Why Hezron of Judah Married the Daughter of Machir

Hezron, a prominent descendant of Judah, married the daughter of Machir from the tribe of Manasseh because God’s providence and the legal arrangements of the time allowed for such unions, which ultimately served to unite families and secure tribal inheritances 1 Chronicles 2:21KJV — 1Chronicles 2:21.

The Union of Two Great Houses

Hezron was the son of Pharez and a grandson of Judah Genesis 46:12ETI Caleb.2. He was sixty years old when he took the daughter of Machir to be his wife 1 Chronicles 2:21. Machir was the firstborn son of Manasseh and the father of Gilead, making his daughter a member of the tribe of ManassehKJV — Joshua 17:1+1. This marriage was significant because it bridged the lineage of Judah with the powerful "man of war" lineage of Machir 1 Chronicles 2:21+1.

Tribal Heritage and Legal Rights

While the tribes generally maintained distinct genealogies to identify the Messiah, certain circumstances led to inter-tribal connectionsTBI 237.5+1.

• Expansion of Territory: The descendants of this union, such as Segub and Jair, were associated with both the strength of Judah and the territories of Manasseh 1 Chronicles 2:21-22.

• The Machirite Influence: Machir’s family was so powerful that they dispossessed the Amorites and settled in Gilead, a territory later assigned to them by Moses Numbers 32:39-40ETI Machir.2.

• Female Inheritance: In cases like that of Zelophehad, who was also a descendant of Machir, special divine directions were given to allow daughters to inherit land if there were no sons, provided they married within the family of the tribe of their father Numbers 27:1-11+1.

The Fruits of the Marriage

The union between Hezron and the daughter of Machir produced a son named Segub 1 Chronicles 2:21. Segub then fathered Jair, who became famous for possessing twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead 1 Chronicles 2:22. These cities were part of the sixty cities of the region of Argob in Bashan, which were eventually attributed to the sons of Machir 1 Chronicles 2:23ETI Bashan-Havoth-Jair.2. This history demonstrates how inter-tribal relationships helped establish the settlement and prosperity of the people in the Promised LandETI Manasseh.3+1.

Divine Purpose in Genealogy

Genealogies in Israel were not merely lists of biological descent but also records of political and territorial divisionsSBD Genealogy.2. Even though Hezron was of Judah, his marriage into the family of Machir highlights the shared destiny of all the tribes under God’s covenantARSH August 19, 1902, page 8.8+1. Ultimately, these connections remind us that every tribe had a specific role and characteristic in representing the character of God to the worldEVRR486+1.