Judges 21:8

Jabesh-gilead This ancient city, Jabesh of G., is only mentioned again in connexion with the history of Saul, 1Sa 11:1 ff; 1 Samuel 31:11 ff., 2 Samuel 2:5 f., Judges 21:12 f. The name survives in the Wâdi el-Jâbis, about half way between the Yarmuk and the W. Zerḳâ (Jabbok); the city probably lay in the upper part of the valley where it reaches the highlands of Gilead, a nights march from Beth-shean (Bçsân) across the Jordan, 1 Samuel 31:12. It has been suggested that this narrative of the war against Jabesh was dictated by Judaean animosity against Saul 1 [64]; but it is clear that the narrative dates from a period later than that of the kingdom of Judah. At the same time we cannot deny that the writer, in singling out Jabesh for punishment, may have remembered its ancient loyalty to Saul (so Moore).

[64] So recently, Kittel, Gesch. des Volkes Israel2 (1909), p. 23.