Jair

enlightener.

(1.) The son of Segub. He was brought up with his mother in Gilead, where he had possessions (1Chr 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 ; Deut 3:14 ; Josh 13:30 ).

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

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

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

EBD - Easton's Bible Dictionary