Jair

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Easton's Bible Dictionary - Jair

Jair [N] [H] [S]

enlightener.

  • The son of Segub. He was brought up with his mother in Gilead, where he had possessions ( 1 Chronicles 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" ( Numbers 32:41 ; Deuteronomy 3:14 ; Joshua 13:30 ).

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

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

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

    These dictionary topics are from
    M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
    published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.
    [N] indicates this entry was also found in Nave's Topical Bible
    [H] indicates this entry was also found in Hitchcock's Bible Names
    [S] indicates this entry was also found in Smith's Bible Dictionary
    Bibliography Information

    Easton, Matthew George. "Entry for Jair". "Easton's Bible Dictionary". .

    • Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary - Jair

    Jair [N] [E] [S]

    Jairus
    Hitchcock's Dictionary of Bible Names. Public Domain. Copy freely.
    [N] indicates this entry was also found in Nave's Topical Bible
    [E] indicates this entry was also found in Easton's Bible Dictionary
    [S] indicates this entry was also found in Smith's Bible Dictionary
    Bibliography Information

    Hitchcock, Roswell D. "Entry for 'Jair'". "An Interpreting Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names". . New York, N.Y., 1869.

    Smith's Bible Dictionary - Jair

    Jair [N] [E] [H]

    (enlightener ).

    1. A man who on his fathers side was descended from Judah, and on his mothers from Manasseh. (B.C. 1451.) During, the conquest he took the whole of the tract of Argob ( 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.
    3. 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 Davids army. ( 1 Chronicles 20:6 )
    [N] indicates this entry was also found in Nave's Topical Bible
    [E] indicates this entry was also found in Easton's Bible Dictionary
    [H] indicates this entry was also found in Hitchcock's Bible Names
    Bibliography Information

    Smith, William, Dr. "Entry for 'Jair'". "Smith's Bible Dictionary". . 1901.

    International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jair

    JAIR

    ja'-er:

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

    (a) Son, i.e. descendant of Manasseh (Numbers 32:41; Deuteronomy 3:14; Joshua 13:30; 1 Kings 4:13; 1 Chronicles 2:22). According to 1 Chronicles 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 Judges 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 (Judges 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 (Esther 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 (1 Chronicles 20:5). In the parallel passage (2 Samuel 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.

    James Crichton

    Copyright Statement
    These files are public domain.

    Bibliography Information
    Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'JAIR'". "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". 1915.