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Judges 10:3 — Word Study

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WLCוַיָּ֣קָם אַחֲרָ֔יו יָאִ֖יר הַגִּלְעָדִ֑י וַיִּשְׁפֹּט֙ אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁתַּ֖יִם שָׁנָֽה׃

BSA[Tola]ʼachar was followed byqûwm JairYâʼîyr [a Gileadite, from the region of Gilead] the GileaditeGilʻâdîy who judgedshâphaṭ [arose, stood up, rose to power, to govern, vindicate, or punish] IsraelYisrâʼêl [the descendants of Jacob, God's chosen people] twenty-twoʻesrîym [two decades, a score of years, a pair, dual] yearsshâneh

Word
Listen & take awayJudges 10
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (sha.Nah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Judges 10:3quick helps
In a sentenceJair succeeded Tola as a judge over Israel, governing for twenty-two years.
Who is speakingThe narrator of the Book of Judges, recounting Israel's history.
Where we areThe period of the judges in Israel, after Tola's leadership.
The hard wordיָאִ֖יר
Take awayJair's leadership marks a continuation of Israel's governance.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause verbקוּם The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Judges 10:3

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Judges of Israelgenerated

2Tola judged Israel twenty-three years, and when he died, he was buried in Shamir.
3Tola was followed by Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years.
4He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys. And they had thirty towns in the land of Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth-jair.
5When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.

Judges 10:3 introduces Jair, who followed Tola as a judge of Israel. His leadership lasted twenty-two years, a time marked by governance and judgment over the people. This passage highlights the cyclical nature of leadership in Israel during the time of the judges, as seen in the context of Israel's history where leaders arose to guide the people after periods of turmoil, as also reflected in Judges 10:2.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 31:48Then Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the place was called Galeed.
2Numbers 32:29And Moses said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, with every man armed for battle before the LORD, and the land is subdued before you, then you are to give them the land of Gilead as a possession.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

A. M. 2795. B.C. 1209. a GileaditeGenesis 31:48 Numbers 32:29

The Key Word יָאִ֖יר, ya.'Irgenerated

The name יָאִיר (Ya'ir) means 'he enlightens' and refers to a notable judge in Israel's history. This name is associated with figures who provided guidance and leadership, emphasizing the role of a judge as a source of light and understanding for the people.

Jair's leadership, as a Gileadite, signifies a connection to the region of Gilead, known for its rugged terrain and historical significance. The parsing as a proper noun indicates that Jair is a specific individual, underscoring his importance in the narrative of Israel's judges.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, where the translation is consistent across versions.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb יָאִ֖יר, Jair — is the subject of the sentence, indicating who arose to lead. The structure follows a typical Hebrew sentence order, placing the subject before the actions he undertakes.

The finite verbs וַיָּ֣קָם (and he arose) and וַיִּשְׁפֹּט֙ (and he judged) govern the actions Jair takes, with the object יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel) clearly marked, indicating the people he governed.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָאִ֖יר as ιαϊρ, maintaining the name Jair while adapting the text for a Greek-speaking audience. This choice reflects a direct transliteration rather than a translation, preserving the identity of the judge.

The verb וַיִּשְׁפֹּט֙ is rendered as ἔκρινεν, which conveys the act of judging or making decisions, consistent with the Hebrew meaning.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Judges 10:3 tells us that after Tola, Jair the Gileadite became a judge over Israel for twenty-two years. This period continues the cycle of leadership in Israel, where judges arose to guide the people.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who was Jair?

Jair was a judge of Israel from the region of Gilead, known for leading the people for twenty-two years.

What does the name Jair mean?

The name Jair means 'he enlightens,' symbolizing guidance and leadership.

What is the significance of Jair's judgeship?

Jair's judgeship represents a continuation of Israel's governance during a time when leaders were needed to guide the people.

How long did Jair judge Israel?

Jair judged Israel for twenty-two years, as noted in the verse.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What qualities do you think made Jair an effective judge for Israel?
  2. How can we learn from the leadership styles of biblical figures like Jair?
  3. In what ways can we seek guidance from leaders in our own lives?
  4. How does understanding the context of Jair's judgeship help us appreciate the role of judges in Israel's history?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Judges 10:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite,.... Who was of the half tribe of Manasseh, on the other side Jordan, which inhabited the land of Gilead, and who is the first of the judges that was on that

Read John Gill on Judges 10 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. Jair, a Gileadite.

Read Robert Jamieson on Judges 10 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Judges 10:3 And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.Ver. 3. Jair, a Gileadite.] Of whom we may say as one doth of Jesse, the father of David, that he was Vir bonus et probus, sed minus clarus, a good honest man, but there is not much said of him.

Read John Trapp on Judges 10 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) Jair, a Gileadite.—In Numbers 32:41 we are told of a Jair, the son of Manasseh, who “took the small towns” of Gilead, and called them Havoth-jair. This earlier Jair, with Nobah, plays a splendid part in Jewish legend, which is only alluded to in Scripture (see Deuteronomy 3:14). In what relation the Jair of these verses stood to him we cannot, in the uncertain data of the chronology, decide. The Jair of Num 32:41 was descended from Judah on the father’s side, and on the mother’s was a great-grandson of Manasseh.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Judges 10 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. Jair, the Gileadite] Called ‘the son of Manasseh’ in Numbers 32:41, Deuteronomy 3:14, cf. Joshua 13:30; in 1 Chronicles 2:21 ff. he is the great-grandson of Machir. Gilead was the name applied generally to the country E. of the Jordan, between the south end of the Sea of Tiberias and the north end of the Dead Sea.

Read Cambridge on Judges 10 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

3. Jair, a Gileadite — That is, a native or resident of Gilead, the mountainous country east of the Jordan. On the silence of Scripture respecting the particulars of his life the same may be said as of Tola, in Judges 10:1.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Judges 10 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Tola was followed by Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

After him Jair, the Gileadite, arose. He judged Israel twenty-two years.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Tola was followed by Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Jair the Gileadite rose up after him; he led Israel for twenty-two years.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And after him arose Jair, the Gileadite; and he judged Israel twenty and two years.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And after him arose Jair, the Gileadite; and he judged Israel twenty and two years.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And after him arose Iair a Gileadite, and iudged Israel two and twenty yeere.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And after him rose up Jair, a Gileadite; and he judged Israel twenty-two years.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And there riseth after him Jair the Gileadite, and he judgeth Israel twenty and two years,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And there rises Jair the Gileadite after him, and he judges Israel [for] twenty-two years,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And after him arose Yair, the Gil'adite, and judged Israel twenty and two years;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He was followed by Jair the Gileadite. He judged Israel twenty-two years.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

To him succeeded Jair the Galaadite, who judged Israel for two and twenty years.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

After Tola came Jair from Gilead, who led Israel as a judge for twenty-two years.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And after him came Jair the Gileadite, who was judge over Israel for twenty-two years.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַandclauseverbיָּ֣קָםhe.aroseprepositional phrase · prepositionalאַחֲרָ֔יafterוhimnoun phrase · subjectיָאִ֖ירJairnoun phraseהַtheגִּלְעָדִ֑יGileaditeוַandclauseverbיִּשְׁפֹּט֙he.judgednoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsraelnoun phrase · adverbialnumeral phraseעֶשְׂרִ֥יםtwentyוּandשְׁתַּ֖יִםtwoשָׁנָֽהyear[s]

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in this verse, with 8 of the 10 words matched. The Septuagint's word order differs, but the core elements of Jair's identity and actions remain consistent with the Hebrew text.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיָּ֣קָם אַחֲרָ֔יו יָאִ֖יר הַגִּלְעָדִ֑י וַיִּשְׁפֹּט֙ אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁתַּ֖יִם שָׁנָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיָּ֣קָםἀνέστηאַחֲרָ֔יוαὐτὸνיָאִ֖ירιαϊρהַגִּלְעָדִ֑יγαλααδוַיִּשְׁפֹּט֙ἔκρινενיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לισραηλעֶשְׂרִ֥יםεἴκοσιשָׁנָֽה׃ἔτη

8 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Judges 10:3לֵבand he arosand he aroseלֵבאַחַרafter himafter himאַחַריָאִירJairJairיָאִירגִּלְעָדִיthe Gileadithe Gileaditeגִּלְעָדִישָׁפַטand he judgand he judgedשָׁפַטאֵתthe object the object markאֵתיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלעֶשְׂרִיםtwentytwentyעֶשְׂרִיםשְׁנַ֫יִםand twoand twoשְׁנַ֫יִםשָׁנָהyear[s]year[s]שָׁנָהאָחַרto delayto delayאָחַראוֹרto lightto lightאוֹרגִּלְעָד(Mount) Gi(Mount) Gileadגִּלְעָדאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתשָׂרָהto striveto striveשָׂרָהעֶשֶׂרtentenעֶשֶׂרשָׁנָהto changeto changeשָׁנָהשֵׁנִיsecondsecondשֵׁנִינֶ֫דֶרvowvowנֶ֫דֶרעֵדwitnesswitnessעֵדרָדַףto pursueto pursueרָדַףזָנָהto fornicato fornicateזָנָהחַוָּהvillagevillageחַוָּהבָּשָׁןBashanBashanבָּשָׁןבַּרְזִלַּיBarzillaiBarzillaiבַּרְזִלַּילֹאלֹאשֹׁטֵרofficialofficialשֹׁטֵרצֶ֫דֶקRighteousnRighteousnessצֶ֫דֶק
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Judges 10:3

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and he arose after him Jair the Gileadite and he judged the object marker Israel twenty and two year[s]
וַיָּ֣קָםvai.Ya.kom and he arose H6965 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
628× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Qum means to rise or stand up, used in various contexts like rising to power or standing firm, as seen in Jeremiah and Ezra.
Tyndale gloss
(Leb)-kamai
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קוּם (qum) is a primitive root meaning 'to rise' and encompasses a range of actions such as standing, becoming powerful, and establishing. It can imply a sudden or hostile rise, as well as the act of fulfilling or confirming something. The entries also note various grammatical forms, indicating its use in different contexts, including raising up or causing to stand.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.

ref

קוּם 628 vb. arise, stand up, stand

Qal 460

arise

arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)

arise, abs., = become powerful

arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet

arise for, i.e. to become

arise for action

arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed

esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere

stand

Pi.

fulfil

confirm, ratify

confirm, establish

impose, an obligation

Pō‛l. raise up

Hithpō‛l. raise oneself, = rise up

Hiph.

146cause to arise, raise

raise, set up, stones

erect, build

fig, of setting up law

raise up = bring on the scene

raise up = rouse, stir up

instigate, build

fig, of setting up law

raise up = constitute

cause to stand

Hoph. be raised up

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6965a לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash H6965b קוּם arise, stand up, stand .. arise

. arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)

. arise, abs., = become powerful

. arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet

. arise for, i.e. to become

. . arise for action

. arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed

. esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere

. stand

. . fulfil

. . confirm, ratify

. confirm, establish

. impose, an obligation

. raise up

. raise oneself, = rise up

. . cause to arise, raise

. . raise, set up, stones

. erect, build

. fig, of setting up law

. raise up = bring on the scene

. . raise up = rouse, stir up

. instigate, build

. fig, of setting up law

. raise up = constitute

. cause to stand

. be raised up

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6965 quwm koom

a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal,

figurative, intensive and causative):--abide, accomplish, X

be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, X be dim, endure, X

enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift

up (again), make, X but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise

(up), rear (up), remain, (a-)rise (up) (again, against), rouse

up, set (up), (e-)stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up,

strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -

rising).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָמָי (qa.may) — (Leb)-kamai.

Combined with lev (לֵב "Leb" H3820B)

§ -Kamai = "my adversary"

Leb-kamai, i.e., people of Gambulai

קוּם (qum) — to arise: rise.

: rise/get_going

1) to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to arise

1a2) to arise (hostile sense)

1a3) to arise, become powerful

1a4) to arise, come on the scene

1a5) to stand

1a5a) to maintain oneself

1a5b) to be established, be confirmed

1a5c) to stand, endure

1a5d) to be fixed

1a5e) to be valid

1a5f) to be proven

1a5g) to be fulfilled

1a5h) to persist

1a5i) to be set, be fixed

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to fulfil

1b2) to confirm, ratify, establish, impose

1c) (Polel) to raise up

1d) (Hithpael) to raise oneself, rise up

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to cause to arise, raise

1e2) to raise, set up, erect, build

1e3) to raise up, bring on the scene

1e4) to raise up, rouse, stir up, investigate

1e5) to raise up, constitute

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he arose after him Jair the Gileadite and he judged the object marker Israel twenty and two year[s]
אַחֲרָ֔יו'a.cha.Rav after him H310 Suffix
716× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Achar means backwards or after, used to describe something that happens later or in the rear. It is used in various senses in the Bible, including in 1 Kings 12:18.
Tyndale gloss
after
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אַחַר (*achar*) primarily denotes the concept of 'after' or 'behind' in both spatial and temporal contexts. It functions as a substantive, adverb, preposition, and conjunction, indicating a following part or time. The related form אַחֲרַי (*acharai*) refers to a person who turns backwards. There is a reference to Proverbs 28:23 in relation to the latter.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַחַר prop. subst. the hinder or following part

adv.

of place, behind

of time, afterwards

prep.

of place, behind, after

of time, after

conj. after that.

base

אַחֲרַי adj. Pr 28:23 a man that turneth backwards.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H310a אַחַר prop. subst. the hinder or following part . adv. . of place, behind

. of time, afterwards

. prep. . of place, behind, after

. of time, after

. conj. after that.

H310b אַחֲרַי a man that turneth backwards.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

310 'achar akh-ar'

from 309; properly, the hind part; generally used as an

adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses):--after

(that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side),

behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from,

hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute,

posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth),

when, with.

see HEBREW for 0309

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַחַר (a.char) — after.

1) after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time)

1a) as an adverb

1a1) behind (of place)

1a2) afterwards (of time)

1b) as a preposition

1b1) behind, after (of place)

1b2) after (of time)

1b3) besides

1c) as a conjunction

1c) after that

1d) as a substantive

1d1) hinder part

1e) with other prepositions

1e1) from behind

1e2) from following after

אַחֲרַי (a.cha.ray) — backwards.

backwards (of a man that turns backwards)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Suffix
HAcmpc/Sp3ms
and he arose after him Jair the Gileadite and he judged the object marker Israel twenty and two year[s]
יָאִ֖ירya.'Ir Jair H2971 Noun proper masculine
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jair, meaning 'he enlightens', is the name of several Israelites, including a judge who led Israel for 22 years and a descendant of Manasseh who conquered many towns. This name symbolizes the light of understanding and guidance. It is found in the books of Esther and Judges.
Amplified meaning
a Gileadite, from the region of Gilead
Tyndale gloss
Jair
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָאִיר (Ya'iyr) means "he enlightens" and refers to several figures in the Old Testament, including a judge from Gilead and a descendant of Manasseh. The entries indicate that Jair is associated with notable roles, such as being the father of Mordecai and a warrior in David's time. There is also mention of a town named Jair.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָאִיר n.pr.m. (he enlightens, or one giving light)

son of Manasseh

a judge in Gilead

father of Mordecai

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2971 יָאִיר (he enlightens, or one giving light) . son of Manasseh

. a judge in Gilead

. father of Mordecai

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2971 Ya'iyr yaw-ere'

from 215; enlightener; Jair, the name of four

Israelites:--Jair.

see HEBREW for 0215

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָאִיר (ya.ir) — Jair.

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.32.41;

son of: Segub (H7687H)

Also named: ya.i.ri (יָאִרִי "Jairite" H2972)

§ Jair = "he enlightens"

1) a descendant of Manasseh who conquered many towns during the time of the conquest

2) the Gileadite, a judge of Israel for 22 years during the time of the judges; father of 30 sons

3) a Benjamite, son of Kish, and father of Mordecai

4) father of Elhanan, one of David's mighty warriors

יָאִיר (ya.ir) — Jair.

A town near Gilead

§ Jair = "he enlightens"

יָאִיר (ya.ir) — Jair.

A Judge living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jdg.10.3

§ Jair = "he enlightens"

1) a descendant of Manasseh who conquered many towns during the time of the conquest

2) the Gileadite, a judge of Israel for 22 years during the time of the judges; father of 30 sons

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ja'-er:

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

(a) Son, i.e. descendant of Manasseh (Nu 32:41; De 3:14; Jos 13:30; 1Ki 4:13; 1Ch 2:22 f). According to 1Ch 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…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jair

Enlightener. (1.) The son of Segub. He was brought up with his mother in Gilead, where he had possessions (1 Chr. 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 (

(enlightener). A man who on his father’s side was descended from Judah, and on his mother’s 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) 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. A Benjamite, son of Kish and father of Mordecai. (Esther 2:5) (B.C. before 598.) The father of Elhanan, one of the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1 A leader in the conquest of Bashan, probably before the Jews crossed the Jordan, B. C. 1451. Twenty-three cities near Argob were called after him Havoth-jair, which see.

2. The eighth judge of Israel, in Gilead of Manasseh, B. C. 1210. He seems to have been a descendant and heir of the former, Jud 10:3- 5.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he arose after him Jair the Gileadite and he judged the object marker Israel twenty and two year[s]
הַגִּלְעָדִ֑יha.gil.'a.Di the Gileadite H1569 Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A Gileadite is someone from Gilead, a descendant of the region or the tribe of Manasseh. They are inhabitants of the 'rocky region' of Gilead.
Tyndale gloss
Gileadite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גִּלְעָדִי (Gil`adiy) refers to a Gileadite, someone from the region of Gilead. It is derived from the word for Gilead (גִּלְעָד, H1568), which means 'rocky region.' The term encompasses inhabitants of Gilead and a branch of the tribe of Manasseh descended from Gilead.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גִּלְעָדִי adj.gent.

of 6 a.

of 5.

of n.pr.loc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1569 גִּלְעָדִי

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1569 Gil`adiy ghil-aw-dee'

patronymically from 1568; a Giladite or descendant of

Gilad:--Gileadite.

see HEBREW for 01568

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גִּלְעָדִי (gil.a.di) — Gileadite.

Someone from Gilead

Group of gil.ad (גִּלְעָד "Gilead" H1568)

§ Gileadite = "rocky region"

1) an inhabitant of Gilead -

2) a branch of the tribe of Manasseh, descended of Gilead

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ngmsa
and he arose after him Jair the Gileadite and he judged the object marker Israel twenty and two year[s]
וַיִּשְׁפֹּט֙vai.yish.Pot and he judged H8199 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
202× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To shaphat means to judge or govern, and can also mean to vindicate or punish. In the Bible, this term is often used to describe God's role as a judge, as well as human judges and rulers.
Amplified meaning
arose, stood up, rose to power, to govern, vindicate, or punish
Tyndale gloss
to judge
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁפַט (shaphat) is a Hebrew verb meaning to judge or govern. It encompasses a range of actions including pronouncing sentences, executing judgments, and deciding controversies in various contexts such as civil and religious matters. The word can also imply being judged or entering into legal disputes. There is a specific mention of its use in the context of final judgment.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁפַט 185 vb. judge, govern

Qal

act as law-giver, judge, governor

specif. decide controversy, discriminate betw. persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions

execute judgment

Niph.

recipr., enter into controversy, plead

pass. be judged

Pô‛el = my opponent-at-law

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8199 שָׁפַט judge, govern .. act as law-giver, judge, governor

. specif. decide controversy, discriminate betw. persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions

. execute judgment

. . recipr., enter into controversy, plead

. pass. be judged

.= my opponent-at-law

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8199 shaphat shaw-fat'

a primitive root; to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or

against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by

extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or

figuratively):--+ avenge, X that condemn, contend, defend,

execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment), X needs, plead,

reason, rule.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁפַט (sha.phat) — to judge.

1) to judge, govern, vindicate, punish

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to act as law-giver or judge or governor (of God, man)

1a1a) to rule, govern, judge

1a2) to decide controversy (of God, man)

1a3) to execute judgment

1a3a) discriminating (of man)

1a3b) vindicating

1a3c) condemning and punishing

1a3d) at theophanic advent for final judgment

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to enter into controversy, plead, have controversy together

1b2) to be judged

1c) (Poel) judge, opponent-at-law (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he arose after him Jair the Gileadite and he judged the object marker Israel twenty and two year[s]
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he arose after him Jair the Gileadite and he judged the object marker Israel twenty and two year[s]
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'El Israel H3478 Noun proper
2,508× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Israel is the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants. Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, had 12 sons who became the tribes of Israel, as told in Genesis 25:26. His story is crucial to the Bible's narrative.
Amplified meaning
the descendants of Jacob, God's chosen people
Tyndale gloss
Israel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) refers to both the second name of Jacob, meaning 'God prevails,' and the name of the Hebrew nation descended from him. It is derived from roots meaning 'to rule' and 'God.' The term encompasses Jacob's descendants and is used historically for the northern kingdom of Israel and the nation as a whole after the Babylonian exile.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשְׂרָאֵל 2507 n.pr.m. et gent. Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth)

n.pr.m. second name of Jacob

n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth) . n. pr. m. second name of Jacob

. n. pr. gent. name of Hebrew nation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale'

from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical

name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:

--Israel.

see HEBREW for 08280

see HEBREW for 0410

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשְׂרָאֵל (yis.ra.el) — Israel.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;

son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);

brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A);

father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently

§ Israel = "God prevails"

1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel

2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob

2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

iz'-ra-el.

See JACOB.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Israel

The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because “as a prince he had power with God and prevailed.” (See JACOB.) This is the common name given to Jacob’s descendants. The whole people of the twelve tribes are called “Israelites,” the “children of Israel” (Josh. 3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the “house of Israel” (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).

This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3;

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the prince that prevails with God). The name given, (Genesis 32:28) to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel, (Hosea 12:4) at Peniel. Gesenius interprets Israel "soldier of God." It became the national name of the twelve tribes collectively. They are so called in (Exodus 3:16) and afterward. It is used in a narrower sense, excluding Judah, in (1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16) Thenceforth it was assumed and accepted as the name of the northern kingdom. After the Babylonian captivity, the returned exiles resumed the name Israel as the designation of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Who prevails with God, a name given to Jacob, after having wrestled with the Angel-Jehovah at Penuel. Ge 32:1,2,28,30 Ho 12:3. See JACOB. By the name Israel is sometimes understood all the posterity of Israel, the seed of Jacob, 1Co 10:18; sometimes all true believers, his spiritual seed, Ro 9:6; and sometimes the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes, as distinct from the kingdom of Judah.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he arose after him Jair the Gileadite and he judged the object marker Israel twenty and two year[s]
עֶשְׂרִ֥ים'es.Rim twenty H6242 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
315× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means twenty, and is also used as an ordinal number, like twentieth, as seen in Genesis 31:38. It can refer to a specific age or quantity.
Amplified meaning
two decades, a score of years, a pair, dual
Tyndale gloss
twenty
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֶשְׂרִים (esriym) means 'twenty' and can also refer to the ordinal 'twentieth.' It is derived from the root word for 'ten' and has an Aramaic equivalent, עֶשְׂרִין (es.rin). The entries consistently define the term without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6242 עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6242 `esriym es-reem'

from 6235; twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth:--(six-)score,

twenty(-ieth).

see HEBREW for 06235

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶשְׂרִים (es.rim) — twenty.

twenty, twentieth

Aramaic equivalent: es.rin (עֶשְׂרִין "twenty" H6243)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

twen'-ti.

See NUMBER.

and he arose after him Jair the Gileadite and he judged the object marker Israel twenty and two year[s]
וּשְׁתַּ֖יִםu.she.Ta.yim and two H8147 Conjunction · noun common feminine dual absolute
769× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for the number two appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing pairs and dualities. It can also mean double or twice. In the Bible, it is often used to describe things that come in twos, like two witnesses or two tablets.
Tyndale gloss
two
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שְׁנַ֫יִם (shnayim) means 'two' and serves as both a cardinal and ordinal number. It can denote 'both,' 'double,' or 'twice,' and is used in various combinations with other numbers. The word is derived as a dual form of שָׁנָה (shanah), which relates to the concept of pairs.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם 768 n.m. et f. du. two

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8147 שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם two

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8147 shnayim shen-ah'-yim

dual of 8145; feminine shttayim {shet-tah'-yim}; two; also

(as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, +

twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.

see HEBREW for 08145

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) — two.

1) two

1a) two (the cardinal number)

1a1) two, both, double, twice

1b) second (the ordinal number)

1c) in combination with other numbers

1d) both (a dual number)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncfda — Conjunction · noun common feminine dual absolute
HC/Ncfda
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

too.

See NUMBER.

and he arose after him Jair the Gileadite and he judged the object marker Israel twenty and two year[s]
שָׁנָֽה׃sha.Nah year[s] H8141 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
877× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word also means a year, like when Abraham was 100 years old in Genesis 21. It is used to describe a period of time, age, or a lifetime.
Tyndale gloss
year
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁנָה (shaneh) means 'year' and is derived from the root meaning to change or revolve. It encompasses various aspects of time, including divisions of time, measures of age, and even a lifetime. The Aramaic equivalent is שְׁנָה (she.nah), also meaning 'year'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁנָה 877 n.f. year (etym. v. √[v.ek.aa])

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8141 שָׁנָה year (etym. v. √[8138a])

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8141 shaneh shaw-neh'

(in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year

(as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old,

year(X -ly).

see HEBREW for 08138

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁנָה (sha.neh) — year.

1) year

1a) as division of time

1b) as measure of time

1c) as indication of age

1d) a lifetime (of years of life)

Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "year" H8140)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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