Malchiel
Malchiel, son of Beriah and grandson of Asher, was the ancestor of the Malchielites (Gen.46.17; Num.26.45; 1Ch.7.31).
Biography
Malchiel was the son of Beriah and grandson of Asher, one of the twelve sons of Jacob. He is recorded among those who descended to Egypt with Jacob's household during the great famine (Genesis 46:17). As a member of the tribe of Asher, Malchiel became the progenitor of the Malchielite clan, one of the recognized family divisions within the tribe as recorded in the census of Numbers 26:45. The genealogical record of 1 Chronicles 7:31 further notes his place in the Asherite lineage. Though little narrative detail is given about his individual life, Malchiel's significance lies in his role as a patriarch whose descendants grew into a recognized clan within Israel, contributing to the fulfillment of God's promise to multiply Abraham's seed into a great nation during the sojourn in Egypt.
Significance
Malchiel's place in biblical history illustrates how God's covenant promises to Abraham operated through seemingly ordinary family lines. As the ancestor of the Malchielites within the tribe of Asher, he represents the quiet but essential process by which a single family grew into a tribal clan and eventually into part of a great nation. His inclusion in the genealogies of Genesis, Numbers, and Chronicles underscores the biblical conviction that every branch of Israel's family tree mattered to God's redemptive purposes. The tribe of Asher, to which Malchiel belonged, would later receive its allotment in the fertile northern coastal region of Canaan, fulfilling Jacob's blessing of rich food and royal delicacies (Genesis 49:20).
Verse Appearances (3)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]