Jabesh-Gilead: A town on the east of Jordan, on the top of one of the green hills of
Gilead, within the limits of the half tribe of Manasseh, and in full
view of Beth-shan. It is first mentioned in connection with the
vengeance taken on its inhabitants because they had refused to come
up to Mizpeh to take part with Israel against the tribe of Benjamin
(Judges 21:8-14) After the battles at Gibeah, that tribe was almost
extinguished, only six hundred men remaining. An expedition went
against Jabesh-Gilead, the whole of whose inhabitants were put to the
sword, except four hundred maidens, whom they brought as prisoners
and sent to "proclaim peace" to the Benjamites who had fled to the
crag Rimmon. These captives were given to them as wives, that the
tribe might be saved from extinction
(Judges 21:1)ff This city was
afterwards taken by Nahash, king of the Ammonites, but was delivered
by Saul, the newly-elected king of Israel. In gratitude for this
deliverance, forty years after this, the men of Jabesh-Gilead took
down the bodies of Saul and of his three sons from the walls of
Beth-shan, and after burning them, buried the bones under a tree near
the city
(1 Samuel 31:11-13) David thanked them for this act of piety
(2 Samuel 2:4-6) and afterwards transferred the remains to the royal
sepulchre
(2 Samuel 21:14) It is identified with the ruins of ed-Deir,
about 6 miles south of Pella, on the north of the Wady Yabis.
