Jair - Judges 10:3

In the book of Judges we learned, “after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir”, and in chapter ten and verse three of Judges, we learn, “after him arose Jair, a Gileadite”  where we read,

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

The verse reads, “And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite,…” The writer began with the words, “and after him” which means “and following him, Tola” “arose Jair” which means ”ascended and came on the scene Jair whose name means ‘he enlightens’ and was a judge of Israel for 22 years during the time of the judges; father of 30 sons”, “a Gileadite” or “one from Gilead whose name means ‘rocky region’ and was a branch of the tribe of Manasseh”. The writer shared how the next “judge of Israel” was “Jair” who was from “Gilead”. 

The verse goes on to say, “… and judged Israel twenty and two years.” The writer added the words, “and judged Israel” which means “and governed, vindicated and ruled over Israel whose name means ‘God prevails’ and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob” “twenty and two years” or “twenty-two annual sets of days”. The writer shared how “Jair” ruled over “Israel” for the length of “twenty-two years”. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn about another man Jehovah God chose to be the ruler over the people of Israel. For “twenty-two years” “Jair” who was from “Gilead” oversaw “Israel”, and we shall see what happens to him in our next verse. For now, let us consider that Jehovah God employed person after person to serve in His Kingdom, and today is much the same. When we yield our lives to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and empower us to live according to that truth in service in His Kingdom for whatever length of time He assigns. (See Mark 10:44; John 3:16)

Next time we learn how Jair, “had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance”.