When the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard this, etc. Jabesh, which is interpreted as "dried up," designates the Church, which from all the flow of carnal desire, from every pollution of flesh and spirit, the fervor of justice of the Sun, that is, the aspiration of divine love, tempers. Whence, rightly is such situated on a mountain. And itself is called Gilead, that is, a heap of testimony, to signify the most subtle life of the saints, so that it cannot be turned aside to error, being established by fitting testimonies of Scriptures. Moreover, it is the city which, at the beginning of his reign, Saul, when he still served the Lord with humble piety, liberated from the siege of enemies. So, when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard whatever the Philistines had done to Saul, all the strongest men rose up.
[AD 735] Bede on 1 Samuel 31:11