1 Chronicles 11:4
Then David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus), where the Jebusites inhabited the land.
Then David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem

Having been anointed king over all Israel, David led the united tribes against Jerusalem. The city stood near the boundary between Judah and Benjamin, making it a fitting capital for a nation formerly divided by tribal loyalties and Saul’s declining house. Jerusalem had earlier been associated with Salem, ruled by Melchizedek, priest of God Most High (Genesis 14:18). David’s capture of the city began its rise as Israel’s political center and, later, the place God chose for the temple and the ark.

2Sa 5:6 Now the king and his men marched to Jerusalem…
2Sa 5:7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion.…
2Sa 5:9 So David took up residence in the fortress…

(that is, Jebus),

Jebus was Jerusalem’s Canaanite name and reflected its long occupation by the Jebusites, descendants of Canaan (Genesis 10:16). David’s conquest did not merely change the city’s ruler; it marked the establishment of a new center for the covenant people. From Jerusalem, David would govern Israel, bring the ark of God, and prepare for the temple his son Solomon would build.

Jdg 19:10 But the man was unwilling to spend the night.…
Jos 15:8 From there the border went up the Valley of Ben-hinnom…
Jos 18:28 Zelah, Haeleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem)…

where the Jebusites inhabited the land.

The Jebusites held a fortified stronghold and considered the city secure from attack (2 Samuel 5:6). Their continued presence showed that Israel had not yet fully possessed the land entrusted to them. David’s victory removed a Canaanite stronghold and secured a capital that belonged to no single tribe. Jerusalem would become known as the City of David and ultimately point forward to the reign of David’s greater Son, the Messiah, whose kingdom cannot be overcome.

Jos 15:63 But the descendants of Judah could not drive out…
Jdg 1:21 The Benjamites, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites.…
1Ki 9:20-21 As for all the people who remained of the Amorites…

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The anointed king of Israel, chosen by God to lead His people. David's leadership is central to the account of Israel's history and God's covenant promises.

2. Israelites
The people of Israel, God's chosen nation, who are united under David's leadership to conquer Jerusalem.

3. Jerusalem (Jebus)
The city that would become the political and spiritual center of Israel. At this time, it was inhabited by the Jebusites, a Canaanite tribe.

4. Jebusites
The original inhabitants of Jerusalem, known for their stronghold in the city, which David and the Israelites sought to conquer.

5. March to Jerusalem
This event marks a significant moment in Israel's history, as it leads to the establishment of Jerusalem as the capital city and the eventual location of the Temple.
Teaching Points
Leadership and Obedience
David's leadership exemplifies obedience to God's calling. Believers are encouraged to follow God's direction in their own lives, trusting His plans and timing.

Unity in Purpose
The Israelites' unified march to Jerusalem highlights the power of collective purpose. Christians are called to unity in the body of Christ, working together for God's kingdom.

Spiritual Conquest
Just as David conquered Jerusalem, believers are called to conquer spiritual strongholds in their lives through faith and reliance on God's strength.

Significance of Jerusalem
Understanding Jerusalem's historical and spiritual significance helps believers appreciate its role in biblical prophecy and God's redemptive history.

God's Faithfulness
The conquest of Jerusalem is a testament to God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to Israel. Believers can trust in God's faithfulness in their own lives.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does David's leadership in conquering Jerusalem inspire you to lead in your own areas of influence?

2. In what ways can the unity of the Israelites in this passage serve as a model for unity within the church today?

3. What spiritual strongholds in your life need to be conquered, and how can you rely on God's strength to overcome them?

4. How does understanding the historical significance of Jerusalem enhance your appreciation for its role in biblical prophecy?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's faithfulness in your life. How does this passage encourage you to trust in His promises?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Samuel 5:6-10
This passage provides a parallel account of David's conquest of Jerusalem, offering additional details about the strategy and significance of the event.

Genesis 14:18-20
Melchizedek, king of Salem (an early name for Jerusalem), blesses Abram, foreshadowing Jerusalem's future spiritual significance.

Psalm 122
A psalm of David that celebrates Jerusalem as a place of worship and unity for the tribes of Israel.

Hebrews 12:22
This New Testament passage refers to the "heavenly Jerusalem," connecting the earthly city to its spiritual significance in God's redemptive plan.
David's AnointingF. Whitfield 1 Chronicles 11:1-4
Popular and Royal WisdomW. Clarkson 1 Chronicles 11:1-8
Capture of JerusalemF. Whitfield 1 Chronicles 11:4-9
People
Abiel, Abiezer, Abishai, Adina, Ahiam, Ahijah, Ahlai, Anathoth, Ariel, Asahel, Azmaveth, Baanah, Benaiah, Benjamin, Benjaminites, David, Dodai, Dodo, Eleazar, Elhanan, Eliahba, Eliel, Eliphal, Elnaam, Ezbai, Gareb, Hachmoni, Haggeri, Hanan, Hashem, Heled, Helez, Hepher, Hezro, Hotham, Hothan, Hurai, Ikkesh, Ilai, Ira, Israelites, Ithai, Ithmah, Ittai, Jaasiel, Jashobeam, Jasiel, Jebusites, Jediael, Jehiel, Jehoiada, Jeiel, Jeribai, Joab, Joel, Joha, Jonathan, Joshaphat, Joshaviah, Maacah, Maachah, Maharai, Mibhar, Moabites, Naarai, Naharai, Nathan, Obed, Reubenites, Ribai, Sacar, Samuel, Saul, Shage, Shama, Shammoth, Shimri, Shiza, Sibbecai, Sibbechai, Uriah, Uzzia, Zabad, Zelek, Zeruiah
Places
Adullam, Anathoth, Baharum, Beeroth, Bethlehem, Carmel, Gaash, Gibeah, Harod, Hebron, Jebus, Jerusalem, Kabzeel, Millo, Moab, Netophah, Pas-dammim, Pirathon, Tekoa, Valley of Rephaim, Zion
Topics
David, Inhabitants, Israelites, Jebus, Jebusite, Jebusites, Jeb'usites, Jerusalem, Marched
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Chronicles 11:1-9

     5087   David, reign of
     7236   Israel, united kingdom

1 Chronicles 11:4-5

     5214   attack
     5316   fortress
     7270   Zion, as a place

1 Chronicles 11:4-8

     5437   palaces

1 Chronicles 11:4-9

     5597   victory, act of God
     7240   Jerusalem, history

Library
The Story of a Cup of Water
BY THEODORE T. MUNGER [From "Lamps and Paths," by courtesy of Houghton, Mifflin & Co.] Be noble! and the nobleness that lies In other men, sleeping, but never dead, Will rise in majesty to meet thine own. --James Russell Lowell: Sonnet IV Restore to God his due in tithe and time: A tithe purloined cankers the whole estate. Sundays observe: think, when the bells do chime, 'Tis angels' music; therefore come not late. God there deals blessings. If a king did so, Who would not haste, nay give, to see
Philip P. Wells—Bible Stories and Religious Classics

Some Buildings in Acra. Bezeiha. Millo.
Mount Sion did not thrust itself so far eastward as mount Acra: and hence it is, that mount Moriah is said, by Josephus, to be "situate over-against Acra," rather than over-against the Upper City: for, describing Acra thus, which we produced before, "There is another hill, called Acra, which bears the Lower City upon it, steep on both sides": in the next words he subjoins this, "Over-against this was a third hill," speaking of Moriah. The same author thus describes the burning of the Lower City:
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Epistle cxxii. To Rechared, King of the visigoths .
To Rechared, King of the Visigoths [82] . Gregory to Rechared, &c. I cannot express in words, most excellent son, how much I am delighted with thy work and thy life. For on hearing of the power of a new miracle in our days, to wit that the whole nation of the Goths has through thy Excellency been brought over from the error of Arian heresy to the firmness of a right faith, one is disposed to exclaim with the prophet, This is the change wrought by the right hand of the Most High (Ps. lxxvi. 11 [83]
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Epistle Xlv. To Theoctista, Patrician .
To Theoctista, Patrician [153] . Gregory to Theoctista, &c. We ought to give great thanks to Almighty God, that our most pious and most benignant Emperors have near them kinsfolk of their race, whose life and conversation is such as to give us all great joy. Hence too we should continually pray for these our lords, that their life, with that of all who belong to them, may by the protection of heavenly grace be preserved through long and tranquil times. I have to inform you, however, that I have
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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