Jabesh-gilead Jabis
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(1 Sam 11:1; 1 Chr 10:11-12) - the principal city of Gilead, probably called Jabesh because of its position upon a dry hill. It alone took no part in the Israelites' civil war against the tribe of Benjamin and for this was almost entirely destroyed (Judg 20-21). All the male population of Jabesh perished by the sword, while four hundred virgins were given in marriage to the surviving Benjamites (Judg 21:8-14). When threatened by an Ammonite attack, Jabesh was saved by Saul (1 Sam 11:1-11).
In return, after the death of Saul and his sons the men of Jabesh-gilead '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. And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days' (1 Sam 31:12-13). When David learned of this, he thanked them and promised them his special favor (2 Sam 2:4-7). In Robinson's opinion, Jabesh-gilead stood on the site of present-day Ed-Deir, ruins near Wadi Yabis, which flows into the Jordan southeast of Beth-shan.