Nadav Na’aman, «Jebusites and Jabeshites in the Saul and David Story-Cycles» biblica, Vol. 95 (2014) 481-497 page 489

Vol 95 (2014)

Nadav Na’aman, «Jebusites and Jabeshites in the Saul and David Story-Cycles», Vol. 95 (2014) 481-497

This article re-examines the historical role of the Jebusites in the early monarchical period. The Jebusites, whose name is derived from the verb YBŚ («to be dry»), were a West Semitic pastoral clan that split into two segments, one settling in western Gilead and the other around Jerusalem. The two segments kept their tribal solidarity, as indicated by Saul’s campaign to rescue Jabesh-gilead. The Jebusite stronghold was one of Saul’s power bases, and David took it over. The biased description of David’s conquest influenced the way the Jebusites were presented in the late (Deuteronomistic) biblical historiography and in Israelite cultural memory.

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001_naman_co_481-497 13/02/15 11:20 Pagina 489 JEBUSITES AND JABESHITES IN THE SAUL AND DAVID STORY-CYCLES 489 Nathan 38, and Uriah 39. However, none of these identifications is supported by concrete evidence. Theoretically, persons who are mentioned in these story-cycles might have been of Jebusite origin, but since there is no way to corroborate this origin, we should best avoid such identifications. The discussion of the Hittites in the court of David and the Hit- tite influence on the cult and culture of Jerusalem should be set apart from that of the Jebusites. We know very little of Jerusalem in the pre-monarchical and early monarchical period, and it is im- possible to establish with certainty the role of Hittites in the history of the kingdom and the city 40. In sum, the account of David’s conquest of Jerusalem supplies only few details about the Jebusites. They must have controlled the stronghold and its region and, following David’s conquest, re- mained in the area and were gradually absorbed within the growing population of Jerusalem and the nearby region. III. Saul’s Residence at Gibeah (Tell el-Fûl) Saul established his residence at Gibeah/Gibeah of Saul (Tell el-Fûl), about 11 kilometres north of ancient Jerusalem, and was buried in Zela (2 Sam 21,14), a place located in the Jerusalem re- gion (see Josh 18,28). The identification of Gibeah/Gibeah of Saul at Tell el-Fûl was suggested at the dawn of biblical research 41. Fol- 38 G.W. AHLSTRÖM, “Der Prophet Nathan und der Tempelbau”, VT 11 (1961) 113-127; G. HENTSCHEL, “War Natan der Wortführer der Jebusiter?”, Ich bewirke das Heil und erschaffe das Unheil (Jesaja 45,7). Studien zur Botschaft der Propheten. Festschrift für Lothar Ruppert zum 65. Geburtstag (eds. F. DIETRICH – B. WILLMES) (FB 88; Würzburg 1998) 181-208, with ear- lier literature. 39 For the origin and etymologies proposed for the name Uriah, see SINGER, “The Hittites and the Bible”, 744-745, with earlier literature; M. GER- HARDS, “Die biblischen ‘Hethiter’”, 164-167. 40 For recent discussions on this topic, see SINGER, “The Hittites and the Bible”, 723-756; GERHARDS, “Die biblischen ‘Hethiter’”, 145-179; NA’AMAN, “Queen Mothers”, 479-490, with earlier literature. 41 E. ROBINSON, “Notes on Biblical Geography”, Bibliotheca Sacra and Theological Review 1 (1844) 598-602.