The Jebusites were a [[Canaan, (The Promised Land)]] tribe that inhabited the region around [[Jerusalem]] prior to the capture of the city by King David. According to the Hebrew Bible, they were a warlike people who dwelled in the hill country, with Jerusalem as one of their key cities. **Origins and Association with Salem** The Jebusites are mentioned in the Table of Nations (Genesis 10) as a Canaanite tribe, descended from Noah’s son Ham, through his son Canaan. The city of Jebus (also known as Salem) is associated with the historic meeting between Abraham and Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20), a king and priest of Salem. **Conquest by Joshua and Later History** During the time of Joshua, the Jebusite king Adoni-zedek joined with four other Amorite kings to attack the Israelites at Gibeon (Joshua 10:5), but they were defeated and put to death. Later, the Jebusites joined with Jabin, king of Hazor, in a pitched battle against the Israelites, but they were also defeated by Joshua’s army (Joshua 11:3). After the conquest, the Jebusites continued to live in the hill country around Jerusalem for many generations. During the time of the judges, some Israelites began to intermarry with the Jebusites, causing God to bring judgment on the nation (Judges 3:5). **Conquest by King David** When David became king of Israel, he attacked the Jebusites of Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:6) and conquered the city, which then became known as the City of David. The surviving Jebusites were forced by Solomon to become serfs (1 Kings 9:20-21). **Archaeological Insights** Archaeological discoveries have shed light on the Jebusites’ city defenses and water systems. The Warren’s Shaft system, a tunnel that connects the spring to the city, has been cited as evidence for the plausibility of David’s attack on the Jebusites. However, recent discoveries of heavy fortifications around the base of the Warren’s Shaft system and the spring have made archaeologists reconsider the likelihood of this attack route. **Identification and Legacy** Historical scholarship has debated the identity of the Jebusites, with some scholars identifying them as Hittites and others as Amorites. The most recent consensus suggests that the Jebusites were likely an Amorite tribe, associated with the group referred to as Yabusi’um in a cuneiform letter found in the archive of Mari, Syria. In summary, the Jebusites were a Canaanite tribe that inhabited the region around Jerusalem before the Israelite conquest, led by King David. Their history is marked by conflicts with the Israelites, including the conquests by Joshua and David, and their eventual assimilation into Israelite society.