And Maachah the wife of Machir bare a son, and she called his name Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh; and his sons were Ulam and Rakem.
1 CHRONICLES 7:16KJVWhat does 1 Chronicles 7:16 mean?
1 Chronicles 7:16 records that Maachah, the wife of Machir, gave birth to a son named Peresh, and also mentions his brother Sheresh, along with Sheresh’s sons Ulam and Rakem. This verse is part of a genealogical listing, tracing family lines within the tribe of Manasseh.
The verse appears in a section where the chronicler is documenting the descendants of the tribes of Israel, specifically focusing here on Machir’s family. The names and relationships help establish the lineage and connections among the clans, which was important for tribal identity, inheritance, and historical record-keeping in ancient Israel.
The Hebrew behind 1 Chronicles 7:16
- מָעֲכָה (Maachah, transliterated "Ma‘akhah") is a personal name, here identifying the wife of Machir. The mention of her by name highlights her significance in the genealogy.
- יָלַד (bare, transliterated "yalad") means "to give birth." The use of this word emphasizes Maachah’s role as the mother in this family line.
- פֶּרֶשׁ (Peresh, transliterated "Peresh") and שֶׁרֶשׁ (Sheresh, transliterated "Sheresh") are the names of the sons, included to preserve the specific branches of Machir’s descendants.
Why 1 Chronicles 7:16 matters
- This verse clarifies the family structure within the tribe of Manasseh, showing not just the male lineage but also naming a significant woman, Maachah.
- By listing both sons and grandsons, the verse helps readers understand how tribal groups and clans were organized and remembered in Israel’s history.
- The careful recording of these names ties into the broader biblical theme of remembering ancestry and fulfilling promises made to the patriarchs about their descendants.