Jabesh; Jabesh-gilead

Concise Bible Dictionary:

City in Gilead. When the tribe of Benjamin had been punished for its sin, and wives were wanted for the survivors, Jabesh-gilead was smitten because they came not when called, and only the young women were spared (Judg. 21:8,148And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the Lord? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly. (Judges 21:8)
14And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead: and yet so they sufficed them not. (Judges 21:14)). The city was afterward saved from the Ammonites by Saul; and when Saul and his sons were killed in battle, the valiant men of the city took up their bodies and buried them (1 Sam. 11:1-111Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. 2And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. 3And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee. 4Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept. 5And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. 6And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. 8And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and showed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you. 11And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together. (1 Samuel 11:1‑11); 1 Sam. 31:11-1311And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul; 12All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. 13And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. (1 Samuel 31:11‑13); 2 Sam. 2:4-54And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul. 5And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have showed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. (2 Samuel 2:4‑5); 2 Sam. 21:1212And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead, which had stolen them from the street of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa: (2 Samuel 21:12); 1 Chron. 10:11-1211And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days. (1 Chronicles 10:11‑12)). Identified with ed Deir (on the south of Wady Yabis, in which the name has probably been preserved), 32° 23' N, 35° 40' E.

Jackson’s Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names:

see Gilead