JAIR

(Jaʹir).

1. A descendant of Judah through his grandson Hezron. Hezron married a woman from the tribe of Manasseh. (1Ch 2:21, 22) Jair is reckoned as a descendant of Manasseh rather than Judah, likely because of his exploits in the territory of Manasseh, where he captured a number of tent cities and named them after himself, which name they kept for many generations.​—Nu 32:41; De 3:14; Jos 13:30; 1Ki 4:13; see HAVVOTH-JAIR.

2. The seventh judge of Israel. Since he was a Gileadite of high standing and each of his 30 sons is connected with one of the above-mentioned tent cities of Jair, he was likely a descendant of No. 1 above. Jair judged Israel for 22 years, after which he died and was buried in Kamon.​—Jg 10:3-5.

3. Father of Mordecai; tribe of Benjamin.​—Es 2:5.

4. Father of the Elhanan who slew Goliath’s brother Lahmi. (1Ch 20:5) The corresponding passage at 2 Samuel 21:19 evidently contains a copyist’s error.​—See LAHMI.