The Manassites were the descendants of Manasseh, the firstborn son of Joseph and Asenath, an Egyptian woman. Manasseh was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and his descendants played a significant role in the history of the Israelites. The tribe of Manasseh was unique in that it was divided into two half-tribes, with portions of their inheritance located on both sides of the Jordan River.

Ancestry and Tribal Allotment

Manasseh was the elder son of Joseph, and his name means "causing to forget," as Joseph declared, "God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household" (Genesis 41:51). Despite being the firstborn, Manasseh received a lesser blessing from Jacob compared to his younger brother Ephraim (Genesis 48:17-20). Nevertheless, the tribe of Manasseh became one of the most prominent tribes in Israel.

The land allotted to the tribe of Manasseh was extensive. Half of the tribe settled on the east side of the Jordan River, in the region of Gilead and Bashan, which was conquered from the Amorite kings Sihon and Og (Numbers 32:33). The other half settled on the west side of the Jordan, in the land of Canaan, alongside the tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin (Joshua 17:1-11).

Notable Figures and Events

Several notable figures emerged from the tribe of Manasseh. Gideon, one of the judges of Israel, was a Manassite from the town of Ophrah. He led Israel to victory against the Midianites with a small army, demonstrating God's power and deliverance (Judges 6-8).

Another significant figure was Jair, a judge who led Israel for twenty-two years. He had thirty sons who rode thirty donkeys and controlled thirty towns in Gilead, known as Havvoth Jair (Judges 10:3-5).

The tribe of Manasseh also played a role in the division of the kingdom after the reign of Solomon. The Manassites, along with other northern tribes, formed the Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam, separating from the southern Kingdom of Judah (1 Kings 12:20).

Spiritual and Historical Significance

The Manassites, like other tribes, experienced periods of faithfulness and rebellion. They were involved in the worship of Baal and other Canaanite deities, which led to God's judgment and eventual exile (2 Kings 17:6-18). Despite this, the tribe was part of the remnant that returned to the land after the Babylonian exile, as prophesied by the prophets.

The tribe of Manasseh is also mentioned in the genealogies of 1 Chronicles, highlighting their continued presence and importance in the history of Israel (1 Chronicles 5:23-26).

Legacy

The legacy of the Manassites is intertwined with the broader narrative of Israel's history. Their account reflects the themes of God's promises, human failure, and divine redemption. The tribe's division across the Jordan symbolizes the unity and diversity within the people of God, and their experiences serve as lessons for faithfulness and obedience to God's covenant.Manas'sites (10 Occurrences)

Deuteronomy 4:43
Bezer in the wilderness, in the table-land, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.
(See RSV)

Deuteronomy 29:8
And we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance unto the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of the Manassites.
(See RSV)

Joshua 13:29
And Moses gave inheritance unto the half-tribe of Manasseh; and it was for the half-tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families.
(See RSV)

Joshua 16:9
together with the cities which were separated for the children of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
(See RSV)

Joshua 17:6
because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons; and the land of Gilead belonged unto the rest of the sons of Manasseh.
(See RSV)

Joshua 22:30
And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them well.
(See RSV)

Joshua 22:31
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh: 'This day we know that the LORD is in the midst of us, because ye have not committed this treachery against the LORD; now have ye delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.'
(See RSV)

2 Kings 10:33
from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
(See RSV)

1 Chronicles 7:29
and by the borders of the children of Manasseh, Beth-shean and the towns thereof, Taanach and the towns thereof, Megiddo and the towns thereof, Dor and the towns thereof. In these dwelt the children of Joseph the son of Israel.
(See RSV)

1 Chronicles 26:32
And his brethren, men of valour, were two thousand and seven hundred, heads of fathers' houses, whom king David made overseers over the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites, for every matter pertaining to God, and for the affairs of the king.
(See RSV)

Manas'sites (10 Occurrences)
Manas'sites. Manassites, Manas'sites. Manchild . Multi-Version Concordance
Manas'sites (10 Occurrences). Deuteronomy 4:43 Bezer ...
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Manassites (7 Occurrences)

/m/manassites.htm - 9k

Manchild (1 Occurrence)

/m/manchild.htm - 7k

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