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Bible Dictionaries
Zidon
People's Dictionary of the Bible
or Zidon (zî'don), hunting. Heb. Tsidon. "Sidon," the Greek form, is found in Genesis 10:15; Genesis 10:19, in the Apocrypha generally, and in the New Testament. Zidon was a rich and ancient Phœnician city. The city was 25 miles south of the modern Beirut. Zidon is one of the most ancient cities of the world. The person after whom it is named was the "first-born" of Canaan, the grandson of Noah. Genesis 10:15; 1 Chronicles 1:13. This was b.c. 2218. In Joshua's time it was "great Zidon," Joshua 11:8; Joshua 19:28, and seems to have been the metropolis of Phœnicia. Zidon was one of the limits of the tribe of Asher, Joshua 19:28, but was never possessed by the Israelites. Judges 1:31; Judges 3:3. In fact, the Zidonians oppressed Israel, Judges 10:12, seeming themselves to be secure from all attacks and living "careless." Judges 18:7; Judges 18:28. Tyre was one of the colonies—a "virgin daughter," Isaiah 23:12—of Zidon, but subsequently became the more important town. The Zidonians were famous for commerce, manufactures, and arts. Their sailors and workmen were noted. Zidonians assisted in the work of building the temple. 1 Chronicles 22:4; 1 Kings 5:6; Ezekiel 27:8. From Zidon also came idolatrous abominations to corrupt Israel. 1 Kings 11:5; 1 Kings 11:33; 2 Kings 23:13. The city was mentioned frequently in prophetic threatenings, but with much less severity than Tyre. Isaiah 23:2; Isaiah 23:4; Isaiah 23:12; Jeremiah 25:22; Jeremiah 27:3; Jeremiah 47:4; Ezekiel 27:8; Ezekiel 28:21-22; Ezekiel 32:30; Joel 3:4; Zechariah 9:2. In New Testament times Zidon (called "Sidon") was visited by Jesus, Matthew 15:21; Mark 7:24; Luke 4:26, although the "coasts" of Tyre and Sidon denoted the adjacent region as well as the cities themselves, and some think that the Saviour did not enter the cities. Hearers from among those people were drawn to his preaching. Mark 3:8; Luke 6:17; comp. Matthew 11:22; Luke 10:14. Herod's displeasure with this region is noted. Acts 12:20. The apostle Paul touched at Zidon on his way to Rome, and visited the Christians there. Acts 27:3. The site of ancient Zidon is occupied by the modern Saida, The burying-grounds are extensive, and many curious sarcophagi have been discovered. One was the sarcophagus of king Ashmanezer; it has been placed fn the museum at Paris, and antiquarians fix its date at from b.c. 300 to b.c. 1000. The ancient ruins are few.
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Rice, Edwin Wilbur, DD. Entry for 'Zidon'. People's Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/rpd/z/zidon.html. 1893.
