Machir in Fausset's Bible Dictionary

1. Manasseh's oldest son by a Syrian or Aramite concubine (1 Chronicles 7:14). Joseph had Machir's children upon his knees (Genesis 50:23), i.e. they were adopted by Joseph from their birth. Gilead was his son, and Abiah his daughter. A large part of the country E. of Jordan was subdued by his powerful family (Numbers 32:39; Deuteronomy 3:15). The rest of the family crossed Jordan. So powerful was the family that "Machir" supplants the name of "Manasseh" in Judges 5:14; Judges 5:17; Joshua 13:31-29. 2. Son of Ammiel of Lodebar, a Gileadite chief; sheltered Mephibosheth, Jonathan's lame son; afterward, influenced probably by David's kindness to the same youth, supplied David with necessaries when fleeing from Absalom (2 Samuel 9:4; 2 Samuel 17:27-29).