Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Enlightener. (1.) The son of Segub. He was brought up with his mother in Gilead, where he had possessions (1 Chr. 2:22). He distinguished himself in an expedition against Bashan, and settled in the part of Argob on the borders of Gilead. The small towns taken by him there are called Havoth-jair, i.e., “Jair’s villages” (Num. 32:41; Deut. 3:14; Josh. 13:30). (2.) The eighth judge of Israel, which he ruled for twenty-two years. His opulence
is described in Judg. 10:3-5. He had thirty sons, each riding on “ass colts.” They had possession of thirty of the sixty cities (1 Kings 4:13; 1 Chr. 2:23) which formed the ancient Havoth-jair. (3.) A Benjamite, the father of Mordecai, Esther’s uncle (Esther 2:5). (4.) The father of Elhanan, who slew Lahmi, the brother of Goliath (1 Chr. 20:5).
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(enlightener).
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
JA'IR (whom Jehovah enlightens). A chief warrior under Moses, descended from the most powerful family of Judah and Manasseh by his father and mother respectively. He took all the country of Argob (the modern Lejab) on the east side of Jordan, and, besides, some villages in Gilead, which he called Havoth-jair, "villages of Jair." 1 Chr 2:21-23; Num 32:41; Deut 3:14; comp. Josh 13:30. Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel 22 years. "He had thirty
sons who rode on thirty ass-colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair, which are in Gilead." Jud 10:3-5. A Benjamite, father of Mordeeai. Esth 2:5. In 1 Chr 20:5 in the A.V., Jair occurs, but it is a totally different name in Hebrew, meaning "whom God awakens." This Jair was the father of Elhanan, who killed Lachmi, the brother of Goliath. He is called Jaareoregim in 2 Sam 21:19.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
Jairus, my light; who diffuses light