- Jabeshgilead:
- This place, as its name imports, was situated in Gilead, east of Jordan. Eusebius and Jerome say it was a great town in their time, standing upon a hill, six miles south from Pella, in the way to Geresa, now Djerash. The Wady Yabes, mentioned by Burckhardt, which empties itself into the Jordan, in the neighbourhood of Bisan or Beth-shan (see note on "And when the inhabitantsª° of Jabeshgileadªª heardª°¹¹ of that which¹ the Philistinesª had doneª° to Saul;ª" {1Sm 31:11}), and upon which Pella was situated (celebrated by Pliny, 1. v. c. 18, for its fine waters), seems to have taken its name from Jabesh. Near this spot, we must therefore look for its site; and the place called Kalaat Rabbad seems to correspond, very nearly, to the spot; though it probably still retains among the Arabs its ancient name. "Then Nahashª the Ammoniteª came up,ª° and encampedª° against¹ Jabeshgilead:ªª and all¹ the men²¹ of Jabeshª saidª° unto¹ Nahash,ª Makeª° a covenantª with us, and we will serveª° thee. ... And the eldersª of Jabeshª saidª° unto¹ him, Give us sevenª days'ª respite,ª° that we may sendª° messengersª unto all¹ the coastsª of Israel:ª and then, if¹ [there be] no man¹ to saveª° us, we will come outª° to¹ thee." {1Sm 11:1-3} + "And when the inhabitantsª° of Jabeshgileadªª heardª°¹¹ of that which¹ the Philistinesª had doneª° to Saul;ª ... And they tookª°¹ their bones,ª and buriedª° [them] under¹ a treeª at Jabesh,ª and fastedª° sevenª days.ª" {1Sm 31:11-13} + "And Davidª sentª° messengersª unto¹ the men²¹ of Jabeshgilead,ªª and saidª° unto¹ them, Blessedª° [be] ye¹ of the LORD,ª that¹ ye have shewedª° this¹ kindnessª unto¹ your lord,ª [even] unto¹ Saul,ª and have buriedª° him. ... And now¹ the LORDª shewª° kindnessª and truthª unto¹ you: and I¹ also¹ will requiteª° you this¹ kindness,ª because¹ ye have doneª° this¹ thing.ª" {2Sm 2:5-6}
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