Bible Dictionary
Jebus
Jebus was a name associated with Jerusalem, the stronghold of the Jebusites on Mount Zion. David captured it and made it the city of David.
Definition
Jebus was a name associated with Jerusalem, the city of the Jebusites. It was a stronghold on Mount Zion that David captured and made the city of David.
Biblical Usage
Jebus is identified with Jerusalem in Judges and Chronicles. Its capture was one of David’s notable achievements and established the city of David.
Historical Background
The place had great natural strength. The supplied material notes that the name Jerusalem existed before David’s time in the Tell el-Amarna Letters, so Jebus may have been a later Hebrew alternate name derived from Jebusite.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Trodden hard, or fastness, or “the waterless hill”, the name of the Canaanitish city which stood on Mount Zion (Josh. 15:8; 18:16, 28). It is identified with Jerusalem (q.v.) in Judg. 19:10, and with the castle or city of David (1 Chr. 11:4, 5). It was a place of great natural strength, and its capture was one of David’s most brilliant achievements (2 Sam. 5:8).
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(threshing-floor), one of the names of Jerusalem, the city of the Jebusites, are called Jebusi. (Joshua 15:8; 18:16,28; Judges 19:10,11; 1 Chronicles 11:4,5) [Jerusalem]
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>je'-bus (yebhuc; Iebous): In Jud 19:10,11, "Jebus (the same is Jerusalem)"; 1Ch 11:4,5, "Jerusalem (the same is Jebus)." It was once thought that this was the first name of Jerusalem, as indeed might be suggested by the Biblical references, but it is now known from the Tell el-Amarna Letters that Urusa-lem was a name used centuries before the time of David (see JERUSALEM, I). It would appear probable that the name "Jebus" was evolved by the Hebrews as an alternate name, and possibly they may have imagined an earlier name, for Jerusalem from JEBUSITE (which see), the name of the local tribe who owned the district in the first centuries of Israel's occupation of Canaan.</p><p>E. W. G. Masterman</p>