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.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More