He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts. They had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 4. Havoth Jair. This name was now confirmed to these towns, which they had formerly received from another Jair. Numbers 32:41. Challoner.—Sixty are there specified, and only 30 here, which might either be the same, or different from those villages to which the former Jair had left his name. Grotius thinks that judge Jair was the son of Segub, who left 23 cities to him. These, with seven belonging to his grandfather, Hesron, make up the number here specified. 1 Chronicles 2:22.—The Hebrew does not say that these 30 cities were called after the judge: “they had 30 cities, which are called Havoth Jair,” and so forth Calmet.—Some copies of the Septuagint add “two” to the number of sons, asses, and cities, as if there had been 32 of each. In other respects they agree with the original. It was formerly a mark of distinction to ride on fair asses. Calmet. 5:10. Bible.—S. Jerom thinks that horses were prohibited, as they were in Egypt, without the king’s leave. But we nowhere find this law recorded, ( Calmet.) and it is not universally true that it existed. Menochius. Hieropolit. iii. 15.—Some have inferred from Jair’s children having 30 cities, that he exercised a sovereign authority over Israel: but he might only give his children the authority of magistrates in them, as Samuel did. 1 Kennicott. 8. E.—We know not by what means Jair was raised to the chief command, nor what he did for the benefit of the people. He is supposed to be the same who is called Bedan. 1 Kennicott. 12:11. Serar. Usher, and so forth; though others think that Bedan is a title of Samson. He was of the tribe of Manasses in Galaad. Having kept the people under due restraint during his administration, they burst forth, like a torrent, at his death, and, on all sides, abandoned themselves to a multiplicity of idols, so that God made some difficulty in restoring them again to favour. Bible.—A. Lapide thinks that they had begun to relapse 18 years before the death of Jair, and were, consequently, chastised by the Ammonites. Serarius is of a contrary opinion, though Houbigant rather inclines to the former sentiment, as it is not said that Jair gave rest to the land, nor more than Samgar. Bible.