דברי הימים א, פרק ז׳, פסוק י״ד

The lineage of Manasseh presents a complex family tree, particularly regarding the identity of Asriel and the maternal origins of Manasseh's descendants. The primary question revolves around whether Asriel was Manasseh's immediate son or a later descendant. One perspective argues that Asriel was actually Manasseh's great-grandson, the son of Gilead, who was the son of Machir. In biblical genealogies, later descendants are frequently referred to as sons. He is highlighted individually and placed ahead of his grandfather, Machir, because he was a highly respected individual from a prominent family, and because Machir was born to a concubine [רד״ק, רלב״ג, מצודת דוד]. Conversely, another approach maintains that Asriel was indeed Manasseh's direct son. According to this view, his absence from earlier biblical records is simply because he did not establish a lineage of family leaders [מלבי״ם].

The maternal lineage of these figures introduces another layer of discussion. The primary approach among commentators suggests that two distinct mothers are involved. In this scenario, Asriel was born to a legal Israelite wife whose name was left out for the sake of brevity, while Machir was born to Manasseh's Aramean concubine [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד].

Others argue that the Aramean concubine was the mother of both. Within this framework, one opinion asserts that she is linked to Asriel simply because she gave birth to his grandfather, Machir [רלב״ג]. Another opinion suggests she gave birth to both Asriel and Machir directly as Manasseh's sons. The repeated mention of childbirth indicates a shift in her social standing. Asriel was born while she was still a concubine, but by the time she gave birth to Machir, Manasseh had elevated her status and taken her as a legal wife [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Finally, Machir is recognized as the father of Gilead, a title indicating his role as the leader of the Gilead region [ביאור שטיינזלץ].