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Machir מָכִיר

Male Tribe of Manasseh H4353G 6 books

Son of Manasseh; father (ie re-founder) of Gilead

Biography

Machir was the son of Manasseh and the father (ie re-founder) of Gilead, making him a significant ancestor of the tribe of Manasseh (Gen.50.23; Num.26.29; 1Ch.7.14). He is mentioned numerous times throughout the Old Testament, often in relation to the settlement and inheritance of the tribe of Manasseh. Machir's descendants, known as the Machirites, formed a substantial portion of the tribe (Num.26.29; Jos.17.1). They were known for their military prowess and were praised in the Song of Deborah (Jdg.5.14). The Machirites, along with the Reubenites and Gadites, conquered and settled in the land of Gilead, east of the Jordan River (Num.32.39-40; Deu.3.15; Jos.13.31). Machir's daughters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah, appealed to Moses for the right to inherit their father's property in the absence of male heirs, setting a precedent for inheritance laws (Num.27.1; 36.1; Jos.17.3). Machir's descendants continued to play a role in the tribe of Manasseh, with some even marrying into the tribe of Judah (1Ch.2.21,23).

Family

Parents

Siblings

Partners

Offspring

In Scripture

6 biblical books ; 3 with study content
Genesis 1 verse
  • Genesis 50:23

    "Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children also of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees."

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Numbers 5 verses
  • Numbers 26:29

    "The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir became the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites."

  • Numbers 27:1

    "Then the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph came near. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah."

  • Numbers 32:39

    "The children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were therein."

  • Numbers 32:40

    "Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh; and he lived therein."

  • Numbers 36:1

    "The heads of the fathers’ households of the family of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spoke before Moses and before the princes, the heads of the fathers’ households of the children of Israel."

Deuteronomy 1 verse
Joshua 3 verses
  • Joshua 13:31

    "Half Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even for the half of the children of Machir according to their families."

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  • Joshua 17:1

    "This was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. As for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan."

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  • Joshua 17:3

    "But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah."

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Judges 1 verse
  • Judges 5:14

    "Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun."

1 Chronicles 5 verses
  • 1 Chronicles 2:21

    "Afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he took as wife when he was sixty years old; and she bore him Segub."

  • 1 Chronicles 2:23

    "Geshur and Aram took the towns of Jair from them, with Kenath, and its villages, even sixty cities. All these were the sons of Machir the father of Gilead."

  • 1 Chronicles 7:14

    "The sons of Manasseh: Asriel, whom his concubine the Aramitess bore. She bore Machir the father of Gilead."

  • 1 Chronicles 7:15

    "Machir took a wife of Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister’s name was Maacah. The name of the second was Zelophehad; and Zelophehad had daughters."

  • 1 Chronicles 7:16

    "Maacah the wife of Machir bore a son, and she named him Peresh. The name of his brother was Sheresh; and his sons were Ulam and Rakem."

Names & Aliases

Form Language Script Strong's
Named Hebrew מָכִיר H4353G
Group Hebrew מָכִירִי H4354