" The stream is important in a geographical point of view, and a knowledge of its topography helps us to understand more easily some passages of Scripture. It was the boundary between the Amorites and the Am- monites. We are told that after the defeat of Sihon, king of the Amorites, at Jazer, 'Israel possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon ; for the border of the children of Ammon was strong' (Numb, xxi, 24). The Jabbok, flowing in a wild and deep ravine through the (Jilead mountains, formed a strong natural frontier for the bordering prin- cipaUties. It would seem that at the Exodus the Am- monites possessed the countr\- eastward and northward of the upper sources and branches of the Jabbok, and that Sihon and Og occujiied the whole region between the Ammonites and the Jordan, extending as far north as the Sea of Galilee (Josh, xii, 2-8 ; Josephus, A nt. iv, 5, 2 and 3). The Israelites conquered Sihon and Og, and took their kingdoms; and the possessions of the three tribes, thus acquired, extended from the Dead Sea to Hermon ; but they were not permitted to touch the territory of Ammon (Deut. ii, 37; iii, 16). About fif- teen miles from the Jordan the Jabbok forks, one branch coming down from Jerash on the north, and the other from Kabbath- Amman on the south; these branches formed the western frontier of the Ammonites, dividing them from the Amorites, and subscqently from the Is- raelites (Reland, Pal. p. 103). Previous to the Exodus the territory of the Ammonites was much more exten- sive, embracing the whole region between the Jabbok and the Arnon : 1)ut the Amorites drove them out of that portion, and forced them into the mountains around
JABESH
722
JABEZ
the sources of tlie Jabbok, and into the plains eastward (Juds;. xi, 13 22)" (Porter in Kitto, s. v.). It is now caUcii the Zerka [or Wady Zitrha] (from its "blue" color, Kobinson's Researches, iii, Append, p. 326 ; but, ac- cording to Schwarz, Palest, p. 52, from a fortress of the same name on the caravan route from Damascus to Mecca). Its sources are chiefly on the eastern side of the mountains of Gilead, and it also drains a portion of the high plateau of Arabia beyond. In its passage westward across the plains it more than once ])asses un- der ground. The upper branches and tributaries are mere winter streams. At the point where the two main branches from Jerash and Amrcon unite, the stream be- comes perennial, and often, after heavy rain, is a foam- ing, impassable torrent. '• The ravine through which it Hows is narrow, deep, and in places wild. Throughout nearly its whole course it is fringed by thickets of cane and oleander, and the large clustering flowers of the lat- ter give the banks a gay and gorgeous appearance dur- ing the spring and early summer" (Porter, Handbook for S. and P. p. 310). Higher up, the sides of the ra- vine are clothtd with forests of evergreen oak, pine, and arbutus; and the undulating forest glades are carpeted with green grass, and strewn with innumerable wild flowers. The scenery along the banks of the Jabbok is probably the most picturesque in Palestine ; and the ruins of town, and village, and fortress which stud the surrounding mountain sides render the countrj' as inter- esting as it is beautiful. Tlie water is pleasant, and, the bed being rocky, the stream runs clear (Burckhardt's Syriu,\^.Ul ; Irby and Mangles, TmiWs, p. 319; Buck- ingham, Palestine, il, 109 ; Lindsay, ii, 123).
Ja'besh (Heb. Yabesh', C^^, dry, as in Job xili, 25; Ezek. xvii, 24, etc.; also written fully Yaheysh', C"^?!^, 1 Sam. xi, 1, 3, 5, 10 ; xxxi, 1 1 ; 2 Sam. ii, 4, 5 ; 1 Chron. X, 12, first time), the name of a place and also of a man.
1. (Sept. in Sam. 'lafi'iQ, in Chron. VajitiQ.~) The shorter form (1 Sam. xi, 3, 9, 10 ; xx, 12, 13 ; 1 Chron. X, 12, only) of the name of the city elsewhere called
jABKSII-{ilI.EAn (q. v.).
2. (Sept. 'lajiuQ v. r. 'K^tiq, Joseph. Io/3jj(roc, Ant. ix, 11, 1.) The father of Shallum, which latter usurped the throne of Israel by the assassination of Zachariah (2 Kings XV, 10, 13, 14). B.C. ante 770.
Ja'besh-gil'ead (Heb. Yuhesh' Gilad', li'bj rja;; [also T:3"'n^, sec Jaeesh, by which simple form it is sometimes called]; Sept.'In/Sfi'c or 'la^i'c [in Chron. ro/3t(c] TaXac'ic or t?iq raXaacirtSoQ ; Josephus 'Id- /3(<Toc [Ant. V, 2, 11], 'Ia/3<'c [Anf.yi, 5, 1], and 'Ia/3tff- ffoc [Ant.y'i, 14,8]), a town beyond the Jordan, in the land of (iilcad, distant a night's journey from Bethshan (1 Sam. xxxi, 11 ; 2 Sam. ii, 4; xxi, 12). In the sense denoted in this juxtnposition, Gilead included the half tribe of Manassch (1 Chron. xxvii, 21), as well as the tribes of Gad and Keuben (Numb, xxxii, 1-42) east of tlie Jordan ; and of the cities of Gilead, Jabcsh was the chief, lying within the limits of the half tribe of Manas- seh east. It is first mentioned in connection with the cruel vengeance taken upon its inhabitants for not com- ing up to Jlizpeh on the occasion of the fierce war be- tween the children of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. Every male of the city was put to the sword, and all the virgins— to the number of 400— seized to be given in marriage to the GOO men of Benjamin that remained (Judg. xxi, 8-11). Nevertheless the city survived the loss of its males, and is next memorable for the siege it sustained from Nahash, king of the Ammonites, the rais- ing of which formed the first exploit of the newly-elect- ed king Saul, and procured his confirmation in the sov- ereignty. The inhabitants had agreed to surrender, and to have their right eyes put out (to incapacitate them from military sendee), but were allowed seven days to ratify the treaty. In the mean time Saul collected a large army, and came to their relief (1 Sam. xi). This service was gratefully remembered by the Jabeshites, and about forty years after, when he and liis three sons