Who was Machir in the Bible?

What does the Bible say about Machir?

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).

Where does Machir appear in the Bible?

Machir is referenced in 12 verses across 6 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

• 1 Chronicles 2:21
• 1 Chronicles 7:14
• 1 Chronicles 7:15
• 1 Chronicles 7:16
• Deuteronomy 3:15
• Genesis 50:23
• Judges 5:14
• Joshua 17:1
• Numbers 26:29
• Numbers 32:39
• Numbers 32:40
• Numbers 36:1

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Machir.