1 Chronicles 7:16
Peresh is brought to light within the dense genealogical records of the northern tribes as a prominent patriarch within the lineage of Manasseh. Though his name is preserved in a single historical verse, his identity is firmly established through the complex structural and domestic transitions that shaped his tribe during their early settlement in the Land of Promise.
The text records Peresh as the son of Machir—the mighty man of war who was the firstborn of Manasseh—and his mother was Maachah. His father’s military ferocity had previously secured the rugged, fortified territories of Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan River. However, Peresh’s immediate household represents the branch of the family that established deep roots in the territory, adapting to the civilian administration and structural organization required to pass down an inheritance across generations.
“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 7:16)
The name Peresh—derived from a root meaning “distinction” or “separated”—reflects the historical reality of a family line carve out its own clear identity amidst a massive tribal host. Through his sons, Ulam and Rakem, Peresh established a distinct ancestral house whose lineages were carefully maintained and audited long after the Babylonian exile. His inclusion in these meticulous registries served as a permanent proof to the returned remnant that every branch of the covenant family was known by name to the Most High, demonstrating that the quiet, foundational work of building a godly household is never forgotten in the ledger of history.