Gate of Benjamin (Jer. xxxvii, 13; xxxviii, 7; "Benjamin's gate," Zech. xiv, 10; " hi^h gate of Ben- jamin," Jer. xx, 2) was doubtless on the northern side of Jerusalem, probably the same elsewhere called "the gate of Ephraim" (1 Kings xiv, 13), and apparently coinciding nearly in position with the present "Da- mascus Gate" (Strong's Harmony and Expos, of the Gos- pels, App. ii, ]). IS). See Jerusalem.
2. A man of the tribe of Benjamin, second named of the seven sons of Bilhan. and the head of a family of warriors (1 Chron. vii, 10). B.C. perh.^cir. 1016.
3. An Israelite, one of the "sons of Harim," who divorced his foreign wife after the exile (Ezra x, 32). B.C. 458, He seems to be the same person who had previously assisted in rebuilding the walls of Jerusa- lem (in connection with Haehub), opposite his house on Zion (Xeh. iii, 23).
Ben'jamite (Heb. prop. Ben-Ycmini' ', *:""C"'""3, son ofjetnim, 1 Sam. ix, 21 ; xxii, 7 ; 2 Sam. xvi, 11 ; xix, 17; 1 Kings ii, 8 ; 1 Chron. xxvii, 12; "of Ben- jamin," Psa. vii, title; but simply Yetnini' , "j^"\ in Judg. iii, 15; xix, 10; 1 Sam. ix, 1, 4; 2 Sam. xx, 1;
Esth. ii, 5; elsewhere the usual name Benjamin with some other prefix, see Benjamin), the patronymic title of the descendants of the patriarch Benjamin (q. v.).
Bemiet, Benjamin, a Presbyterian minister, was born at Wellesburgh, Leicestershire, 1074, and was for many years pastor of a Presbyterian church at New- castle-upon-Tyne. He was an industrious and suc- cessful pastor, and still more eminent as a writer. Ho published Memorials of the Reformation (Lond. 2d ed. 1721, 8vo); Ire?iicum, a Review of Controversies on the Trinity, Church Authority, etc. (1722, 8vo) ; Christian Oratory, or ike Divot ions of the Closet (many editions); Discourses against Popery (1714, 8vo) ; Sermons on In- spiration (1730, 8vo). — Darling, Cyclop. Bibliographica, i, 243; Allibone, Diet, of Authors, i, 165.
Bennet, Thomas, D.D., an eminent English di- vine, was born at Salisbury in 1673. He took his M.A. degree at Cambridge in 1694. He was made rector of St. James's at Colchester 1700, and in 1716 vicar of St. Giles's in London, where he died in 1728. He was highly esteemed by Hoadley, although he dif- fered from him in his opinions. He wrote various works against the Romanists and Dissenters, An Es- say on the Thirty-nine A rticles (Lond. 1715, 8vo), A Par- aphrase on the Book of Comnu n Prayer (Lond. 1709, 8vo), Brief History of Forms of Prayer (Camb. 1708, 8vo), etc. — Biog. Britannica.
Benno, St., descended from the counts of Wolden- burgh in Saxony, was born at Hildesheim in 1010, and became, in 1060, bishop of Meissen. He eagerly ex- erted himself for the conversion of the pagan Sclavo- nians. In the struggle between the Emperor Henry IV and Gregory VII he was an unflinching adherent of the latter, and therefore expelled by the emperor from his see in 1085, but afterward reinstated. He died June 16, 1107. His canonization, in 1523, called forth the spicy pamphlet of Luther, Against the new Idol and old Devil, who is to be set vp in Afeissen. His Life was written by Emser (Leipz. 1512). See also Seyffarth, Ossiligium Bennonis (Munich, 1765) ; Kanke, History of the Reformation, i, 90.
Be'llO (Heb. Bene/, 1*32, his son; Sept. inoi Boi'i'i in ver. 26, and translates literally viol abroii in ver. 27) is given as the only son, or the first of the four sons of Jaaziah the Levite, of the family of Merari, in 1 Chron. xxiv, 26, 27 ; but there is much confusion in the whole passage. B.C. perh. 1014. See Ben-.
Benoit, Elie, a Protestant French theologian, was born at Palis on Jan. 20, 16-10. Having studied theology at Paris and Montauban, he became, in 1665, minister at Alencon. Here he had repeatedly theo- logical disputations with Roman Catholic priests, espe- cially the Jesuit La Rue, who tried to excite the mob against the Protestants. In consequence of the revo- cation of the Edict of Nantes he had to leave France ; he went to Holland, and became pastor at Delft, where he died Nov. 15, 1728. He was highly esteemed as a meek, peaceable man, who did not seek controversies, but did not flee from them when forced upon him. His chief work is the History of the Edict of Nantes (Hisloire de V Edit de Nantes, Delft, 1693-95, 5 vols. 4to). This work is distinguished for its accuracy, and still remains a chief source for the history of the Reformed Church of France. Among his other works are the following: IlisU.ire et Apologie de la Retraite des Pas- teurs (Francfort, 1687, 12mo ; and a defence of this Apology, Francfort, Kiss, 12mo); M*-lmiye de Re- marques critiques, hi&trriques, phUosophiques, et theolo- giques cmln deux ecrits de Loland (Delft, 1712, 8vo).— Herzog, Supplement, i, 174; Hoefer, Biog. Generate, v, 394.
Benoit or Benedict, Rene, curate of the church of St. Eustache at Paris, was born near Ansrers in 1521. In 1566 he distinguished himself by a French translation of the Bibie, published in that year at Paris
BEX-ONI
756
BENTHAM
in fol., and in 1588 in 2 vols. 4to. He was accused of having pretended to make his translation from the Greek and Hebrew, of -which languages he knew noth- ing and of having, in feet, followed the Geneva Bi- ble, making a few verbal alterations. In spite of his defence, he was expelled from the faculty of theology by a decree dated October 1st, 1572, and the censure passed by that Bociety on his works was confirmed by I XIII; the author was subsequently com-