Edar
E'dar (Hebrews E'der, עֵדֶר, flock, as often rendered), the name of a tower (מַגדָּל), beyond (מֵהָלאָה) which Jacob first halted between Bethlehem and Hebron (Ge 35:21, Sept. Γαδέρ, Vat. omits, Vulg. Eder). In Mic 4:8 (Sept., Vulg., and A.V. translate ποιμνίον, grex, "flock") it is put for the neighboring village Bethlehem itself, and hence tropically for the royal line of David as sprung thence. It perhaps derived its name from the fact of having been erected to guard, SEE MIGDOL., flocks, or else from some individual of the name of Eder (q.v.). Jerome (who calls it turris Ader) says it lay 1000 paces from Bethlehem (Onomast. s.v. Bethlehem), and intimates that it contained a prophetic anticipation (compare Targum of Pseudo-Jon. in loc.) of the birth of the Messiah on the same spot (Lu 2:7-8). (See Albert, De turri Eder, Lips. 1689.) SEE BETHLEHEM.
