Bible Dictionaries
Machir

Holman Bible Dictionary

(may' kihr) Personal name meaning “sold.” 1. Oldest son of Manasseh and grandson of Joseph (Joshua 17:1 ). He was the father of Gilead (Joshua 17:1 ), Peresh, and Sheresh (1 Chronicles 7:16 ), and a daughter whose name is not given (1 Chronicles 2:21 ). He had a brother named Asriel (1 Chronicles 7:14 ) and a wife named Maacah (1 Chronicles 7:16 ). Machir was the head of the family called the Machirites (Numbers 26:29 ). Apparently Machir along with his family had a reputation for being expert warriors (Joshua 17:1 ). “Because he was a man of war,” Machir was allotted the territory of Bashan and Gilead, east of the Jordan (Joshua 17:1 ). Apparently the territory of the Machirites started at the site of Mahanaim, on the Jabbok River, extended northward, and included the region around the Yarmuk River (Joshua 13:29-31 ).

2. Son of Ammiel and member of the tribe of Manasseh. He came from the site of Lo-debar, perhaps a village near Mahanaim. He is recognized in the Old Testament for the assistance he provided Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan (2 Samuel 9:1 , especially 2 Samuel 9:4-5 ) and David during the period of Absalom's rebellion (2 Samuel 17:27-29 ). See Manasseh .

La Moine De Vries