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 (Genesis 50:23; Numbers 26:29; 1 Chronicles 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 (Numbers 26:29; Joshua 17:1). They were known for their military prowess and were praised in the Song of Deborah (Judges 5:14). The Machirites, along with the Reubenites and Gadites, conquered and settled in the land of Gilead, east of the Jordan River (Numbers 32:39–40; Deuteronomy 3:15; Joshua 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 (Numbers 27:1; 36.1; Joshua 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).