Grandson of the patriarch Joseph, son of Manasseh, and father of Gilead.
About Machir
A grandson of the patriarch Joseph. He was the firstborn son of Manasseh through his Aramean concubine (Genesis 50:23; 1 Chronicles 7:14). Machir was the father of Gilead and the founder of the Machirite clan (Numbers 26:29). His descendants defeated the Amorites who lived in the land of Gilead east of the Jordan River during the time of Moses (Numbers 32:39). Later, Joshua assigned them this land along with Bashan for an inheritance (Deuteronomy 3:15; Joshua 17:1–3). In Judges 5:14, the whole tribe of Manasseh is called by this name.
Family Relationships
- Parents
- Manasseh (Son of Joseph), Aramitess
- Partner
- Maacah (1 Chronicles 7:15)
- Sibling
- Asriel (1 Chronicles 7:14)
- Children 5
- Gilead, Daughter of Machir, Peresh, Sheresh, Hammolecheth
- Uncle
- Ephraim
- Cousins 6
- Shuthelah, Becher (Numbers 26:35), Tahan, Ezer (1 Chronicles 7:21), Elead, Beriah (1 Chronicles 7:23)
Key References
He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation, and indeed the sons of Machir son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph’s knees.
The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there.
Now this was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh as Joseph’s firstborn son, namely for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh and father of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead and Bashan because Machir was a man of war.
All Scripture References (17)
Genesis (1)
He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation, and indeed the sons of Machir son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph’s knees.
Numbers (5)
These were the descendants of Manasseh: The Machirite clan from Machir, the father of Gilead, and the Gileadite clan from Gilead.
Now the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They approached
The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there.
So Moses gave Gilead to the clan of Machir son of Manasseh, and they settled there.
Now the family heads of the clan of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, one of the clans of Joseph, approached Moses and the leaders who were the heads of the Israelite families and addressed them,
Deuteronomy (1)
To Machir I gave Gilead,
Joshua (3)
half of Gilead; and Ashtaroth and Edrei, the royal cities of Og in Bashan. All this was for the clans of the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh, that is, half of the descendants of Machir.
Now this was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh as Joseph’s firstborn son, namely for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh and father of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead and Bashan because Machir was a man of war.
But Zelophehad son of Hepher (the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh) had no sons but only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
Judges (1)
Some came from Ephraim, with their roots in Amalek; Benjamin came with your people after you. The commanders came down from Machir, the bearers of the marshal’s staff from Zebulun.
1 Chronicles (6)
Later, Hezron slept with the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead. He had married her when he was sixty years old, and she bore to him Segub.
But Geshur and Aram captured Havvoth-jair, along with Kenath and its sixty surrounding villages. All these were descendants of Machir the father of Gilead.
The descendants of Manasseh: Asriel through his Aramean concubine. She also gave birth to Machir the father of Gilead.
Machir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites. The name of his sister was Maacah. Another descendant was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters.
Machir’s wife Maacah gave birth to a son, and she named him Peresh. His brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rekem.
The son of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead son of Machir, the son of Manasseh.