1. Joshua 15:63 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Who were the Jebusites and why could Judah not drive them out?

Joshua 15:63 (ESV)

63 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.

The Jebusites were one of the seven nations in Canaan (Deuteronomy 7:1). Joshua defeated those in the hill country (Joshua 9:1; Joshua 11:3; Joshua 12:8; Joshua 24:11) as God promised (Joshua 3:10).1 Their city, however, remained under their control for some time with neither Benjamin (Judges 1:21) nor Judah able to drive them from it. The city was finally conquered by King David (2 Samuel 5:5–10).