Left-Handed People in the Bible
Is there a genetic link to Benjamite lefties?
There are only three mentions of left-handed people in the Bible—and all of them refer to members of the tribe of Benjamin, including their deadly accurate slingers (see drawing above). Were these people from the tribe of Benjamin left-handed by nature or nurture? Modern studies in the genetics of left-handedness may be able to shed light on this curious case. (Drawing by Josh Seevers, courtesy of Boyd Seevers)
The Hebrew Bible mentions left-handed people on three occasions: the story of Ehud’s assassination of the Moabite king (Judges 3:12–30), the 700 Benjamites who could use the sling with deadly accuracy (Judges 20:16) and the two-dozen ambidextrous warriors who came to support David in Hebron (1 Chronicles 12:2). All of these stories of left-handed people in the Bible appear in military contexts, and, curiously, all involve members of the tribe of Benjamin.
In a Biblical Views column in the May/June 2013 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, professors Boyd Seevers and Joanna Klein ask the question, “Were these warriors from the tribe of Benjamin left-handed by nature or nurture?” Citing studies in the genetics of left-handedness and Biblical texts, Seevers and Klein show that it may have been a bit of both.
Benjamites may have been genetically disposed to left-handedness at birth, but the trait may also have been encouraged in soldiers to give them a strategic advantage in combat—somewhat like left-handed baseball pitchers today—against right-handed opponents who were unaccustomed to fighting “lefties.” Warriors from the tribe of Benjamin might have been trained to be equally or more effective with their left hands.
Then again, perhaps the Biblical writers simply enjoyed a bit of word play. The name Benjamin means “son of (my) right hand.” Perhaps the irony of left-handed “sons of right-handers” caused the Biblical authors to take note in these cases.
For more about the tribe of Benjamin, left-handedness in the Bible, and the genetics of left-handedness, see Boyd Seevers and Joanna Klein, Biblical Views: “Left-Handed Sons of Right-Handers” in the May/June 2013 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review.
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This Bible History Daily feature was originally published on May 31, 2013.
Related reading in Bible History Daily
The Tel Dan Inscription: The First Historical Evidence of King David from the Bible
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Ancient Israel’s Neighbors—The Transjordanian Kingdoms of Ammon, Moab, and Edom
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Here’s a thought; since Hebrew writes from right to left it presents problems for right handed persons. If you are writing with a quill pen a right handed person would tend to smear the still-wet ink as his hand slid over it. It seems then that the person or persons who developed Hebrew script were most likely left-handed who would not have this problem.
Since Moses was known as one of the early developers of Hebrew script, is it possible that Moses himself was left-handed?
What shape of thumb nail for both hands? Can you see the opposite moon on them?
Very interesting. I am left handed. In looking at the way Hebrew and Arabic are written – right to left – instead of left to right, I have always thought that the scribes must have been left handed. Right to left would be my natural way of writing if I hadn’t been taught by right handed teachers and systems who taught left to right. The same is true of the way letters are taught be be shaped. As an experiment try looking at the printing charts in school classrooms. Put your pencil in your right hand and write an O looking at the chart. Now put your pencil in your left hand and without looking at the church write an O that feels comfortable. See the difference.
Your so-called left-handers in 1 Chron 12:2 were said to be ambidextrous, not left-handed. Some suggest that the way Ehud was described might indicate he was crippled in his right hand, so not necessarily left-handed by nature (however the story does show as suggested that being left-handed, since that was unexpected, could be used to strategic advantage).
Benjamin doesn’t mean “son of my right hand”. It means “Southerner”. Benjamin was born far to the south of all of his brothers. In ancient semitic languages, the word “yemin” and variants thereof meant “south”. Yemen still carries that in its name.
Left-handedness, runs in families. My dad, I, some of my ancestors, were left-handed. My great-grandfather would write two copies of the same letter, simultaneously. Benjamites, have the same genetic traits. It is not all of them, who are left-handed; but it is, many of them.
Fighting with the left hand, is also a direct insult to your enemies. I can beat you with my good hand held behind my back, even on my worst day. That, was the implication. It was meant to be an insult, and most impressive, and domineering. A way to strike abject fear, into the hearts of your enemies. So that they would come to negotiate, rather than to fight, and thus, all be slaughtered. The very real threat of an assured destruction, is a pretty good negotiating point.
Benjamin, were Moses’ shock troops. They had first dibs, on the territory they all first entered, once they were West of the Jordan. And there was nothing wrong with resting beneath the palm trees, of the Plain of Jericho.
Lisa, you are about 80% wrong. Binyaamiyn absolutely does mean “son of right hand”. To say it does not mean that is nonsense. However, because the concept of what we call “compass directions” in the Bible is based on the perspective of looking east toward the rising son, that is, in the direction the mercy seat was oriented in the temple, which represents the direction YHWH theoretically faces on His throne, “north” and “left” correspond and “south” and “right” correspond. There are numerous places in the Bible where yaamiyn clearly denotes YHWH’s or a human’s “right hand” and not “south-ness”. (Exo. 15:6, 12; Job 40:14; Psa. 89:13 are just a few examples). It is possible that Binyaamiyn could men “southerner” (more accurately, “son of south”), but to settle on that possibility, the context must clearly suggest that a compass direction is intended.
Regarding ‘Eihuudh, he is described not explicitly as left-handed, but as “bound” in his right hand. Even if one insisted on construing his description to mean “a man bound in his south hand”, it would and could only mean he was bound in his right hand. That probably is intended to convey he was left-handed, but the precise nature of this condition can’t be certain. It may refer to a congenital condition, or perhaps a deliberate decision to enforce left-handedness.
In my opinion, this characteristic is a prophetic marker for an “against nature” condition that exists in the tribe of Binyaamiyn. I will support that conclusion in a book that I am developing. Stay tuned.
There wasn’t much about genetics in the article. I was hoping it might shed light on why my niece is the only left-hander in the family.
Benjamin is also interpreted as “BenYomin”, “son of my days (old age).
The reason that left-handed is usually specifically mentioned in military context, is because of the military formation. Inserting several left-hand men into the regiment will throw off the unity of the formation and cause compilcations when marching or fighting or doing other maneuvers. So military commanders could either force the left-handed people to fight right-handed (which would reduce agility and accuracy) or not allow left-handed people to be in such formations, or form a special unit of left-handers in order to maintain a unity of formation (which is what is going on here). And that is primarily why it is mentioned in military context and not in other places.
Interesting while serving in the Israel air force I always found going to the firing range unpleasant with the Uzi as I’m both left handed and left eyed. While firing the weapon the gun ejected spent casings to the right in my face/body which was unpleasant. Later on rifles were set up so that used casings ejected downward.
One of the most common questions posed to me as a child psychologist and speech therapist is a question about reading disorders. And more often than not, they come from parents of children who are left handed.
https://ekidz.eu/en/left-handed-learning-difficulty/
NOT True ! I am left handed and very creative, fairly intelligent, a musician, artist and I also have great speaking, writing and reading skills. My children are the same. Both my sons are gifted. Reading disorders have nothing to do with being left handed ! Your comment is an insult to us all ! The article is BS.
Central auditory processing differences in left handers.
Jack Katz data from years of work with the Staggered Spondaic Test discovered that left handed children of left handed mothers appeared to possess math/numbers skills. They also demonstrated reversal behavior with numbers, but also with spelling of words where letters (and potential meaning for some words) were presumably reversed. Auditory memory for order of words or concepts may be involved at some level, but just a guess. The presence of reversals did not appear related to IQ and intellectual things–indeed, engineering-gifted people sometimes demonstrate reversal behavior. In terms of Benjamites, the only way to know if they had reversal behavior, is to interview those left-handers’ moms. Kind of difficult at this time in history!
The answer lies in this: Left-handers are every bit as intelligent and creative as right-handers. The problem arises when the parent or teacher forces the left-handed child to convert to right-handedness and in so doing, interfere with the brain dominance. Right-handed people are dominated out of the left side of the brain whereas left-handed people are right-brain dominant. When you force the child to change, it confuses and neutralizes signals to the brain’s natural patterns of dominance. This disorientation can is a major cause of dyslexia. It is paramount that a parent not try to alter the natural inclinations of a child’s use of his/her right or left-handedness. Dr. Zedler was one of the world’s leading Dr.s on this topic and I studied under her. No need to be offended with anyone searching for answers. Hope this clarifies matters for you.
My dad was born left handed. He grew up right handed. In dads time they made all left handed right handed. I was born left, I got to stay left handed. I like being left handed because theirs not many of us. Guess you could say were a unique breed!!