And Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he settled in it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
While the verse states Moses gave the land to Machir, it was actually his descendants who inhabited it, highlighting how God's promises often extend beyond individuals to their families and future generations. This act marks a significant transfer of territory to a specific branch of Manasseh, establishing their presence and inheritance in the land.
And Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he settled in it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following a tense negotiation, Moses grants the tribes of Gad and Reuben land east of the Jordan River, on the condition that they fight alongside their kinsmen in conquering the Promised Land. This verse then specifies that the region of Gilead, already captured by Machir's descendants, is given to them as their inheritance.
The Bible often speaks of individuals receiving inheritances, but what happens when that inheritance is passed down through generations? This verse touches on a fascinating aspect of family legacy.
A Gift for the Future
Numbers 32:40 states, "And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein." It's important to understand that Machir, the son of Manasseh, was likely no longer alive when this took place. The commentators suggest that Moses was actually granting this territory to Machir's descendants or his family line. This is a common biblical way of speaking. Just as we might say, "This house has been in the Smith family for generations," referring to the ongoing lineage rather than a single living person, Moses' decree for Machir was a foundational gift for his descendants.
Establishing a People
This act wasn't just a land transfer; it was about establishing a place for a specific family group. The children of Machir, a part of the tribe of Manasseh, would go on to conquer and settle Gilead, dispossessing the Amorites (Numbers 32:39). This shows God's faithfulness in ensuring that the promises made to the patriarchs, like Manasseh, would be fulfilled through their descendants, even in conquered lands.
The tribes of Reuben and Gad had a unique request – to settle east of the Jordan. How did this impact the inheritance of others, and who ultimately received land in Gilead?
A Strategic Settlement
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The context for Numbers 32:40 is crucial. The tribes of Reuben and Gad had large herds and saw the fertile lands east of the Jordan River as ideal for their livestock. They made a deal with Moses: they would send their warriors to help the other tribes conquer the land west of the Jordan, but then they would return to settle their families and flocks east of the river. This arrangement, though initially met with suspicion by Moses, was ultimately approved by God.
Gilead's New Occupants
While Reuben and Gad settled their own territories east of the Jordan, the land of Gilead itself was specifically designated. As we see in verse 39, the children of Machir, descendants of Manasseh (Joseph's son, like the tribes of Reuben and Gad), went and took Gilead, dispossessing the Amorites. Then, in verse 40, Moses officially gave this conquered territory to Machir's family. This highlights how the land was distributed: Reuben and Gad secured their own land and fulfilled their military obligation, and the territory of Gilead became the inheritance for a specific branch of Manasseh's tribe, ensuring the defense and settlement of the eastern frontier.
This division of land east of the Jordan happened just before the full conquest and settlement of Canaan, allowing these tribes to establish themselves while others fought for their inheritance.
~1400 BC
Joseph Sold into Slavery
Joseph, a son of Jacob (Israel), is sold into slavery in Egypt, eventually rising to a position of power.
~1300-1200 BC
Israelite Exodus from Egypt
Led by Moses, the Israelites escape slavery in Egypt after 400 years, beginning their journey to the Promised Land.
c. 1300-1200 BC
Wandering in the Wilderness
Due to disobedience, the Israelites wander in the wilderness for 40 years, during which the generation that left Egypt dies off.
c. 1200 BC
Conquest of Transjordan
Before entering the main part of Canaan, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh conquer the Amorite kingdoms east of the Jordan River.
c. 1200 BC— this verse
Tribal Land Allotment Begins
Moses begins the process of allotting land to the tribes of Israel, with Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh requesting and receiving territory east of the Jordan.
c. 1170 BC
Joshua's Death and Division of Canaan
After Joshua's death, the remaining land of Canaan west of the Jordan is divided among the other nine and a half tribes.
This passage lists Machir's descendants, including the half-tribe of Manasseh, as inheritors of Gilead, directly linking to Moses' allocation in Numbers 32.
Judges 5:14This song of Deborah mentions Machir, implying his descendants were influential and present in the region of Gilead during the period of the judges, showing the lasting impact of this allocation.
1 Chronicles 2:21-23These verses detail the lineage of Judah and trace the family of Machir, explaining that he was considered the 'father of Gilead,' reinforcing his connection to the land granted by Moses.
Genesis 50:23This verse speaks of Joseph seeing his great-grandchildren on the knees of Manasseh, showing the generational presence of Manasseh's line, from which Machir, and thus the inheritors of Gilead, descended.
gillNumbers 32:40: "And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein."
And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh,.... That is, to the children of Machir, who went and took it; though some say, as Aben Ezra observes, that Machir himself was now alive, and that it was given to him, but that is not probable; for, supposing him to be living when the children of Israel came out of Egypt, all that came from thence, who were twenty years old and upwards, died in the…
calvinNumbers 32:1-42: "Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;"
Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me:
Si videbunt homines qui ascenderunt ex AEgypto, a filio viginti armorum…
While the verse states Moses gave the land to Machir, it was actually his descendants who inhabited it, highlighting how God's promises often extend beyond individuals to their families and future generations. This act marks a significant transfer of territory to a specific branch of Manasseh, establishing their presence and inheritance in the land.
Following a tense negotiation, Moses grants the tribes of Gad and Reuben land east of the Jordan River, on the condition that they fight alongside their kinsmen in conquering the Promised Land. This verse then specifies that the region of Gilead, already captured by Machir's descendants, is given to them as their inheritance.
Following a tense negotiation, Moses grants the tribes of Gad and Reuben land east of the Jordan River, on the condition that they fight alongside their kinsmen in conquering the Promised Land. This verse then specifies that the region of Gilead, already captured by Machir's descendants, is given to them as their inheritance.
"And Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he settled in it." — While the verse states Moses gave the land to Machir, it was actually his descendants who inhabited it, highlighting how God's promises often extend beyond individuals to their families and future ge…
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Last reviewed October 2026