What is the meaning of Joshua 15:63? But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem – Judah had already witnessed the Lord topple walled cities such as Jericho (Joshua 6) and defeat powerful kings in the southern campaign (Joshua 10). Their inability here is therefore not a matter of God’s lack of power but of Judah’s incomplete obedience to His clear command to destroy the Canaanite nations (Deuteronomy 7:1-2; Numbers 33:55). – Jerusalem’s fortifications were intimidating (2 Samuel 5:6) and its location strategic, yet God had promised, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life” (Joshua 1:5). Fear, complacency, or accommodation crept in, echoing the wider pattern of partial conquest recorded in Judges 1:19, 21. – The immediate outcome was stalled blessing for Judah and a foothold for pagan influence among God’s people, something later generations would painfully confirm (Judges 2:1-3). So to this day the Jebusites live there among the descendants of Judah – “To this day” marks a long-term consequence visible even at the time the book of Joshua was completed. Centuries later, when David finally captured Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7), remnants of Jebusite population still remained as forced labor (1 Kings 9:20-21). – Their continued presence underscores the spiritual danger of compromise: the nations left within Israel became “thorns in your sides” (Numbers 33:55) and “snares” that drew Israel toward idolatry (Ezra 9:1-2). – God’s faithfulness is nevertheless evident; He eventually used David, a son of Judah, to establish Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, proving His promises steadfast even when His people falter (Psalm 132:11-14). summary Joshua 15:63 records Judah’s failure to finish the task God assigned, highlighting the cost of partial obedience and the lingering influence of ungodliness when God’s directives are only partly followed. While Judah could not—or would not—expel the Jebusites, the Lord’s purposes moved forward, culminating in David’s conquest and the city’s central place in redemption history. The verse therefore calls believers to trust God fully, obey Him completely, and avoid settling for anything less than the victory He has already promised. |
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