VI. MODERN INTERPRETATIONS OF JACOB
5. PRESENT CONDITION
Some years ago the plot of ground containing the well was purchased by the authorities of the Greek church, and it has been surrounded by a wall.
A chapel has been built over the well, and a large church building has also been erected beside it.
W. Ewing
JACUBUS
<ja-ku’-bus> ([ jIa>koubov, Iakoubos]; Codex Vaticanus reads
[Iarsouboos]): In 1 Esdras 9:48 = “Akkub” in <160807>Nehemiah 8:7, a Levite who helped in the exposition of the law.
JADA
<ja’-da> ([[d;y;, yadha`], “the knowing one”): Son of Onam and grandson of Jerahmeel by his wife Atarah (<130226>
1 Chronicles 2:26,28,32).
JADAU
<ja’-do>, <ja-da’-u> ([wODyi, yiddo], Kethibh; [yD”y”, yadday], Qere the King James Version; but the Revised Version (British and American) IDDO): In Ezr 10:43, one of those who had married foreign wives. the Revised Version margin has “Jaddai” (= “Edos,” 1 Esdras 9:35).
See IDDO.
JADDAI
<jad’-i>, <jad’-a-i>.
See IDDO; JADAU.
JADDUA
<jad’-u-a>, <ja-du’-a> ([[“WDy”, yaddua`], “known”):
(1) One of the “chiefs of the people” who with Nehemiah sealed the covenant, thus signifying their voluntary acceptance of the law and their solemn promise to submit to its yoke (<161021>Nehemiah 10:21 (Hebrew 22)).
(2) Son of Jonathan or Johanan, and great-grandson of Eliashib, the high priest in Nehemiah’s time (<161211>
Nehemiah 12:11,22). He is the last of the high priests mentioned in the Old Testament, and held office during the reign of Darius the Persian, i.e. Darius III Codomannus, the last king of Persia (336-332 BC), who was overthrown by Alexander the Great. It is doubtless to him that Josephus refers in his romantic account of
Alexander’s entrance into Jerusalem (Ant., XI, viii, 4 f; vii, 2; viii, 7).
James Crichton JADDUS
<jad’-us> (Codex Vaticanus, [ jIaddou>v, Iaddous]; Codex Alexandrinus, [ jIoddou>v, Ioddous]): the King James Version has “Addus” = Barzillai (Ezr 2:61; <160763>Nehemiah 7:63). Jaddus was removed from the office of the priesthood because he could not prove his right to it after the return to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel (1 Esdras 5:38). He is called Barzillai in the.
Old Testament, because he married Augia, the daughter of Zorzelleus (Barzillai the Gileadite, in the Old Testament). Compare BARZILLAI.
JADON
<ja’-don> ([ˆwOdy;, yadhon], perhaps “he will judge” or “plead”): One who helped to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem in company with the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah (<160307>Nehemiah 3:7). He is called the “Meronothite,” and another Meronothite is referred to in <132730>
1 Chronicles 27:30, but there is no mention of a place Meronoth. Jadon is the name given by Josephus (Ant., VIII, viii, 5; ix, 1) to “the man of God” from Judah who confronted Jeroboam as he burned incense at the altar in Bethel, and who was afterward deceived by the lie of the old prophet (1 Kings 13). Josephus may probably have meant Iddo the seer, whose visions concerning Jeroboam (<140929>2 Chronicles 9:29) led to his being identified in Jewish tradition with “the man of God”, from Judah.
James Crichton JAEL
<ja’-el> ([l[ey;, ya`el], “a wild or mountain goat,” as in <19A418>Psalm 104:18;
[ jIah>l, Iael]): The wife of Heber the Kenite and the slayer of Sisera
(<070417>Judges 4:17-22; 5:2-31). Jael emerges from obscurity by this single
deed, and by the kindest construction can hardly be said to have reached an enviable fame. The history of this event is clear. For years Jabin the king of Canaan had oppressed Israel. For twenty years the Israelites had been subject to him, and, in largest measure, the instrument of their subjugation had been Sisera, the king’s general, the “man of the iron chariots.”
Deborah, a prophetess of Israel, by her passion for freedom, had roused the tribes of Israel to do battle against Sisera. They defeated him at “Taanach by the waters of Megiddo,” but Sisera sought in flight to save himself. He
came to the “oaks of the wanderers,” where the tribe of Heber lived. Here he sought, and was probably invited, to take shelter in the tent of Jael
(<070417>Judges 4:17-18). There are two accounts of the subsequent events —
one a prose narrative (<070419>
Judges 4:19-22), the other a poetic one, found in Deborah’s song of triumph (<070524>Judges 5:24-27). The two accounts are as nearly in agreement as could be expected, considering their difference in form.
It is evident that the tribe of Heber was regarded by both parties to the struggle as being neutral. They were descendants of Jethro, and hence, had the confidence of the Israelites. Though they had suffered somewhat at the hands of the Canaanites they had made a formal contract of peace with Jabin. Naturally Sisera could turn to the tents of Heber in Kedesh-naphtali with some confidence. The current laws of hospitality gave an added element of safety. Whether Jael met Sisera and urged him to enter her tent and rest (<070418>Judges 4:18), or only invited him after his appeal for refuge, the fact remains that he was her guest, was in the sanctuary of her home, and protected by the laws of hospitality: She gave him milk to drink, a mantle for covering, and apparently acquiesced in his request that she should stand guard at the tent and deny his presence to any pursuers. When sleep came to the wearied fugitive she took a “tent-pin, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the pin into his temples”
(<070421>Judges 4:21), and having murdered him, goes forth to meet Barak the
Israelite general and claims the credit for her deed. Some critics suggest that Sisera was not asleep when murdered, and thus try to convert Jael’s treachery into strategy. But to kill your guest while he is drinking the milk of hospitality is little less culpable than to murder him while asleep. There is no evidence that Sisera offered Jael any insult or violence, and but little probability that she acted under any spiritual or Divine suggestion. It is really impossible to justify Jael’s act, though it is not impossible to understand it or properly to appreciate Deborah’s approval of the act as found in <070524>Judges 5:24. The motive of Jael may have been a mixed one.
She may have been a sympathizer with Israel and with the religion of Israel.
But the narrative scarcely warrants the interpretation that she felt herself as one called to render “stern justice on an enemy of God” (Expositor’s Bible). Jael was unquestionably prudential. Sisera was in flight and Barak in pursuit. Probably her sympathy was with Barak, but certainly reflection would show her that it would not be wisdom to permit Barak to find Sisera in her tent. She knew, too, that death would be Sisera’s portion should he
be captured — therefore she would kill him and thus cement a friendship with the conqueror.
As to Deborah’s praise of Jael (<070524>Judges 5:24), there is no call to think that in her hour of triumph she was either capable of or intending to appraise the moral quality of Jael’s deed. Her country’s enemy was dead and that too at the hand of a woman. The woman who would kill Sisera must be the friend of Israel. Deborah had no question of the propriety of meting out death to a defeated persecutor. Her times were not such as to raise this question. The method of his death mattered little to her, for all the laws of peace were abrogated in the times of war. Therefore Jael was blessed among women by all who loved Israel. Whether Deborah thought her also to be worthy of the blessing of God we may not tell. At any rate there is no need for us to try to justify the treachery of Jael in order to explain the words of Deborah.
C. E. Schenk JAGUR
<ja’-gur> ([rWgy;, yaghur]): An unidentified town on the Edomite frontier of Judah in the South (<061521>Joshua 15:21).
JAH
<ja>.
See GOD, NAMES OF.
JAHATH
<ja’-hath> ([tj”y”, yachath], perhaps for [hT,j]y”, yachteh], [ht,j}y”, yachatheh], “he (God) will snatch up”):
(1) Son of Reaiah, son of Shobal, a descendant of Judah, and father of Ahumai and Lahad, the families of the Zorathites (<130402>1 Chronicles 4:2).
(2) A frequent name for a descendant of Levi:
(a) Son of Libni, son of Gershom, the eldest son of Levi (<130620>1
Chronicles 6:20,43 (Hebrew 6:5,28), where “son of Libni” is omitted).
(b) Son of Shimei, son of Gershom (<132310>1 Chronicles 23:10 f).
(c) One of the “sons” of Shelomoth, a descendant of Izhar, son of Kohath, the second son of Levi (<132422>
1 Chronicles 24:22).
(d) A descendant of Merari, the third son of Levi, and an overseer in the repairing of the temple in the reign of Josiah (<143412>
2 Chronicles 34:12).
James Crichton JAHAZ
<ja’-haz> ([6h”y”, yahats], <231604>Isaiah 16:4; <244834>Jeremiah 48:34, [hx;h}y”, yahatsah], or [hx;h]y”, yahtsah], <042123>
Numbers 21:23;
<050232>Deuteronomy 2:32; <061318>Joshua 13:18; 21:36, the King James Version
“Jahazah”; <071120>
Judges 11:20; <244821>
Jeremiah 48:21; <130678>
1 Chronicles 6:78,
“Jahzah”): This is the place where in a great battle Israel overwhelmed Sihon king of the Amorites, and then took possession of all his territory
(<042123>Numbers 21:23, etc.). It is named along with Beth-baal-meon and
Kedemoth (<061318>
Joshua 13:18), with Kedemoth (<062137>
Joshua 21:37) pointing to a position in the Southeast of the Amorite territory. It was given to Reuben by Moses, and was one of the cities in the portion of that tribe assigned to the Merarite Levites. Mesha (MS, ll. 18 if) says that the king of Israel dwelt in Jahaz when at war with him. Mesha drove him out, and the city passed into the hands of Moab. It is referred to as a city of Moab in
<231504>Isaiah 15:4; <244821>Jeremiah 48:21,34. Cheyne thinks that either Jahaz or
Kedemoth must be represented today by the important ruins of Umm er- Recac, about 2 1/2 hours North of Dibon toward the desert (EB, under the word). No certain identification is possible.
W. Ewing JAHAZIAH
<ja-ha-zi’-a>: the King James Version for JAHZEIAH (which see).
JAHAZIEL
<ja-ha’-zi-el> ([laeyzij}y”, yachazi’el], “God sees”):
(1) In <131204>1 Chronicles 12:4 (Hebrew 5), one of David’s recruits at Ziklag, a Benjamite or maybe a Judean.
(2) In <131606>1 Chronicles 16:6, one of two priests appointed by David to sound trumpets before the ark on its journey to Jerusalem. The
Septuagint’s Codex Vaticanus and Codex Alexandrinus, read “Uzziel.”
(3) In <132319>1 Chronicles 23:19; 24:23, a Levite, “son” of Hebron, a Kohathite. Kittel, following the Septuagint, reads “Uzziel.”
(4) In <142014>2 Chronicles 20:14, an Asaphite, son of Zechariah. He
encouraged King Jehoshaphat of Judah and his subjects to fight against the Moabite and Ammonite invaders.
(5) In Ezr 8:5, an ancestor of one of the families of the Restoration. Read probably “of the sons of Zattu, Sheconiah the son of Jahaziel,” following 1 Esdras 8:32 (= Jezelus).
David Francis Roberts JAHDAI
<ja’-da-i>, <ja’-di> ([yD”h]y”, yahday], “Yah leads” (?); Baer reads [yD”h]y,, yehday]): In <130247>1 Chronicles 2:47, where six sons of Jahdai are mentioned. “The name has been taken as that of another wife or concubine of Caleb; more probably Jahdai is a descendant of Caleb, whose name, in the original connection, has fallen from the text” (Curtis, Chronicles, 96).
JAHDIEL
<ja’-di-el> ([laeyDij]y”, yachdi’el], “God gives joy”): In <130524>1 Chronicles 5:24, head of a Manassite family.
JAHDO
<ja’-do> ([wODj]y”, yachdo], meaning uncertain; Kittel suggests [yD”j]y”, yachday] = Jahdai): In <130514>1 Chronicles 5:14, a Gileadite.
JAHLEEL
<ja’-le-el> ([lael]j]y”, yachle’el], “wait for God!”): In <014614>Genesis 46:14; <042626>Numbers 26:26, a “son” (i.e. clan) of Zebulun.
JAHLEELITES, THE
<ja’-le-el-its> ([yliael]j]Y”h”, hayachle’eli], coll. with article): In
<042626>Numbers 26:26, the descendants of the clan of Jahleel.
JAHMAI
<ja’-ma-i>, <ja’-mi> ([ym”j]y”, yachmay], perhaps = [hy;m]j]y”, yachmeyah], “may Yahweh protect!”): In <130702>1 Chronicles 7:2, head of a clan of Issachar.
JAHWEH
<ya’-we>.
See GOD, NAMES OF.
JAHZAH
<ja’-za>.
See JAHAZ.
JAHZEEL AND JAHZIEL
<ja’-ze-el> ([laex]j]y”, yachtse’el], “God divides,” “apportions”): In
<014624>Genesis 46:24; <042648>Numbers 26:48; and 23 manuscripts in <130713>1
Chronicles 7:13; ([laeyxij}y”, yachatsi’el], same meaning as above): <130713>1 Chronicles 7:13, a “son” (clan) of Naphtali.
JAHZEELITES, THE
<ja’-ze-el-its> ([yliaex]j]Y”h”, hayachtse’eli], coll. with article): In
<042648>Numbers 26:48, descendants of the clan of Jahzeel.
JAHZEIAH
<ja-ze’-ya>, <ja’-ze-ya> ([hy;z]j]y”, yachzeyah], “Yah sees”): In Ezr 10:15, son of Tikvah, and a contemporary of Ezra. It is disputed whether he and Jonathan opposed or supported Ezra in the matter of prosecuting those who had married foreign wives = Ezekias, 1 Esdras 9:14, or Ezias.
See JONATHAN, 9.
Two translations of the Hebrew phrase ([taozAl[“ dm”[;, `amadh `al- zo’th]) are given:
(1) “stood over this matter,” i.e. supported Ezra; so the King James Version (“were employed in this matter”), and so Septuagint, 1 Esdras 9:14, the Revised Version margin. This is supported by 9:4, “Let now our princes be appointed for all the assembly,” where the same phrase is found.
(2) the Revised Version (British and American) “stood up against this matter,” so BDB, Gesenius, Bertheau, Stade. Both translations can be supported by parallels in Hebrew. The context is better suited by the former rendering.
David Francis Roberts JAHZERAH
<ja’-ze-ra>, <ja-ze’-ra> ([hr;zej]y”, yachzerah], meaning unknown): In
<130912>
1 Chronicles 9:12, an ancestor of Maasai and apparently = “Ahzai” of
<161113>Nehemiah 11:13.
JAHZIEL
<ja’-zi-el>.
See JAHZEEL.
JAILOR
<jal’-er>.
See PRISON.
JAIR
<ja’-er>:
(1) Jair ([ryaiy;, ya’ir], “he enlightens” or “one giving light”):
(a) Son, i.e. descendant of Manasseh (<043241>Numbers 32:41;
<050314>
Deuteronomy 3:14; <061330>
Joshua 13:30; <110413>
1 Kings 4:13:<130222>
1
Chronicles 2:22 f). According to <130221>1 Chronicles 2:21 f he was the son of ScRub, son of Hezron, a descendant of Judah, who married the daughter of Machir, son of Manasseh. He was thus descended both from Judah and Manasseh. At the time of the conquest he distinguished himself by taking the tent-villages HAVVOTH-JAIR (which see). The accounts of his exploit are difficult to harmonize (see ICC on above passages). Some would identify him with the Jair of <071003>Judges 10:3, holding that Manasseh’s settlement in Northern Gilead and Bashan took place, not before Israel’s passage of the Jordan, but after the settlement of the tribe on the West. For a criticism of this view see HGHL, 577, note
(b) One of the judges. He is said to have had 30 sons, who rode on 30 ass colts, and who had as many cities, known as Havvoth-jair
(<071003>Judges 10:3,4). One tradition identifies (a) and (b). Others
reconcile the two narratives by interpreting the word “son” in a non- literal sense.
(c) The father of Mordecai (<170205>Esther 2:5). In the Apocrypha (Additions to Esther 11:2) his name is given as “Jairus” ([ jIa>eirov, Iaeiros]).
(2) Jair (Qere: [ry[iy;, ya`ir], “he arouses”; Kethibh: [rW[y;, ya`ur]; a different name from (1) above): The father of Elhanan, the giant-slayer
(<132005>1 Chronicles 20:5). In the parallel passage (<102119>2 Samuel 21:19) his
name is given as “Jaare-oregim,” but the text should be corrected to Jair,
“oregim” (‘oreghim) having crept in from the line below through a copyist’s error.
James Crichton JAIRITE
<ja’-er-it> ([yriaiy;, ya’iri], “of Jair”): In <102026>2 Samuel 20:26, Ira the Jairite is “chief minister unto David.” He was a descendant of Jair who was a Manassite (<043241>Numbers 32:41, etc.) and whose territory was in Gilead.
Septuagint, Lucian, and Syriac suggest [yriTiy”, yattiri], “Jattirite,” i.e. a native of Jattir mentioned in <093027>1 Samuel 30:27 as one of the towns friendly to David when he was in Ziklag. It is not improbable that a native of Jattir would be given such a post by David.
See IRA, and compare <102338>2 Samuel 23:38.
JAIRUS (1)
<ja’-i-rus>, <ja-i’-rus> ([ jIa>eirov, Iaeiros]; 1 Esdras 5:31; Additions to Esther 11:2).
See AIRUS; JAIR.
JAIRUS (2)
<ja’-i-rus>, <ja-i’-rus> ([ jIa>eirov, Iaeiros]): A ruler in a synagogue near Capernaum whose only daughter, aged about 12 years, was raised from the dead by Jesus (<400918>Matthew 9:18-26; <410522>Mark 5:22-43; <420841>Luke 8:41-56). The accounts of the miracle are substantially the same, but vary in detail. According to Mark and Luke the arrival of Jairus in Capernaum fell immediately after the return of Jesus from Gadara, but according to Matthew the sequence of events was that Jesus had returned to
Capernaum, had called Matthew, had joined the feast of the publicans, and had just finished His discourse on fasting when Jairus came to Him.
Matthew and Mark both testify to the great faith of Jairus, who besought of Jesus that He should but lay His hand upon the maid and she should live.
According to Matthew she was already dead when Jairus came to
Capernaum; according to the others she was on the point of death; but all agree as to her death before the arrival of Jesus and His followers at her abode. Matthew implies that Jesus alone was present at the actual raising;
Mark and Luke state that Peter, James, John and the parents were also there. The healing of the woman with the issue of blood by Jesus on the way is given by all.
C. M. Kerr JAKAN
<ja’-kan> ([ˆq;[}y”, ya`aqan]).
See JAAKAN.
JAKEH
<ja’-ke> ([hq,y;, yaqeh], perhaps from Arabic root meaning “carefully religious”; [aqey;, yaqe’], as if from [ayqi, qi’]): The father of Agur, the
author of the sayings recorded in <203001>Proverbs 30:1. Nothing is known of either Jakeh or Agur. The immediate connection in the Hebrew text of ha- massa’, “the prophecy” or “burden” (the King James Version “even the prophecy,” the Revised Version (British and American) “the oracle”) with ne’um, “oracle” (the King James Version “spake,” the Revised Version (British and American) “saith”) is quite exceptional, while the verse is unintelligible and the text, as the Septuagint shows, is evidently corrupt.
The best emendation is that which changes ha-massa’, “the prophecy,”
into ha-massa’i, “the Massaite,” or into mimmassa’, “of Massa” (Revised Version margin), Massa being the name of the country of an Ishmaelite tribe (compare <012514>Genesis 25:14; <130130>1 Chronicles 1:30; <203101>Proverbs 31:1 the Revised Version margin).
See AGUR.
James Crichton JAKIM
<ja’-kim> ([µyqiy;, yaqim], “he (God) lifteth Up”; compare ELIAKIM):
(1) A Benjamite, a son of Shimei (<130819>
1 Chronicles 8:19).
(2) A priest, the head of the 12th of the 24 courses into which the priests were divided (<132412>1 Chronicles 24:12).
JALAM
<ja’-lam> ([µl;[]y”, ya`lam], according to BDB following Septuagint [ jIeglo>m, Ieglom], in Gen, from [µl”[;, `alam], meaning “to conceal”;
according to Gunkel, Gen3, 390, from [l[ey;, ya`el], “mountain-goat”; see HPN, 90, note 5; King James Version Jaalam): In <013605>Genesis 36:5,14,18;
<130135>1 Chronicles 1:35, a son of Esau, mentioned as the 2nd son by
Oholibamah; probably an Edomite clan.
JALON
<ja’-lon> ([ˆwOly;, yalon], meaning unknown): In <130417>1 Chronicles 4:17, a son of Ezrah, a Judahite.