Dictionaries :: Jair

Jair:

enlightener. (1.) The son of Segub. He was brought up with his mother in Gilead, where he had possessions (1Ch 2:22). He distinguished himself in an expedition against Bashan, and settled in the part of Argob on the borders of Gilead. The small towns taken by him there are called Havoth-jair, i.e., "Jair's villages" (Num 32:41; Deu 3:14; Jos 13:30).

(2.) The eighth judge of Israel, which he ruled for twenty-two years. His opulence is described in Jdg 10:3-5. He had thirty sons, each riding on "ass colts." They had possession of thirty of the sixty cities (1Ki 4:13; 1Ch 2:23) which formed the ancient Havoth-jair.

(3.) A Benjamite, the father of Mordecai, Esther's uncle (Est 2:5).

(4.) The father of Elhanan, who slew Lahmi, the brother of Goliath (1Ch 20:5).

Jair:

Jairus, my light; who diffuses light

Jair:

ja'-er:

(1) Jair (ya'ir, "he enlightens" or "one giving light"):

(a) Son, i.e. descendant of Manasseh (Nu 32:41; De 3:14; Jos 13:30; 1Ki 4:13; 1Ch 2:22 f). According to 1Ch 2:21 f he was the son of ScRub, son of Hezron, a descendant of Judah, who married the daughter of Machir, son of Manasseh. He was thus descended both from Judah and Manasseh. At the time of the conquest he distinguished himself by taking the tent-villages HAVVOTH-JAIR (which see). The accounts of his exploit are difficult to harmonize (see ICC on above passages). Some would identify him with the Jair of Jud 10:3, holding that Manasseh's settlement in Northern Gilead and Bashan took place, not before Israel's passage of the Jordan, but after the settlement of the tribe on the West. For a criticism of this view see HGHL, 577, note

(b) One of the judges. He is said to have had 30 sons, who rode on 30 ass colts, and who had as many cities, known as Havvoth-jair (Jud 10:3,4). One tradition identifies (a) and (b). Others reconcile the two narratives by interpreting the word "son" in a non-literal sense.

(c) The father of Mordecai (Es 2:5). In the Apocrypha (Additions to Esther 11:2) his name is given as "Jairus" (Iaeiros).

(2) Jair (Qere: ya‘ir, "he arouses"; Kethibh: ya‘ur; a different name from (1) above): The father of Elhanan, the giant-slayer (1Ch 20:5). In the parallel passage (2Sa 21:19) his name is given as "Jaare-oregim," but the text should be corrected to Jair, "oregim" ('oreghim) having crept in from the line below through a copyist's error.

Written by James Crichton

Jair: 1. Son of Manasseh

Founder of twenty-three cities in Gilead,

Num 32:41; Deu 3:14; Jos 13:30; 1Ki 4:13; 1Ch 2:22, 23.

Jair: 2. A Judge of Israel

Jdg 10:3-5

Jair: 3. A Benjamite

Est 2:5

Jair: 4. Father of Elhanan

1Ch 20:5

Jair:

(enlightener).

(1.) A man who on his father's side was descended from Judah, and on his mother's from Manasseh. (B.C. 1451) During, the conquest he took the whole of the tract of Argob (Deuteronomy 3:14) and in addition possessed himself of some nomad villages in Gilead, which he called after his own name Havoth‐Jair (Numbers 32:41; 1 Chronicles 2:23).

(2.) JAIR THE GILEADITE, who judged Israel for two‐and‐twenty years (Judges 10:3-5). (B.C. 1160) He had thirty sons, and possessed thirty cities in the land of Gilead, which like those of their namesakes were called Havoth‐jair.

(2.) A Benjamite, son of Kish and father of Mordecai (Esther 2:5). (B.C. before 598)

(4.) The father of Elhanan, one of the heroes of David's army (1 Chronicles 20:6).