IRA ī’ rə (עִירָא׃֙). 1. A Jairite who was called “David’s priest” (2 Sam 20:26). Since the Jairites were of the tribe of Manasseh, his position could not have been sacerdotal. Either, in David’s time, some non-Levites were permitted to serve in some sort of priestly capacity, or the office of priest had reference to some chief official in the service of the king (2 Sam 8:18; 1 Chron 18:17).

2. An Ithrite; one of David’s thirty mighty men (2 Sam 23:38; 1 Chron 11:40).

3. Son of Ikkesh, one of David’s mighty men and a captain of the temple guard for the sixth month (1 Chron 11:28; 27:9).