Ira

In Bible versions:

Ira: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV

King David's personal priest
son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; one of David's military elite
an Ithrite man; one of David's military elite

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watchman; making bare; pouring out

Hebrew

Strongs #05896: arye `Iyra'

Ira = "watchful of a city"

1) the Jairite, one of David's great officers
2) one of David's mighty warriors
3) a Tekoite, son of Ikkesh, and another of David's mighty warriors

5896 `Iyra' ee-raw'

from 5782; wakefulness; Ira, the name of three
Israelites:-Ira.
see HEBREW for 05782

Ira [EBD]

citizen; wakeful. (1.) A Tekoite, one of David's thirty warriors (2 Sam. 23:26).

(2.) An Ithrite, also one of David's heroes (2 Sam. 23:38).

(3.) A Jairite and priest, a royal chaplain (2 Sam. 20:26) or confidential adviser (comp. 2 Sam. 8:18; 1 Chr. 18:17).

Ira [NAVE]

IRA
1. A priest, 2 Sam. 20:26.
2. The Ithrite, one of David's heroes, 2 Sam. 23:38; 1 Chr. 11:40.
3. A Tekoite, one of David's heroes, 2 Sam. 23:26; 1 Chr. 11:28; 27:9.

IRA [SMITH]

(watchful of a city).

1. "The Jairite," named in the catalogue of David?s great officers. (2 Samuel 20:26)
2. One of the heroes of David?s guard. (2 Samuel 23:38; 1 Chronicles 11:40)
3. Another of David?s guard, a Tekoite, son of Ikkesh- (2 Samuel 23:26; 1 Chronicles 11:28) (B.C. 1046-1014.)

IRA [ISBE]

IRA - i'-ra (`ira'; Eiras):

(1) A person referred to in 2 Sam 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 (Nu 32:41) and not eligible to the priesthood. On the basis of the Peshitta some would correct "Jairite" of 2 Sam 20:26 into "Jattirite," referring to Jattir, a priestly city within the territory of Judah (Josh 21:14). Others point to 2 Sam 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" (2 Sam 23:38 parallel 1 Ch 11:40); possibly identical with (1).

(3) Another of David's "thirty," son of Ikkesh of Tekoa (2 Sam 23:26; 1 Ch 11:28) and a captain of the temple guard (1 Ch 27:9).

F. K. Farr