Jabesh-gilead

Biblical References

• Judges 21: When the Israelite tribes went to war against the tribe of Benjamin, the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead did not come to the assembly at Mizpah. In response, Israel sent twelve thousand soldiers to attack the town. The four hundred young virgins who were spared were given as wives to the surviving Benjamites (Judges 21:8–14).
• 1 Samuel 11: Nahash king of Ammon besieged the town and, as his condition for accepting its surrender, demanded the right eye of every inhabitant. The people obtained a seven-day respite and sent messengers to Saul at Gibeah. Moved by the Spirit of God, Saul mustered the people and defeated the Ammonites. After this victory, Saul's kingship was renewed at Gilgal.
• 1 Samuel 31:11–13: When Saul and his sons, including Jonathan, fell in battle against the Philistines, the Philistines fastened their bodies to the wall of Beth-shan. The valiant men of Jabesh-gilead traveled all night and recovered the bodies. They burned the bodies at Jabesh, buried the bones under a tamarisk tree, and fasted seven days. The same account appears in 1 Chronicles 10:11–12.
• 2 Samuel 2:4–7: David sent messengers to bless the men of Jabesh for burying Saul.
• 2 Samuel 21:12–14: After the episode involving Rizpah, David took the bones of Saul and Jonathan from the men of Jabesh and buried them in the tomb of Kish in the land of Benjamin.

Background

Gilead is the hill country east of the Jordan River. The name "Jabesh" is generally taken to be identical in form to a Hebrew word meaning "dry." Many scholars hold that the name survives in Wadi Yabis, a valley in northern Jordan. Scholars differ, however, on the precise location of the town, and several archaeological sites in the vicinity have been proposed.

Significance in the Bible as a Whole

Jabesh-gilead appears at both the beginning and the end of Saul's reign. By delivering this town, Saul began to gain recognition as king, and after his death it was the people of this town who recovered his body. David described their act as having "shewed this kindness" to their lord Saul (2 Samuel 2:5), an expression connected with hesed, faithful love grounded in covenant. The place name does not appear in the New Testament.

Interpretation and Issues

• The violence of Judges 21: Many commentators read this episode in light of the book's concluding statement, "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). On this reading, the text does not endorse the event but illustrates the disorder of the period of the judges.
• Ties with Saul: Some interpreters suggest that the marriage ties between Benjamin and Jabesh, together with the favor Saul showed in delivering the town, gave rise to the loyalty of the men of Jabesh. The text itself, however, does not state their motive.
• The burning of the bodies: Cremation was an unusual burial practice in Israel. Some suggest it was due to the mutilated condition of the bodies, others that it was meant to prevent further desecration, but the text does not give a reason.
• Distinction from the "Prayer of Jabez": Jabez, the individual in 1 Chronicles 4:9–10, bears a distinct name with a different Hebrew spelling. Because the two names are spelled identically in Korean, they are sometimes confused.

In the Korean Church

1 Samuel 11 and 31 are frequently read in sermons on the life of Saul. The men of Jabesh, who risked their lives to recover Saul's body, are often cited as an example of remembering and repaying kindness received. In addition, because the book The Prayer of Jabez, which deals with 1 Chronicles 4, has been widely read in Korea, it is necessary to distinguish that "Jabez" from this place name.