The Bible relates that King David established his Capital at the site of the Jebusite city Jebus. The conquest of the city by David is rendered in two somewhat obscure biblical sources: 2 Samuel 5:6-9 and 1 Chronicles 11:4-7. He had captured the city �and getteth up to the gutter� - possibly a weapon, a tower or another sort of fortification (or water system?). Moreover, despite some 130 years of archaeological excavations, no remains of a Jebusite city have come to light. This city was seemingly located on a moderate slope west of the Kidron valley. It was distanced from the main roads and its water sources were limited. Some scholars suggested that the stepped stone structure first revealed in Macalister's excavations was Jebusite, there were, however, only scanty pottery sherds of the Iron Age that could reliably be assigned to the period of the Jebusite occupation. (A Chronological Table of Kings and Events)

The biblical narrative relating to the traditions of the United Monarchy and the reigns of David and Solomon has often been questioned, drawing largely on the sparsity of archaeological remains from this period. This lack of evidence may, however, be accounted for by intense settlement activity and a difficult topography of the area.