Ira

At a Glance

Definition: a masculine biblical name shared by several men in the Old Testament. Key points: one Ira served as a chief officer under David; other men named Ira appear among David’s warriors and officers; context is needed to distinguish each person.

Key Points

• Not a theological term
• it is a biblical personal name. • At least three Old Testament men are called Ira. • The name appears especially in passages about David’s administration and military organization. • Each occurrence must be read in its immediate context.

Description

Ira is a biblical masculine name borne by multiple Old Testament figures. The name is associated especially with David’s administrative and military records, where context distinguishes men such as Ira the Jairite, Ira the Ithrite, and Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite. Scripture treats these as historical individuals, not as a theological concept. A useful dictionary entry therefore needs to present the name as a biblical-person headword and distinguish the different bearers carefully.

Biblical Context

The biblical data place several men named Ira in the orbit of David’s reign. One served as a chief officer over David, while others are listed among his warriors or monthly commanders. These references show the importance of careful contextual reading when a name appears more than once in Scripture.

Historical Context

These references belong to the period of the united monarchy, when David organized military and civil leadership around his kingdom. Lists of officers and mighty men preserve the names of real historical individuals and help locate them within Israel’s royal administration.

Jewish and Ancient Context

In the ancient Near Eastern and biblical setting, it was common for more than one person to share the same name. Scripture often distinguished such men by hometown, family line, or office, which is why the various Ira figures are identified by descriptors such as Jairite, Ithrite, or Tekoite.

Primary Key Texts

• 2 Samuel 20:26
• 2 Samuel 23:26, 38
• 1 Chronicles 11:28, 40
• 1 Chronicles 27:9

Secondary Key Texts

• David’s administration and mighty-men lists
• passages that distinguish people by clan or locality.

Original Language Note

Hebrew personal name, commonly transliterated as Ira; the name is used for more than one Old Testament male.

Theological Significance

Ira has little direct doctrinal significance. Its value is historical: it reminds readers that Scripture preserves real people, offices, and settings, and that biblical interpretation depends on careful attention to context.

Philosophical Explanation

Proper names identify individuals rather than concepts. The meaning of a name page like Ira comes from historical usage in the biblical narrative, not from an abstract theological idea attached to the word itself.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not confuse the different men named Ira. Distinguish the Jairite official, the Ithrite warrior, and the Tekoite son of Ikkesh by their immediate contexts and accompanying descriptors.

Major Views

No major doctrinal views are involved. The main interpretive issue is disambiguation among several historical persons with the same name.

Doctrinal Boundaries

This entry concerns a biblical personal name only. It does not teach doctrine, and it should not be used to support speculative etymologies or theological claims beyond the text.

Practical Significance

The entry encourages careful Bible reading, especially in genealogies, warrior lists, and administrative records, where similar names can easily be confused.

Related Entries

• David
• David’s mighty men
• Jairite
• Ithrite
• Tekoite
• 2 Samuel
• 1 Chronicles

See Also

• Ishmaiah
• Shammah
• Uriah the Hittite
• Joab