Joseph was born. According to 37:2, Joseph was sold by his brothers when he was 17 years old. Keil says this would place this event in the eleventh year after Jacob had returned to the Mesopotamian region. But, this will not work. Jacob will not be in his eleventh year in the land until Joseph is 17 when he is sold into slavery later on when they are living in Bethlehem in chapter 37. The Dinah incident occurs sometime before this but, there is no way to determine just how long Jacob has been in the land since he left Pandan-aram, nor do we know how long Jacob is in Pandanaram before Joseph reaches 17 years of age. According to 30:24, Joseph was born in Jacob's fourteenth year of service to Laban when Jacob is 90 years old. Dinah is older than Joseph by one [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]or [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]maybe[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif] even two years. So, she is probably between 15 and 17 when this event occurred. This would put Joseph between 14 and 16 at the time Dinah was violated.[/FONT]
Keil, (of Keil and Delitzch) suggests that Dinah is probably between 13 and 15 years of age when this incident occurred and no older. This does not seem to add up because according to 30:22, it was after the birth of Dinah that God remembered Rebekah and Joseph was born. According to 37:2, Joseph was sold by his brothers when he was 17 years old. Keil says this would place this event in the eleventh year after Jacob had returned to the Mesopotamian region. But, this will not work. Jacob will not be in his eleventh year in the land until Joseph is 17 when he is sold into slavery later on when they are living in Bethlehem in chapter 37. The Dinah incident occurs sometime before this but, there is no way to determine just how long Jacob has been in the land since he left Pandan-aram, nor do we know how long Jacob is in Pandanaram before Joseph reaches 17 years of age. According to 30:24, Joseph was born in Jacob's fourteenth year of service to Laban when Jacob is 90 years old. Dinah is older than Joseph by one [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]or [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]maybe[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif] even two years. So, she is probably between 15 and 17 when this event occurred. This would put Joseph between 14 and 16 at the time Dinah was violated.[/FONT]
There are events in the Bible that jumps from chapter to chapter...
Chapter 37 said: And Jacob dwelt....in Canaan;
Shalem from verse 34 was also located in Canaan 33:18.
Although from chapter 35 shows the journey of Jacob to Bethel, a generation chapter of 36 regarding Esau Generation was before 37.
How sure are we that chapter 37 was in Bethel and not while in Shalem?
Chapter 37 said: And Jacob dwelt....in Canaan;
Shalem from verse 34 was also located in Canaan 33:18.
Although from chapter 35 shows the journey of Jacob to Bethel, a generation chapter of 36 regarding Esau Generation was before 37.
How sure are we that chapter 37 was in Bethel and not while in Shalem?
This was only offered as a possibility but consider this. With all of the other children, the conception of each child is recorded. In the case of Zebulun and Dinah it only says, 19"Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob. 20Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good gift; now my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. 21Afterward she bore a daughter and named her Dinah. "
There is not a separate conception recorded in connection with the birth of Dinah. This is common language use found in the O.T. when we see the birth of twin. For example:
The Birth of Cain and Able. Possibility of twins – 2 arguments, both linguistic in nature.
A. What appears in the text? According to Clark, the text reads literally “and she added to bare.” This would suggest she bore again out of the same conception. This is the same construction found in Gen 30:32. It is not exactly the same word used but the meaning of the two word appear to be the same.
B. What does not appear in the text is a second conception. Most other times in scripture where children were born of the same parents, separate conceptions are recorded with each child represented. For example:
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I am not saying that 37 is not a continuation of 35, but is it possible that 37 also talks of the time Jacob first dwell in the Land of Canaan after meeting Esau.
33 Jacob-Meet Esau then dwell in the Land of shalem...the land of canaan
36: Record Esau generation
37:1 record that Jacob dwelt...in the Land of Canaan.
33 Jacob-Meet Esau then dwell in the Land of shalem...the land of canaan
36: Record Esau generation
37:1 record that Jacob dwelt...in the Land of Canaan.