IRA

(Iʹra) [possibly, watchful].

1. A Jairite listed among King David’s leading officers as “a priest of David.” (2 Sam. 20:26) Ira perhaps was a descendant of the Jair mentioned at Numbers 32:41 and, therefore, in this case the designation “priest” may signify “chief minister,” “prince.” There is no Biblical evidence that the Jairites were Levites. However, if the reading of the Syriac Peshitta Version is correct, Ira may have been a priest from the Levite city of Jattir (Jathir).—Compare 2 Samuel 8:18; 1 Chronicles 6:57; 18:17.

2. Son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; one of the mighty men of King David’s military forces.—2 Sam. 23:24, 26; 1 Chron. 11:26, 28.

3. An Ithrite; another of King David’s mighty men.—2 Sam. 23:38; 1 Chron. 11:40.