watchman; making bare; pouring out
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
IRA.1. The Jairite who was kôhen or priest to David (2Sa_20:26). His name is omitted from the original (?) passage in 2Sa_8:18, and from the passage in 1Ch_18:17. The Jairite denotes that he was of the Gileadite clan of the Jairites. The name probably means the watchful. 2. The lthrite, one of Davids heroes (2Sa_23:38, where perhaps Ithrite should be Jattirite). 3. The son of Ikkesh the Tekoite (2Sa_23:26), another of Davids heroes.
W. F. Cobb.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909
I'ra. (watchful of a city).
1. "The Jairite," named in the catalogue of David's great officers. 2Sa_20:26.
2. One of the heroes of David's guard. 2Sa_23:38; 1Ch_11:40.
3. Another of David's guard, a Tekoite, son of Ikkesh. 2Sa_23:26; 1Ch_11:28. (B.C. 1046-1014).
Smith's Bible Dictionary
By Dr. William Smith.Published in 1863
ı̄?ra (עירא, ‛ı̄rā); Εἲρας, Eı́ras):
(1) A person referred to in 2Sa_20:26 as ?priest? (so the Revised Version (British and American) correctly; the King James Version ?a chief ruler,? the American Standard Revised Version ?chief minister?) unto David. The translation of the Revised Version (British and American) is the only possible one; but, according to the text, Ira was ?a Jairite,? and thus of the tribe of Manasseh (Num_32:41) and not eligible to the priesthood. On the basis of the Peshitta some would correct ?Jairite? of 2Sa_20:26 into ?Jattirite,? referring to Jattir, a priestly city within the territory of Judah (Jos_21:14). Others point to 2Sa_8:18 margin, ?David's sons were priests,? as an indication that in David's time some non-Levites were permitted to serve - in some sense - as priests.
(2) An ?Ithrite,? or (with a different pointing of the text) a ?Jattirite,? one of David's ?thirty? (2Sa_23:38 parallel 1Ch_11:40); possibly identical with (1).
(3) Another of David's ?thirty,? son of Ikkesh of Tekoa (2Sa_23:26; 1Ch_11:28) and a captain of the temple guard (1Ch_27:9).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINTER 1915.
Ira
(Heb. Ira', עַירָא, citizen, otherwise watchful; Sept Ι᾿ράς, Ι᾿ρά, ᾿Ωραί, Εἰρά), the name of three of David's favorite officers.
1. Son of Ikkesh, a Tekoite, and one of David's thirty famous warriors (2Sa_23:26; 1Ch_11:28). He was afterwards placed in command of the sixth regiment of his troops (1Ch_27:9). B.C. 1046-1014.
2. A Jethrite, another of David's thirty chief heroes (2Sa_23:38; 1Ch_11:40). B.C. 1046.
3. A Jairite and priest (כֹּהֵן, A.V. chief ruler), i.e. royal chaplain (2Sa_20:26). B.C. cir. 1022. As he was not of the sacerdotal family, the Rabbins hold that he was only one of David's cabinet. See JAIR.
CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL
press 1895.