Jebusites

The Jebusites were one of the Canaanite tribes that inhabited the land promised to the Israelites by God. They are first mentioned inGenesis 10:16andGenesis 15:21as descendants of Canaan, the grandson of Noah. When the Israelites left Egypt, God promised to drive out the Jebusites and other Canaanite tribes from the land (Exo.3.8, 17; 13.5; 23.23; 33.2; 34.11). During the conquest of Canaan under Joshua, the Jebusites were among the tribes that the Israelites were commanded to utterly destroy (Deu.7.1; 20.17). However, the Jebusites proved to be formidable opponents, and the Israelites were unable to completely drive them out of Jerusalem (Joshua 15:63;Judges 1:21). The Jebusites continued to live among the Israelites during the time of the judges (Jdg.3.5; 19.11). It was not until the reign of King David that the Jebusites were finally defeated, and Jerusalem was captured and made the capital of Israel (2 Samuel 5:6-8;1 Chronicles 11:4-6). After their defeat, some Jebusites remained in the land and were subjected to forced labor by Solomon (1 Kings 9:20;2 Chronicles 8:7). The site where the temple was built, Mount Moriah, was purchased by David from Araunah the Jebusite (2 Samuel 24:16-18;1 Chronicles 21:15-28;2 Chronicles 3:1). The Jebusites are mentioned among the foreign peoples with whom the Israelites intermarried, contrary to God's command (Ezra 9:1). InZechariah 9:7, there is a prophetic promise that the Jebusites will be incorporated into God's people, symbolizing the inclusion of Gentiles in the future messianic kingdom.