Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 10:4
And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havoth-jair unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gilead.
4. he had thirty sons ] Cf. Jdg 12:9; Jdg 12:14. The ‘sons’ are expressly connected with the thirty settlements of the clan. Numerous descendants indicated power and wealth.
that rode on thirty ass colts ] A mark of rank; cf. Jdg 12:14, 2Ki 4:22, Zec 9:9; see on Jdg 5:10.
Havvoth-jair ] i.e. tent-villages (LXX ) of Jair; cf. Arab. iw = ‘a group of tents near together.’ Long after the tents of nomads had given place to permanent dwellings or ‘cities’ the old name still survived. The Havvoth-jair are frequently mentioned, but the accounts of them are not all consistent. Here and in Num 32:41 they are said to have been situated in Gilead; 1Ki 4:13 (prob. borrowed from Num. l.c.) and 1Ch 2:22 agree with this. But according to Deu 3:14, followed by Jos 13:30, they lay in Bashan; the statement, however, seems to be due to an attempt to harmonize Deu 3:13 f. with Num 32:39; Num 32:41 (Driver, Deut., p. 55). Again, the capture and naming of these towns is dated in different periods, in the time of Moses according to Num. l.c., and in the time of the Judges here. But the inconsistency lies only on the surface. Num 32:39-42 is an ancient fragment incorporated into a later account (JE and P) of the conquest of E. Jordan, apparently for the purpose of bringing Manasseh’s occupation of this district within the Mosaic period; the fragment closely resembles the brief traditions preserved in Judges 1 and may be taken to refer to the same period, viz. that of the Judges, to which the present verse assigns the episode. Later on the Havvoth-jair seem to have passed into the hands of another race, cf. 1Ch 2:23 (RV.), which probably reflects the conditions of a subsequent age. The difference in the numbers of the villages, thirty, thirty-two (LXX here), twenty-three (1Ch 2:22), is not important.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 4. He had thirty sons, c.] It appears that there was both peace and prosperity during the time that Jair governed Israel he had, it seems, provided for his family, and given a village to each of his thirty sons; which were, in consequence, called Havoth Jair or the villages of Jair. Their riding on thirty ass colts seems to intimate that they were persons of consideration, and kept up a certain dignity in their different departments.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Rode on ass colts, because horses were scarce there, and were not to be multiplied by the king himself, Deu 17:16. Hence their kings and kings children used to ride upon mules, 2Sa 13:29; 18:9; 1Ki 1:33,38,39. Compare Jdg 5:10; 12:14.
Havoth-jair.
Object. These villages were called so before this time from another
Jair, Num 32:41; Deu 3:14.
Answ. They are not said to be now first called by that name, but to be still so called, because the old name was revived and confirmed upon this occasion; as Sheba is said to be called Beer-sheba, upon an occasion mentioned Gen 26:33, though it was so called before upon a more ancient occasion, Gen 21:31. Possibly this Jair had enlarged or fortified these towns, and so they were justly denominated from him, no less than from the former.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. he had thirty sons that rode onthirty ass coltsThis is a characteristic trait of Easternmanners in those early times; and the grant of a village to each ofhis thirty sons was a striking proof of his extensive possessions.His having thirty sons is no conclusive evidence that he had morethan one wife, much less that he had more than one at a time. Thereare instances, in this country, of men having as many children by twosuccessive wives.
Jud10:6-9. ISRAELOPPRESSED BY THEPHILISTINES AND AMMONITES.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he had thirty sons that rode upon thirty ass colts,…. Which to ride on in those times was reckoned honourable, and on which judges rode in their circuit, Jud 5:10 and such might be these sons of Jair, who were appointed under him to ride about, and do justice in the several parts of the country, as Samuel’s sons were judges under him, 1Sa 8:1,
and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead; or the villages of Jair. There were some of this name that belonged to Jair, a son of Manasseh, in the times of Moses, Nu 32:41 and these may be the same, at least some of them; for they were but twenty three he had, whereas these were thirty, 1Ch 2:22 and these coming by inheritance to this Jair, a descendant of the former, and he being of the same name, and these cities perhaps repaired and enlarged by him, the name of them was continued and established, for it is not reasonable to suppose, as some have done, that this is the same Jair that lived in the times of Moses, who, if so, must have lived more than three hundred years, an age men did not live to in those times.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) Had thirty sons.An indication of his rank and position, which assumed an ostentatious polygamy. (Comp. Jdg. 8:30.)
That rode on thirty ass colts.Comp. Jdg. 5:10; see on Jdg. 12:14. Implying that Jair was able to bring up his numerous household in wealth. The horse was little used in Palestinefor which, indeed, it is little suitedtill the days of Solomon (1Ki. 4:26), and its introduction was always discouraged by the prophets (Deu. 17:16; Jos. 11:6-9; Psa. 33:17, &c). There is a curious play of words on Jair (yair), ass-colts (ayrm), and cities, which ought to be arm, but is purposely altered for the sake of the paronomasia. (See on Jdg. 15:16.) Such plays on words in serious narratives point to a very early form of literaturebut probably they then rose from some popular proverb. The LXX., like Josephus, writing for Gentiles, who did not understand the value attached to asses in Palestine, almost always euphemise the word into colts, or foals (plous), which here enables them happily to keep up the play of words with cities (poleis).
Thirty cities, which are called Havoth-jair.Havoth means villages (LXX., epauleis), and since they are here called cities, and thirty are named, we must suppose that this Jair (if he was a different person from the other) had increased the number of the villages originally wrested from Og from twenty-three to thirty (Num. 32:41; Deu. 3:14; 1Ch. 2:22. In the latter passage the Jair there mentioned is spoken of as a son of Segub, and a great-grandson of Manasseh).
Unto this day.Jdg. 1:26.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Thirty sons thirty ass colts thirty cities These facts are mentioned to show the power, dignity, and wealth of the house of Jair.
Havoth-jair That is, villages of Jair. These villages, possessed by Jair’s sons, were called after their father’s name even at the time when the Book of Judges was written. They probably comprised the same “towns” which Jair, the son of Manasseh, took in the days of Moses, (Num 32:41; Deu 3:14,) and called by this very name. Their number may have been increased so as to furnish one for each of the thirty sons of this Gileadite judge. This name was not now given them for the first time, but was a bringing into use again of an old name which had, perhaps, become partially forgotten.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jdg 10:4 And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gilead.
Ver. 4. And he had thirty sons. ] A happy man if they all proved towardly: otherwise he might be put to wish as Augustus did, Utinam aut caelebs vixissem, aut orbus periissem.
That rode on thirty ass colts.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Havothjair
Or, The villages of Jair. Num 32:41.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
rode: Jdg 5:10, Jdg 12:14
called: Num 32:41, Deu 3:14
Havothjair: or, the villages of Jair
Reciprocal: Jdg 8:30 – threescore Jdg 12:9 – General 1Sa 7:16 – in circuit 1Sa 8:1 – sons judges 1Sa 9:3 – General 2Sa 16:2 – What meanest 2Sa 20:26 – Jairite 1Ki 13:13 – General 2Ki 10:1 – seventy sons 2Ch 13:21 – begat
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
UNEVENTFUL TIMES
Thirty sons that rode on thirty ass = colts.
Jdg 10:4
I. There were no serious questions, no thrilling problems, to engage Israel at this time: and therefore the people took notice of this trivial incident about the ass-colts. It was surely a sign of the monotony, the commonplace, the absence of high ideals, which prevailed throughout the land, which led to the magnifying of the trivial detail. It is disastrous indeed for a country when it gives itself to gossip about the ass-colts, the fancies, whims, and oddities of high life, or personalities about notable people. It was said once by a brilliant essayist of our day that, though we have only gone into five years of the new century, the children of this pleasure-loving time are becoming unable to understand the seriousness of the century receding from our view; and if this were true, we might well pray God to send a visitation of a providential character, which should shake us out of our littleness and frivolity, and make us sublime in prayer, heroic in effort, and exalted in our ideals.
II. What is the nature of your life?Around you is the cry of men for food, for daily employment, for proper conditions of living; are you thinking only of the ass-colts, the incessant round of pleasure, or the best methods of passing time? Will the record of your life, the one sentence which epitomises its purpose, be like that of Jair and his thirty sons? If so, the next record will be: and the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; or this, Israel was sore distressed.
III. Why will you not to-day consecrate yourself to follow Christ in the evangelisation of the world?The Divine purpose in your creation may be but vaguely apprehended at first; but, as we live up to our highest ideals in little things, our pathway continually broadens, the woodand thins, and the great expanse of heaven unfolds above us. Christ wants to make the very most of us for Himself and the great world.
Illustrations
(1) The great danger of times of quietness, when there is little to excite attention and develop energy, is the tendency that men may notice little things and make much of them. There was not much to do in Israel when it could be noted how many sons any man had, and whether they rode on ass-colts or otherwise. That danger besets all life. In the absence of great questions, thrilling problems of an imperial or social kind, men betake themselves to little pedantries, frivolous amusements, trifling inquiries; the greater nature sleeps, and little, active, nimble fancy presides over the life and fritters it away. We want every now and then some great heroic occasion that shall swallow up all our little fancies, whims, and oddities and make men of us.
(2) The whole analogy of this period of the history of Israel leaves no doubt that so long an interval of rest would involve a more serious declension than any of those before it. Accordingly we find them serving all the gods of all the nations around them, Baalim and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, of Sidon, of Moab, of the Beni-ammi, and of the Philistines, except Jehovah; Him they forsook, and served not. This time the punishment was as signal as the crime.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
10:4 And he had thirty sons that {a} rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gilead.
(a) Signifying, they were men of authority.