1 Chronicles 2:23

1Ch 2:23. All these belonged to the sons of Machir — Partly to his own sons, and partly to his son-in-law Jair, who by reason of that dear affection which was between them, and his forsaking his own tribe and kindred to fight for them, and to dwell with them, is here reckoned as his own son.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is, the Geshurites and Syrians took the towns from Jair’s children.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

he took--rather "he had taken." This statement is accounting for his acquisition of so large a territory; he got it by right of conquest from the former possessors.

Kenath--This place, along with its group of surrounding villages, was gained by Nobah, one of Jair's officers sent by him to capture it (Num 32:1-2).

All these belonged to the sons of Machir--In their number Jair is included as having completely identified himself by his marriage and residence in Gilead with the tribe of Manasseh.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(23) And he took . . . of Gilead.—Rather, And Geshur and Aram took the Havoth-jair from them—Kenath and her daughters, sixty cities: all these (were) sons of Machir, chief of Gilead.

Geshur, and Aram.—That is, the Aramean state of Geshur, north-west of Bashan, near Hermon and the Jordan, which was an independent kingdom in the age of David (2Sa_3:3). The Geshurites “took the tent-villages of Jair from them”—i.e., from the sons of Jair, or the Jairites, at what date is unknown. Comp. Deu_3:14-15, above cited.

With Kenath.—The Hebrew particle before “Kenath” may be either the sign of the object of the verb, or the preposition “with.” In the latter case, the statement of the verse will be that the twenty-three villages of Jair, together with the (thirty-seven) places called Kenath and her daughters, amounting in all to sixty towns, were taken by the Geshurites. See Num_32:41-42, where it is said that Jair occupied the Havoth-jair, and “Nobah went and took Kenath and her daughters, and called it Nobah after his own name.” Kenath is the modern Kanwat, on the western slope of Jebel Hauran.

It is difficult to reconcile all the different statements about the Havoth-jair. Jdg_10:3-4, for example, speaks of Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty -two years, and “had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts,” and, moreover, possessed “thirty cities, which are called Havoth-jair unto this day.” Jos_13:30 seems to make the Havoth-jair sixty towns. Comp. 1Ki_4:13; also 1Ch_2:21, where Hezron is sixty when he marries the Gileadite daughter of Machir.

Of course the number of places included in the “camps of Jair” may have varied at different epochs.

All these belonged to the sons of Machir.—Or, all these were sons of Machir—i.e., the clans and families that came of the union of Hezron with the daughter of ‘Machir. (See Note on 1Ch_2:21; and Jos_19:34.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23. And he took Geshur, and Aram, with the towns] R.V. And Geshur and Aram took the towns. Geshur was a (probably Aramaean) kingdom E. of Jordan on the N.E. border of Manasseh. Aram, commonly translated “Syria” or “the Syrians” probably here signifies the kingdom of which Damascus was the capital. The conquest of Manassite territory by the Aramaeans (“Syrians”) here described probably took place before the days of Ahab, for in his reign they were already established as far south as Ramoth-gilead (1Ki_22:3).

the towns of Jair] R.V. marg., Havvoth Jair. Cp. Deu_3:14; Jdg_10:4. The name perhaps means “the tent-villages of Jair,” (Arab. ḥǐvâ = “a collection of tents near together”).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail,.... Of the same name was a wife of Rehoboam, a daughter of his grandfather David's eldest brother, Eliab, Ch2 11:18.

and she bare him Ahban, and Molid; which are no more mentioned, they perhaps leaving no posterity.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Rather, “And Geshur and Aram (i. e. the Geshurites Deu 3:14 and Syrians) took the villages of Jair from them:” recovered, that is, from the new settlers the places which Jair had conquered.

All these belonged to the sons of Machir - Rather, “All these were sons of Machir,” i. e. Segub and Jair, with their descendants, were reckoned sons of Machir, rather than sons of Hezron, although only descended from Machir on the mother’s side. The reason of this seems to have been that they cast in their lot with the Manassites, and remained in their portion of the trans-Jordanic region.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Aram. Protestants add "with the towns of Jair from them," the former possessors; (Haydock) or Gessur assisted Aram (Syria) in attacking Israel, 4 Kings x. 32. (Calmet) --- All these villages. Protestants supply, "belonged to the sons." Septuagint, "were of the sons." All these were dependencies of Machir, "prince" of Galaad; in which sense father is taken, ver. 24. (Menochius) --- Sons often denote nephews, &c. (Worthington)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

And he took, or, for he had taken. So this is the reason why he had so great a territory and jurisdiction given to him.

Geshur and Aram; two cities or great towns so called.

With the towns of Jair, i.e. with those twenty-three cities which he is said to have, 1Ch 2:22.

From them, i.e. from the former inhabitants, which is easily understood.

With Kenath; which was taken by Nobah, one of Jair’s commanders, sent by him to take it, as may be gathered from Num 32:41,42.

To the sons of Machir; partly to his own sons, and partly to his son-in-law Jair, who by reason of that dear affection which was betwixt them and his forsaking his own tribe and kindred to fight for them, and to dwell with them, is here reckoned as his own son.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Geshur was a small district between Argob and Bashan; and Aram, commonly translated Syria, i.e. the ancient Syria, viz. the territory of Damascus. Kenath, rechristened by its subduer Nobah, (Num_32:42) and retaining this name at the time of Gideon, and Zeba and Sahnunnah subsequently vindicated the life of its old name, and regained it, replaced in the present day by Kenawat. And the towns thereof; Hebrew literally, her daughters; i.e. the small, subordinate groups of people. Num_21:25, "All the villages thereof," literally, daughters All these belonged to the sons of Machir, the father of Gilead, might perhaps be open to the translation, "All these were the possessions of Machir, the possessor of Gilead."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Sons of Machir - Partly to his own sons, and partly to his son- in-law Jair, who by reason of that dear affection which was betwixt them, and his forsaking his own tribe and kindred to fight for them and to dwell with them, is here reckoned as his own son.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

And the name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail,.... Of the same name was a wife of Rehoboam, a daughter of his grandfather David's eldest brother, Eliab, Ch2 11:18.

and she bare him Ahban, and Molid; which are no more mentioned, they perhaps leaving no posterity.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Geshur ... Aram

These are names of people groups named after ancestors. Translate "Aram" as in 1 Chronicles 1:17.

Havvoth Jair and Kenath

These are the names of places. (See: How to Translate Names)

Makir ... Gilead ... Hezron ... Caleb ... Ashhur ... Tekoa

These are the names of men. (See: How to Translate Names)

Ephrathah

This is the name of a woman. (See: How to Translate Names)

bore him

"gave birth to his son"

translationWords

Aram

descend

had relations with

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And Geshur and Aram took Geshur represents the Geshurites and the Maacathites because they were near the Arameans, who dwelt in the east of the land of Israel, and Aram dwelt in the east, as it is written (Isa. 9:11): “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west.” During the period of the Judges (Jud. 3:8), when Israel sinned, He (God) delivered them into the hands of the enemy, into the hands of Aram, and then (these) went and took them from them, and when David came, he restored them, and because he restored them, Scripture mentioned them here.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.