יְבוּס
𐤉𐤁𐤅𐤎
Yevus
H2982 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun referring to the city known as Jebus, the pre-Israelite name of Jerusalem, as used in biblical narrative, designating the city prior to Israelite conquest or occupation. In some contexts, used as an ethnonym for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of this city. The term never describes the later city of Jerusalem under Israelite or Judahite control, but specifically its pre-conquest reality.
Semantic Range
the city of Jebus (pre-Israelite Jerusalem), the Jebusite stronghold, place-name, ethnolocal designation
Root / Etymology
From the root בּוּס, meaning 'to trample, tread underfoot.' The form יְבוּס (Yᵉbûwṣ) functions as a noun, likely conveying the idea of a 'trampled/trodden place.' This root sense connects metaphorically to a threshing-floor, but in usage, the term designates the city itself. Derivation beyond connection with 'to trample' is uncertain, and the name may reflect the self-identification of its inhabitants or an Israelite designation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, יְבוּס (Yᵉbûwṣ) specifically refers to the city that would later become Jerusalem, especially as the stronghold occupied by the Jebusite people before David's conquest (Josh 18:28; Judg 19:10-11; 1 Chr 11:4-5). The name is accompanied by the ethnonym יְבוּסִי (Yebusi), designating the pre-Israelite inhabitants. After David establishes the city as his capital, the biblical text exclusively refers to the city as יְרוּשָׁלַם (Jerusalem). Ancient translations sometimes retain 'Jebus' or translate it with local equivalents, but the later English word 'Jew,' though sometimes seen in translations, does not correspond to this term nor to its biblical context. The association with 'threshing-place' arises from a root resemblance but is not the actual sense in proper-name usage. Usage of יְבוּס is concentrated in narratives relating to conquest and identity transformation of the city, marking a clear distinction between the city under Jebusite control and its later Israelite or Judahite identity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בּוּס; trodden, i.e. threshing-place; Jebus, the original name of Jerusalem; Jebus.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בוס (b-w-s) — to trample, tread underfoot
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1153 | בְּסַי | Treader-Down |
| H4001 | מְבוּסָה | and trampling-down |
| H8395 | תְּבוּסָה | trampling-down of |
| H947 | בּוּס | I will trample him |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2982-01 |
יְב֔וּס | yevus | HNp |
Jebus | Trampled Place | Yevus | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2982-01 |
Judges 19:10 | יְב֔וּס | yevus | HNp |
Jebus | Trampled Place | Yevus |
H2982-01 |
Judges 19:11 | יְב֔וּס | yevus | HNp |
Jebus | Trampled Place | Yevus |
H2982-01 |
1 Chronicles 11:4 | יְב֑וּס | yevus | HNp |
Jebus | Trampled Place | Yevus |
H2982-01 |
1 Chronicles 11:5 | יְבוּס֙ | yevus | HNp |
Jebus | Trampled Place | Yevus |