Deuteronomy 3:14 MEANING

(14) Jair took . . . unto this day.--The last words of this chapter seem to point to a later hand, as of Joshua, describing the completion of the conquest. The expression "unto this day" is characteristically common in Joshua, or in the editorial notes inserted throughout that book. (See Introduction to Joshua, "On the Style of the Book.")

Geshuri and Maachathi--i.e., the Geshurite and the Maachathite, the inhabitants of Geshur and Maachah. "The Maachathites, near the Jordan springs (comp. Abel-Beth-maachah, 2 Samuel 20:14-15), and the Geshurites, rather farther east" (Conder, Bible Handbook, p. 254). Talmai, king of Geshur, was the grandfather of Absalom (2 Samuel 3:3), who took refuge with him after he killed Ammon (2 Samuel 13:37). "Argob, Trachonitis, or El-Lejja, has been an asylum for all malefactors and refugees ever since" (Giant Cities of Bashan, p. 92).

Verse 14. - Jair, a descendant of Manasseh by the mother's side (his father was of the tribe of Judah, 1 Chronicles 2:22), obtained the Argob region unto - i.e., inclusive of (see Joshua 13:13) - the territory of the Geshuri and Maachathi. These were small Syrian tribes located to the east of Hermon. As Geshur signifies a bridge, it has been conjectured that the Geshurites were located near some well-known bridge across the Jordan, of which, perhaps, they were the keepers, and from this took their name. Maachah is called Aram (Syria) Maachah in 1 Chronicles 19:6. According to the 'Ono-masticon,' it was "a city of the Amorites, by the Jordan, near Mount Hermon" (s.v. Μαχαθί). It had in later times a king, who allied himself with the Ammonites against David (1 Chronicles 19:7). These tribes were subdued, but not destroyed, by the Israelites; and at a later period seem to have regained their independence, and to have formed one kingdom (comp. 2 Samuel 3:3; 2 Samuel 10:6; 2 Samuel 13:37; 2 Samuel 15:8; 1 Chronicles 3:2). And called them after his own name, Bashan-havoth-jair. The word havoth (properly chavvoth, חַלֺוּת) is the plural of a word meaning life, and Char-voth-Jair probably signifies Jair's livings, not Jair's villages, for these were apparently fortified cities (vers. 4, 5; Joshua 13:30; 1 Kings 4:13). These were recaptured by the Geshurites, aided by the Arameans (1 Chronicles 2:23, "And Geshur and Aram took Chavvoth-Jair from them," etc.); at what time is unknown. From Numbers 32:42, it appears that Nobah, also a family descended from Machir, took certain towns, viz. "Kenath and her daughters" in this district; these, with the twenty-three Hay-voth-Jair, made up the sixty towns which "belonged to the sons of Machir the father of Gilead" (1 Chronicles 2:23). Nobah was probably in some way subordinate to Jair, and so in this rhetorical discourse, where it is not the purpose of the author to enter on minute details, the whole of these cities are included under the name Havvoth-Jair. Unto this day. "This does not necessarily imply a long time; and Moses himself may have used this expression, though only shortly after the event, in order to give prominence to the capture of the fortified cities of the giant' king Og, by the Manassites for the encouragement of the Israelites" (Herzheimer).

3:12-20 This country was settled on the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh: see Nu 32. Moses repeats the condition of the grant to which they agreed. When at rest, we should desire to see our brethren at rest too, and should be ready to do what we can towards it; for we are not born for ourselves, but are members one of another.Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob,.... Or Trachonitis; the small towns belonging to Gilead, as in Numbers 32:41.

unto the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi; these were little kingdoms in Syria, on which the country of Argob bordered, and had kings over them in the time of David, and came not into the possession of the Israelites; see Joshua 13:13.

and called them after his own name, Bashanhavothjair, unto this day; see Numbers 32:41.