Daily Tidbits 8/20/26 – Benjamin Harrison

On this date, 8/20/1833, Benjamin Harrison was born. In the Presidents Code, Harrison’s Presidency displays the days of Jacob and his family dwelling in the land of Canaan. The Presidents Code is a parable based upon the name meanings of the U.S. Presidents. Their name meanings tell the story of the Biblical text, from the beginning of creation unto the days of Christ. Based upon the premise of this code, it is seen that the very characters of the Presidents, from their personal characters to the events that occurred during their Presidencies reveal in parable form the exact same events of the Biblical narrative of which their name meanings describe. In other words, the history of the United States is displaying a giant parable of the Word of God.

President Benjamin Harrison
Republican 3/4/1889-3/4/1893

In the 1888 Election, despite the nation being at peace and in a state of prosperity, Benjamin Harrison was able to deny Grover Cleveland a second term despite Cleveland obtaining the most popular votes. Harrison was able to gain the Electoral votes needed, winning New York and Indiana, which Cleveland had done in 1884. Harrison ran on the platform of higher tariffs which was supported by industrialists and factory workers and signed into law the McKinley Tariff which followed this platform. Harrison was denied a second term by Grover Cleveland in 1892, due in large part to a change in opinion of the high tariffs.

Benjamin Harrison’s name meaning is speaking of the days of Jacob and his family dwelling in the land of Canaan. This is the period of Benjamin’s birth and Joseph’s dreams.

Benjamin comes from the Hebrew בנימין ‘Binyamin’ which means son of the right hand.

Henry comes from the Germanic words ‘heim’ meaning home and ‘ric’ meaning power or ruler.

Harrison means son of Harry which comes from the names Henry and Harold. Henry means home power or ruler. Harold comes from the Old English name ‘Hereweald’ meaning leader of the army. ‘Here’ meaning army and ‘weald’ meaning leader or ruler.

This is speaking of the time of Jacob and his children dwelling in the land of Canaan, as strangers and sojourners (Psalm 105:12), yet rulers (Genesis 48:22). This was the period of Benjamin’s birth (Genesis 35:16-18). Benjamin means son of the right hand, yet, the ‘son of Jacob’s right hand’ was Joseph, the one who would rule over his brethren (Genesis 37:5-11; 44:14; 45:9) yet was a stranger (Genesis 42:8; 49:26). Benjamin would take up the position of ‘son of Jacob’s right hand’ after Joseph was sold into Egypt (Genesis 42:38; 44:20, 30).

Benjamin Harrison’s Presidency represents the time period from Jacob’s wrestling with the Man and his meeting with Esau to the time of Joseph and his dreams. This was the time that Jacob became Israel (Genesis 32:28), where he erected an altar proclaiming the God of Israel (Genesis 33:20) to the people of the land. This is the period when the conflict between Israel and Shechem occurred (Genesis 34). This is also time that Jacob got rid of the idols in the camp (Genesis 35:1-4) and where God met with him re-iterating the promise of Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 35:9-15).

The Presidency of Benjamin Harrison is most remembered for the McKinley Tariff and the Sherman Antitrust Act. The McKinley Tariff raised the tariff on imports and caused monopolies to form as foreign competition dwindled. This became a very unpopular piece of legislation to the common American as the lack of competition allowed the monopolies to raise prices on goods. As a result, the Sherman Antitrust Act was passed which created legislation to prevent monopolies from forming. This points to the account of Israel’s dealing with Shechem. Israel agreed to join with the people of Shechem at first (Genesis 34:15-24) but then reneged on the agreement and slaughtered the inhabitants of the city (Genesis 34:25-29).

Benjamin Harrison was the grandson of President William Henry Harrison, whose Presidency was a picture of the violence during the days of Noah. Benjamin Harrison’s term links to bloodshed as well through the violence of Levi and Simeon on the inhabitants of Shechem (Genesis 34:25-29).

Further connecting to the slaughter of the people of Shechem is the Federal Elections Bill which Harrison endorsed but was defeated in the Senate. The Federal Elections Bill was designed to make sure blacks could vote in the South. Although the bill didn’t pass, Harrison continued to speak on behalf of the civil rights of blacks during his term. He spoke of the frequent lynching of blacks as without excuse. This connects to Shechem as his father’s name was Hamor, which means ‘black.’

Six states were admitted to the Union during Harrison’s Presidency. North and South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho and Wyoming. This was the most since George Washington, which is interesting as Harrison’s Presidency began in a centennial celebration of Washington’s election with Harrison re-enacting the Inauguration of Washington.

The admittance of these states to the Union portrays the parcel of land that Jacob bought where he ‘spread’ his tent (Genesis 33:18-20). Later, he spread his tent in Edar (Genesis 35:21). This is significant as later, the shepherds who saw the angels herald the birth of Christ dwelt in this same place.

Genesis 33:18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.
Genesis 33:19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money.
Genesis 33:20 And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel.

Here Jacob proclaims the God of Israel to the peoples who were inhabiting the land. This also connects to Benjamin Harrison as he was a devout believer and used his administration to introduce bills which promoted Christianity. One such example was the ‘National Sunday Rest Bill’ which was written to secure Sunday as a day of rest and to promote religious worship in accordance with traditional Christian belief in regards to the day of the sabbath. However, the bill also granted exemption to those who ‘conscientiously believe in and observe any other day than Sunday as the Sabbath or day of religious worship.’

It was during this time that God appeared to Jacob at Bethel (Genesis 35:9-15). Bethel means ‘house of God.’ The ‘promotion of religious worship’ on the sabbath day is a perfect picture of this. Sabbath observance has traditionally been associated with going to a place of worship, ‘God’s House.’ The Hebrew word שבת ‘shabbat,’ pictographically has the meaning of ‘returning to the house.’

Harrison beginning his Presidency in a re-enactment of George Washington’s Inauguration connects to this concept as well as Washington was a picture of God the Father who planted a Garden in Eden for mankind. The Sabbath commandment of the Old Testament looked back to the Garden and forward to Christ. The sabbath commandment for Israel was a picture of living in the Garden. Adam and Eve did not have to work, cook or leave their homes. So too, those redeemed in Christ will experience Paradise at the appointed time. God appearing to Jacob at Bethel was a slight taste of the Paradise which Adam got to enjoy before the Fall.

The main issue of the 1888 election was that of Tariffs. Cleveland believed that tariffs were too high and were an unjust taxation. The Republicans and Harrison believed that a high tariff would protect American industry resulting in higher wages and economic growth.

Tariffs are just another form of tax. There are multiple words in Hebrew for tax, all of which have similar meanings of a burden of some nature.

The first word which is significant is מס ‘mas’ which has the idea of melting, as in the melting of the heart due to fear or discouragement. This points to the fear that Jacob had in overcoming his ordeal with Esau (Genesis 32:11), the fear of the inhabitants of the land after the slaughter of Shechem (Genesis 34:30) and the fear and sadness he felt when Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin (Genesis 35:17-19).
The second word for tax is מדה ‘madah’ which literally means the ‘length of a garment’ or a ‘measurement.’ This word is translated as tax as taxes are a ‘measured’ amount of a person’s property. After Rachel died, Jacob “spread” his tents in Edar (Genesis 35:21). It is during this time period that Isaac died (Genesis 35:28-29) and in American history the 4th party system era would start begin.

Benjamin Harrison’s Presidency points to Jacob/Israel & Shechem, a transition from Jacob & Laban. This time period paved the way for the 4th Party system in American history, corresponding with the days of Joseph.

During Harrison’s presidency, the Wounded Knee Massacre occurred. Over 300 Lakota were killed, mostly women, children and the elderly. It was symbolically seen as the end of the Indian Wars. So too, in the Biblical narrative the focus will be transferred from Canaan to Egypt with Joseph.

This massacre ended the Ghost Dance movement led by Wovoka. He believed that Jesus Christ returned to earth as a Native American and would cause all the whites to disappear from Native lands and the ghosts of their ancestors would return to live in peace. Here we see “unbelievers” embracing the Promise of Abraham. So too, Shechem was willing to be circumcised (Genesis 34:8-10,19-21) according to the covenant so that Jacob and Hamor would become a united people. However, Levi and Simeon would use the sign of the covenant to massacre them (Genesis 34:25). They would spoil their possessions (Genesis 34:28-29), just as America brought in six states of the West, in particular the Black Hills which were “guarded” by Sitting Bull.

The Wounded Knee Massacre began because of the arrest of Sitting Bull in 1890. His arrest led to Lakota shooting American soldiers and them shooting and killing Sitting Bull. Sitting Bull was a supporter of the Ghost Dance Movement which the United States saw as a possible escalation of war.

Sitting Bull’s Lakota name meaning is just as it reads in English. Tȟatȟáŋka means a buffalo bull and Íyotake means to sit down. In Hebrew, a bull is פר ‘par,’ which literally means the “fruit inside.” Jacob became Israel through his conflict with Esau, then dwelt with Hamor in Shechem were he bought land (Genesis 33:18-20). He built an altar there and named it Elelohe-Israel, meaning God of Israel. Yet, his family were still carnal in their covenant belief and idolaters (Genesis 35:2).

Harrison was seen as the one of the most devout Christians of his era. He held Bible study and prayer at the White House, open to staff and visitors. He frequently quoted Scripture and opposed doctrines which he viewed as unbiblical. Yet, the country still continued to perform carnal deeds as seen at the Wounded Knee Massacre.

Jacob feared that he would become a stench to the peoples of the land (Genesis 34:30) but God sent forth his terror to protect him (Genesis 35:5). So too, Harrison built up the Navy and Chicago’s World Fair displayed America’s technological power to the world.

At the end of Harrison’s Presidency the Panic of 1893 occurred which corresponds with the death of Rachel. Cleveland’s subsequent re-election would occur which pushes the Biblical narrative to the death of Isaac and the days of Joseph, following the death of Rachel.

Review

The Presidency of Benjamin Harrison is speaking of the time period of Jacob dwelling in the land of Canaan. This is the period of time that Levi and Simeon slaughtered an entire city after Shechem defiled their sister. Harrison’s Presidency also sets the stage for Joseph’s rise to prominence in the narrative of the Bible.

Harrison’s Presidency is most remembered for the McKinley Tariff which led to the formation of monopolies and the Sherman Antitrust Act which did the exact opposite. This legislation depicts Israel’s dealings with the inhabitants of Shechem, first agreeing to join the people and then slaughtering them. Six states were admitted to the Union during Harrison’s Presidency, the most since George Washington. This points to Jacob’s ‘spreading’ his tent in Canaan.

For more on the parable of the Presidents Code: