JAILER (jal'ar), (Gr. 6E612006XcLE, des-maf-oo7ax, guard of a prisoner), the keeper of Paul and Silas when imprisoned at Philippi (Acts xvi:23, 27, 36).
JAER (jd'ir), (Heb. l'r,yaw-ere', enlightener).
1. A son of Segub, of the tribe of Manasseh by his mother, and of Judah by his father. lie appears to have distinguished himself in an ex pedition against the kingdom of Bashan, the time of which is disputed, but may probably be referred to the last year of the life of Moses (B. C. 1451). It seems to have formed part of the op erations connected with the conquest of the coun try east of the Jordan. He settled in the part of Argob bordering on Gilead, where we find twenty three villages named collectively Havoth-jair, or 'Jair's villages' (Num. xxxii :4i ; Deut. :I4 ; Josh. xiii :3o; Chron. :22; r Kings iv :13).
2. Eighth judge of Israel, of Gilead, in Manas seh, beyond the Jordan; and therefore, probably descended from the preceding, with whom, in deed, he is sometimes confounded. He ruled twen
ty-two years, and his opulence is indicated in a manner characteristic of the age in which he lived. 'He had thirty sons, that rode on thirty ass-colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havoth-jair, in the land of Gilead.' The twenty-three villages of the more ancient Jair were probably among the thirty which this Jair possessed ( Judg. x :3). (B. C. 12m.) 3. A Benjamite, father of Mordecai, the uncle of Esther (Esth. :5). (B. C. before 518.) 4. (Heb. yaw-aor, wooded; marg. text 'yaor'). Father of Elhanan, a hero of David's army who slew Lahmi, Goliath's brother ( Chron. xx :5). In the parallel passage (2 Sam. xxi the name is Jaare-oreginz, through a probable error of transcription. (B. C. before