Machir

Who is Machir?

Machir or Makir, meaning "bartered", was the name of two figures in the Hebrew Bible.

Machir, the son of Manasseh, and father of Gilead. In the Torah's account of the journey of the Israelites after the Exodus, Machir is portrayed as conquering the territories known as Gilead and Bashan, which had previously been occupied by Amorites. Machir's descendants are described as having settled in Gilead and Bashan, and consequently is a key figure in Gilead's history. The Isaric Jews of Indonesia claim descent from Machir.

According to the Books of Samuel, Machir son of Amiel was the name of a descendant of the Machir mentioned above, and resided at Lo-Debar. The text states that here he looked after Meribaal, the son of Jonathan, until David took over his care, and also looked after David himself, when David found himself a fugitive