Location:

• Biblical:
  • originally called Salem (Gen 14:18);
  • also called Jebus (Judg 19:10);
  • later named Jerusalem (Hebrew: Yerushalayim).
  • "the city of David" (2 Sam 5:7),
  • Zion (2 Sam 5:7; Ps 48:2),
  • "the holy city" (Isa 52:1).
• Modern Location: Jerusalem, capital of the State of Israel (Old City coordinates approx. 31°46′40″N 35°13′45″E).

Significance:

• First mention: Genesis 14:18 – “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine…” (Salem is universally understood in Scripture and Jewish tradition as Jerusalem; see also Ps 76:2: “In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion”).
• Last mention: Revelation 21:10 – “…and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God” (the final two chapters of the Bible repeatedly refer to the “holy Jerusalem” or “new Jerusalem” – Rev 3:12; 21:2, 10).
• Symbolic:
  • The city of God’s dwelling and chosen place (Deut 12:5, 11; 1 Kings 8:44, 48; Ps 132:13-14)
  • The throne of the Lord (Jer 3:17)
  • The holy city (Isa 48:2; 52:1; Neh 11:1)
  • Zion, the joy of the whole earth (Ps 48:2)
  • The “heavenly Jerusalem” (Heb 12:22; Gal 4:26) and ultimately the “new Jerusalem” coming down from heaven as the eternal dwelling place of God with His people (Rev 21:2-3)
• Major Events:
  • Abraham meets Melchizedek, king of Salem (Gen 14:18-20)
  • Abraham offers Isaac on Mount Moriah (traditionally identified as the Temple Mount area; Gen 22:2; 2 Chr 3:1)
  • David conquers the Jebusite city and makes it his capital, “the city of David” (2 Sam 5:6-10; 1 Chr 11:4-9)
  • David brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6)
  • Solomon builds the First Temple (1 Kings 6–8; 2 Chr 3–7)
  • Dedication of the Temple; God’s glory fills it (1 Kings 8:10-11)
  • Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by Babylon (2 Kings 25; 2 Chr 36:17-21; Jer 52)
  • Return from exile and rebuilding of the Temple under Zerubbabel (Ezra 3–6)
  • Dedication of the walls by Nehemiah (Neh 12:27-43)
  • Jesus’ triumphal entry (Matt 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19)
  • Cleansing of the Temple (Matt 21:12-13; John 2:13-17)
  • The Last Supper in Jerusalem (Mark 14:12-25)
  • Jesus’ crucifixion and burial just outside the city (John 19:17-20, 41-42; Heb 13:12)
  • The resurrection and post-resurrection appearances (Luke 24; John 20)
  • The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts 2)
  • The early church centered in Jerusalem (Acts 1–15)
  • Future prophetic events: Jerusalem as a “cup of trembling” and “burdensome stone” (Zech 12:2-3); surrounded by armies in the last days (Zech 14; Luke 21:20-24); the return of Christ to the Mount of Olives (Zech 14:4; Acts 1:11-12); the millennial reign with Jerusalem as capital (Isa 2:1-4; Zech 8:3; 14:16-17)

People (key individuals directly associated with Jerusalem in Scripture)

• Melchizedek – king of Salem, priest of God Most High (Gen 14:18; Heb 7:1-17)
• Adoni-zedek – Canaanite king of Jerusalem defeated by Joshua (Josh 10:1-5)
• David – captured Jerusalem from the Jebusites, made it Israel’s capital (2 Sam 5)
• Solomon – built the First Temple (1 Kings 6–8)
• Rehoboam – first king of Judah reigning from Jerusalem after the kingdom divided (1 Kings 12)
• Hezekiah – fortified and purified Jerusalem, built the Siloam tunnel (2 Kings 18–20; 2 Chr 32)
• Josiah – last major reforming king centered in Jerusalem (2 Kings 22–23)
• Nebuchadnezzar – destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple (2 Kings 25)
• Zerubbabel & Jeshua – led return and rebuilt the Second Temple (Ezra 3–6; Hag 1–2; Zech 4)
• Ezra – taught the Law in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 8)
• Nehemiah – rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2–6)
• Jesus – repeatedly taught in Jerusalem, crucified and resurrected there; called it “the city of the great King” (Matt 5:35; Ps 48:2)
• The Apostles – began the church in Jerusalem (Acts 1–8)
• Future Davidic Prince who will reign from Jerusalem in the millennium (Ezek 44:3; 45:7; 46:16-18; Zech 14)

Inhabitants of Jerusalem Chronologically

Pre-Israelite / Canaanite period

• Genesis 14:18 – Inhabitants: Canaanites; city called Salem; ruled by Melchizedek (king-priest)
• Joshua 10:1-5; 15:63; Judges 1:21; 19:10-11 – City called Jebus; inhabited and ruled by Jebusites (a Canaanite people); Israelites could not drive them out

United Monarchy (Israelite period)

• 2 Samuel 5:6-10; 1 Chronicles 11:4-9 – David conquers Jerusalem from the Jebusites; it becomes the City of David; inhabited by Israelites (tribe of Judah/Benjamin primarily)
• 1 Kings 1–11; 1 Chronicles 12 to 2 Chronicles 9 – Solomon reigns; Jerusalem is capital of the united twelve tribes
• 1 Kings 11:42–12:19 – Still inhabited by all Israel until the split

Divided Kingdom – Capital of Judah only

• 1 Kings 12:20 to 2 Kings 25 (parallel 2 Chronicles 10–36)
  Inhabitants: Kingdom of Judah (tribes of Judah, Benjamin, many Levites, plus some from other tribes who moved south)
  Kings of the House of David reign in Jerusalem for ~390 years

Babylonian conquest and exile

• 2 Kings 24:10-16; 25:1-21; 2 Chronicles 36:17-21; Jeremiah 39 & 52
  Jerusalem besieged and destroyed (586 BC)
  Inhabitants deported; city largely empty except for “poorest of the land” left to be vinedressers and farmers (2 Kings 25:12; Jer 52:16)
  Gedaliah appointed governor over the remnant at Mizpah (not Jerusalem) (2 Kings 25:22-25)

Post-exilic return (Persian period)

• Ezra 1–6; Nehemiah 1–7, 11; Haggai; Zechariah
  Returnees under Zerubbabel, Jeshua, later Ezra and Nehemiah
  Inhabitants: Jews (primarily Judah, Benjamin, Levi) who returned from Babylon; Temple and walls rebuilt
  Nehemiah 11 lists the repopulation: Judahites, Benjamites, priests, Levites, gatekeepers, etc.

Intertestamental → New Testament period (up to AD 70)

• The Old Testament does not cover this period, but the New Testament assumes:
  • Luke 2:41-42; John 2:13; Acts 2 etc. – Jerusalem inhabited by Jews under Roman rule (Herod’s Temple standing)
  • Acts 2:5-11 – “Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven” gathered in Jerusalem (diaspora Jews + local Judeans)
  • Acts 6:1 – Both Hebraic (Aramaic-speaking) and Hellenistic (Greek-speaking) Jews

After the crucifixion and before AD 70

• Acts 1–8, 15 – Early church (thousands of Jewish believers) still centered in Jerusalem; apostles and elders there

Prophetic future (still future according to Scripture)

• Zechariah 12–14; Ezekiel 40–48; Revelation 21
  Jerusalem will again be inhabited by Israel (all 12 tribes restored – Ezek 37; Zech 8:7-8; Rom 11:26)
  The Messiah/King will reign from Jerusalem (Zech 14:9,16-17; Isa 2:2-4; Rev 20:4-6)
  Final state: the New Jerusalem inhabited by the redeemed of all nations with God and the Lamb (Rev 21:2-3, 22-27)

Jerusalem’s inhabitants by Biblical Book

Only what the text itself explicitly says or clearly assumes at the moment the author is writing.