Jerusalem means “city of peace,” yet none has suffered more assaults. But wait till the King of Peace arrives.
The taking of the Jebusite stronghold was no easy thing. It perched atop a hill surrounded by steep valleys—the Kidron Valley on the east, the King’s Dale on the north, and the Hinnom Valley on the west and south. It had a reputation of withstanding many attackers. Even Joshua, who had defeated their king in the Valley of Aijalon, had not subdued the inhabitants. Here was their boast to David and his men: “‘You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you,’ thinking, ‘David cannot come in here’” (2 Sam 5:6). The Jebusites thought their fortress so secure that they could leave its security in the hands of the handicapped. The boast, however, is followed by the word “Nevertheless.” David DID come in there! “Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion” (v 7). But how? Well, first he offered a prize to the man who could break in. Remember that David grew up in Bethlehem, just four miles south. He was a seasoned veteran and understood the Achilles heel to every hilltop fortification—the water source. It always took the low place, and there were no pumps. In times of peace, the people could get their water at the source, but in times of war, retreating behind walls on the hill, how could they access the water? The answer was to disguise the spring head, dig a channel underground down under the city wall, and drop a shaft from inside the city to the channel. David knew the secret: “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites…he shall be chief and captain” (v 8). No surprise that Joab secured his captaincy by scrambling up the shaft and opening the city gate. From then on, Jerusalem became “the City of God” (Ps 46:4), but she still awaits her final King.