Did David Actually Conquer Jerusalem? The Blind, the Lame, and the Ṣinnôr

Abstract One of the most cryptic narratives in Samuel is the story of David's conquest of the city of Jebus-Jerusalem. This paper proposes that David did not conquer the city through battle, but through the Jebusites' peaceful surrender. This understanding illuminates the meaning of the obscure reference to "the blind and the lame," as well as the word "ṣinnôr."