Places of the Bible

Jabesh-gilead

Gilead (Transjordan) · Old Testament · 11 verses

Jabesh-gilead was a town in the region of Gilead east of the Jordan. Its people had close ties with the tribe of Benjamin and with Saul. The name appears in 1 Samuel, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles in the King James text.

About Jabesh-gilead

Jabesh-gilead was a town in the region of Gilead east of the Jordan. Its people had close ties with the tribe of Benjamin and with Saul.

Its place in the story

Saul's first act as king was to rescue Jabesh-gilead from the Ammonites who besieged it. In gratitude, after Saul's death the men of Jabesh recovered his body from Beth-shan and buried it honorably.

Jabesh-gilead in Scripture (KJV)

“Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.”
“And 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.”
“And, 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.”
“And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.”
“Therefore 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.”
“All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.”
“And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.”
“And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.”

Jabesh-gilead is named 11 times in Scripture; 8 shown above.

Where it leads

The loyal love shown by the men of Jabesh-gilead reflects the faithful love that Scripture says is perfected in Christ.

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People also ask

Where is Jabesh-gilead in the Bible?

Jabesh-gilead was a town in the region of Gilead east of the Jordan. Its people had close ties with the tribe of Benjamin and with Saul. The name appears in 1 Samuel, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles in the King James text.

What happened at Jabesh-gilead?

Saul's first act as king was to rescue Jabesh-gilead from the Ammonites who besieged it. In gratitude, after Saul's death the men of Jabesh recovered his body from Beth-shan and buried it honorably.

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Scripture verbatim KJV. Place facts curated; any coordinates via Wikidata (CC0).

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