and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.
Parallel translations
- WEB and Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.
- KJV And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.
- NKJV and Ira the Jairite was a chief minister under David.
- NASB Ira the Jairite also was a priest to David.
- NLT And Ira, a descendant of Jair, was David’s personal priest.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Ira the Jairite served as David's chief minister or priest. It matters because it completes the list of David's restored officials.
Overview
Ira's role, described as chief minister to David, closes the summary of the king's administration. The exact nature of his office is debated, possibly a personal priest or royal advisor. The verse concludes the chapter by affirming that David's reign had been fully reestablished after the turmoil.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 2 Sam 23:38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
- Exod 2:14But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “This thing I have done has surely become known.”
- Judg 10:4–5He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys. And they had thirty towns in the land of Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth-jair.
- 2 Sam 8:18Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priestly leaders.
- 1 Chr 11:40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
- 2 Chr 35:15The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer. And the gatekeepers at each gate did not need to leave their position, because their fellow Levites made preparations for them.
- Gen 41:45Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt.
- Exod 24:11But God did not lay His hand on the nobles of Israel; they saw Him, and they ate and drank.
- Gen 41:43He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.
- Exod 2:16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 20:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.