But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the people of Judah could not drive out, so the Jebusites dwell with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights a stark reality often missed: even with God's promises and power, His people can fail to fully dispossess enemies due to their own unbelief and sloth. The text directly links their inability to drive out the Jebusites not to a lack of divine strength, but to their own shortcomings.
But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the people of Judah could not drive out, so the Jebusites dwell with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse concludes the lengthy list of cities and territories belonging to the tribe of Judah. Despite being assigned this land, the people of Judah were unable to fully dispossess the Jebusites from their stronghold in Jerusalem, leading to a lingering coexistence in the city. This situation would persist for centuries until King David finally conquered Jerusalem and fully expelled the Jebusites.
Joshua's conquest was epic, but this verse reveals a troubling reality: not everyone was driven out. What does this partial victory mean for God's promises?
The conquest of Canaan was meant to be complete. God promised to drive out the inhabitants, but here we see the tribe of Judah failing to expel the Jebusites from Jerusalem.
Reasons for Failure:
This wasn't just a military setback; it was a spiritual one, sowing seeds for future problems.
Jerusalem, the city that the people of Judah couldn't conquer, would become famously significant. Why was this particular city so hard to take, and what does its continued inhabitation reveal?
Jerusalem, or Jebus as it was known, was a formidable stronghold.
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A Divided Inheritance:
Understand the original words
Yebusi · Hebrew Noun
An ancient people residing in Jerusalem prior to its conquest by David. They represented the unconquered remnants of the Canaanite inhabitants who remained within the borders of Israel.
Yerushalayim · Hebrew Noun
The capital city of the tribe of Judah and eventually the kingdom of Israel, central to the religious and political life of God's people. It serves as the primary symbol of God’s dwelling place and the intersection of heaven and earth.
yarash · Hebrew Verb
A verb denoting the act of expelling, casting out, or dispossessing occupants from land. In the context of Israel's conquest, it refers to the theological mandate to clear the land of pagan influences and inhabitants.
Yehudah · Hebrew Noun
The fourth son of Jacob and the tribe from which the kingly line—and eventually the Messiah—would descend. It is the tribe associated with praise, leadership, and the eventual sovereignty over the land of Israel.
This verse highlights a significant gap in the complete conquest of Canaan. The continued presence of the Jebusites in Jerusalem for centuries underscores the consequences of Israelite incomplete obedience and faith, a theme that echoes throughout their history.
c. 1400 BC
Israelite Conquest of Canaan
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites conquered much of Canaan. However, the conquest was not total, leaving some Canaanite groups in their lands.
c. 1400 BC
Joshua's Conquest of Jerusalem Area
Joshua defeated the kings of the southern confederacy, including the king of Jerusalem. While parts of the city and its surrounding region may have been captured, the Jebusite stronghold was not fully subdued.
c. 1350 BC
Judges 1:8 - Judah Captures Jerusalem
After Joshua's death, the tribe of Judah attacked Jerusalem, burned it, and captured many inhabitants. However, they did not permanently drive out the Jebusites from the city's stronghold.
c. 1350 BC
Judges 1:21 - Benjamin's Failure
The tribe of Benjamin, to whom another part of Jerusalem belonged, also failed to drive out the Jebusites inhabiting the city.
c. 1350 BC— this verse
Jebusites Remain in Jerusalem
Despite efforts by the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the Jebusites maintained control of their stronghold within Jerusalem, coexisting with the Israelites in the area.
c. 1000 BC
David Captures Jerusalem
King David finally conquered the Jebusite stronghold of Zion, establishing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and driving out the Jebusites.
This passage describes a similar incomplete conquest, where Judah captured Jerusalem but the Jebusites remained in control of the stronghold, highlighting a recurring theme of partial victory and ongoing struggle against inhabitants.
Judges 1:21This verse shows that the tribe of Benjamin also failed to drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem, indicating that the problem was not solely Judah's but a shared challenge within the allotted territories.
2 Samuel 5:6-7This passage marks the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise, showing how David finally conquered Jerusalem from the Jebusites centuries later, demonstrating that what the initial generation could not fully accomplish, God brought to completion through His chosen king.
Mark 6:5-6Jesus' inability to do mighty works in his hometown due to their unbelief provides a spiritual parallel to the Israelites' inability to fully drive out the Jebusites, suggesting that a lack of faith and cooperation can hinder God's work in our lives.
calvinJoshua 15:14-63: "And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak."
- And it came to pass as she came unto him, etc Although we may conjecture that the damsel Acsa was of excellent morals and well brought up, as marriage with her had been held forth as the special reward [149] of victory, yet perverse cupidity on her part is here disclosed. She knew that by the divine law women were specially excluded from hereditary lands, but she neverthe…
bensonJoshua 15:63: "As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day."
Joshua 15:63 . The Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem — Jerusalem was in part taken by Joshua before this; but the upper and stronger part of it, called Zion, was still held by the Jebusites, even till David’s time. And, it is probable, they descended from thence to the lower town, called Jerusalem,…
This verse highlights a stark reality often missed: even with God's promises and power, His people can fail to fully dispossess enemies due to their own unbelief and sloth. The text directly links their inability to drive out the Jebusites not to a lack of divine strength, but to their own shortcomings.
This verse concludes the lengthy list of cities and territories belonging to the tribe of Judah. Despite being assigned this land, the people of Judah were unable to fully dispossess the Jebusites from their stronghold in Jerusalem, leading to a lingering coexistence in the city. This situation would persist for centuries until King David finally conquered Jerusalem and fully expelled the Jebusites.
This verse concludes the lengthy list of cities and territories belonging to the tribe of Judah. Despite being assigned this land, the people of Judah were unable to fully dispossess the Jebusites from their stronghold in Jerusalem, leading to a lingering coexistence in the city. This situation would persist for centuries until King David finally conquered Jerusalem and fully expelled the Jebusites.
"But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the people of Judah could not drive out, so the Jebusites dwell with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day." — This verse highlights a stark reality often missed: even with God's promises and power, His people can fail to fully dispossess enemies due to their own unbelief and sloth. The text directly links th…
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Last reviewed October 2026