Jabesh-Gilead

Jabesh-Gilead (Hebrew: יָבֵ֣שׁ גִּלְעָ֑ד‎ Yāḇêš Gil‘āḏ) is an ancient town referred to in four books of the Hebrew Bible. Some biblical scholars believe it to have been located east of the Jordan River, in the vicinity of Wadi Yabes.[1] The name Jabesh means "dry" in Hebrew.[2]

Jabesh Gilead is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible Book of Judges,[3] in the first[4][5] and second[6][7] books of Samuel and in the book of Chronicles.[8] Jabesh Gilead is primarily mentioned in connection with King Saul's and King David's battles against the Philistines and Ammonites.

Bible narratives
Book of Judges

In the Book of Judges, Chapters 19–21, eleven tribes of Israel had all but wiped out the tribe of Benjamin. Only 600 men from Benjamin remained on the Rimmon Rock. However the eleven tribes relented from destroying the whole tribe, and they decided that they needed to find wives for the 600 men since all other people in Benjamin had been killed. But they had taken an oath not to give their daughters to a Benjaminite, so they found the one city in Israel that had not joined the fight: Jabesh. All the inhabitants were executed under the Herem except for 400 virgins. They brought back 400 virgins from Jabesh and gave them to the men on Rimmon Rock.

Books of Samuel and Chronicles

Later Saul from the tribe of Benjamin and the city of Gibeah is made king of Israel. A month later in 1 Samuel 11 Nahash of Ammon attacks Jabesh, and Saul leads Israel to the defense of Jabesh. When Saul dies in 1 Samuel 31 it is not the tribe of Benjamin who retrieve his body from the Philistines, nor David, but men of Jabesh (giving honour to the rescuer of their city).

Identification

The identification of Jabesh-Gilead has been studied for a long time. The most likely locations are said to be Tell el-Maqlub and Tell Abu al-Kharaz.[9]

Bibliography

General References dealing with the excavations at Tell Abu al-Kharaz:

  • Fischer, P.M, Tell Abu al-Kharaz in the Jordan Valley. Volume II: The Middle and Late Bronze Ages, Austrian Academy of Sciences Press, Vienna 2006;
  • Fischer, P.M. The Chronology of the Jordan Valley during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages: Pella, Tell Abu al-Kharaz and Tell Deir 'Alla, edited by P.M. Fischer, contributions by S. Bourke, P.M. Fischer and G. van der Kooij. Austrian Academy of Sciences Press, Vienna 2006;
  • Fischer, P.M. Tell Abu al-Kharaz in the Jordan Valley. Volume I: The Early Bronze Age. Austrian Academy of Sciences Press, Vienna 2008.
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References
  1. "Jabesh Gilead". Ancient Sandals. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
  2. "morfix dictionary".
  3. "Judges 21:8-15 (Bible)". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
  4. "1 Samuel 11:1-11 (Bible)". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
  5. "1 Samuel 31:11-13 (Bible)". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
  6. "2 Samuel 2:4-5 (Bible)". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
  7. "2 Samuel 21:12 (Bible)". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
  8. "1 Chronicles 10:11-12 (Bible)". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
  9. Edenburg, Cynthia (2016). Dismembering the Whole: Composition and Purpose of Judges 19-21. SBL Press. p. 105. ISBN 978-1-62837-125-3. Retrieved 28 February 2020.

See also
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