JAIRITE

ja'-er-it (ya'iri, "of Jair"): In 2 Sam 20:26, Ira the Jairite is "chief minister unto David." He was a descendant of Jair who was a Manassite (Numbers 32:41, etc.) and whose territory was in Gilead. Septuagint, Lucian, and Syriac suggest yattiri, "Jattirite," i.e. a native of Jattir mentioned in 1 Samuel 30:27 as one of the towns friendly to David when he was in Ziklag. It is not improbable that a native of Jattir would be given such a post by David.

See IRA , and compare 2 Samuel 23:38.

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.