Original Word: מָכִי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Makiy
Pronunciation: mah-KEE
Phonetic Spelling: (maw-kee')
KJV: Machi
NASB: Machi
Word Origin: [probably from H4134 (מוּך - becomes poor)]

1. pining
2. Maki, an Israelite

Machi

Probably from muwk; pining; Maki, an Israelite -- Machi.

see HEBREW muwk

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a Gadite
NASB Translation
Machi (1).

מָכִי proper name, masculine a Gadite Numbers 13:15. ᵐ5 Μα(κ)χι.

Biblical Occurrence and Context

“from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Machi” (Numbers 13:15). The single appearance of Machi’s name places him in the pivotal episode when Moses sent twelve men to reconnoiter Canaan from Kadesh-barnea. Though mentioned only as the father of one of the spies, his name anchors a lineage and a tribe within Israel’s national history at a decisive moment.

Identity within the Tribe of Gad

Machi stands as an ancestral figure in Gad, Jacob’s seventh son by Zilpah (Genesis 30:9-11). Gad’s descendants camped on the south side of the tabernacle (Numbers 2:14-15) and were known for valor and swiftness (1 Chronicles 12:8). By recording Machi during the wilderness wanderings, Scripture affirms that every Gadite family—however briefly noted—possessed a recognized place in the covenant community.

Role in the Kadesh Barnea Crisis

Geuel, Machi’s son, joined the ten leaders who returned with a faithless report, discouraging Israel from entering the land (Numbers 13:31-33; 14:1-4). The fathers’ names are preserved to underline accountability: entire households bore the consequences when leaders sowed unbelief (Numbers 14:26-35). Thus Machi’s household endured the same forty-year judgment that fell on the generation aged twenty and above.

Genealogical and Tribal Legacy

Though Machi is not listed in later genealogies, the tribe of Gad eventually received territory east of the Jordan (Joshua 13:24-28) and fought faithfully with the rest of Israel under Joshua (Joshua 22:1-4). The Gadites who crossed back to the Transjordan erected a witness altar, testifying to their unity with the western tribes (Joshua 22:10-34). Machi’s line, once marked by hesitancy through Geuel, ultimately shared in the settled inheritance of the tribe.

Theological Reflections

1. Covenant Individuality: Even a fleeting name serves God’s larger narrative, illustrating that no family is incidental in redemptive history (cf. Psalm 87:6).
2. Generational Influence: Leadership decisions reverberate through entire households; Geuel’s choice became Machi’s legacy during the wilderness years (Numbers 14:32-33).
3. Grace after Failure: Gad’s later faithfulness displays divine mercy that can redeem a discouraging past (Deuteronomy 33:20-21).

Ministry Applications

• Fathers and mothers influence the spiritual trajectory of their descendants; therefore, cultivating personal faithfulness is vital (Proverbs 20:7).
• Church leaders must weigh the gravity of their reports and counsel; discouraging hearts through unbelief invites communal loss (Hebrews 3:12-13).
• Congregations should remember unknown saints whose quiet fidelity undergirds visible ministry, just as Machi’s family underlay tribal service.

Related Passages for Further Study

Genesis 46:16; Numbers 26:15-18; Deuteronomy 33:20-21; Joshua 22:1-4; 1 Chronicles 12:8-15; Hebrews 3:16-19

מָכִֽי׃ מכי׃ mā·ḵî maChi māḵîInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts