Sidon

צִידוֹן · tsi.don · H6721HΣιδών · Sidōn · G46053 other spellings“hunting; fishing; venison” Hitchcock's 186947 mentions in 18 books, most in Judges (6)

Where it is

33.56° N, 35.37° E

Coordinates and map: OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · drawn without map tiles

Mentioned most in

Judges · 6 1 Kings · 6 Joshua · 4 Ezekiel · 4 Luke · 4 Isaiah · 3 + 12 books

Counted from 47 references · STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0

About this place

Sidon was an ancient Phoenician city located on the Mediterranean coast. First mentioned in Genesis as a border marker of Canaan (Genesis 10:19), it was named among the territories that Israel failed to conquer (Judges 1:31).

The city was known for its maritime expertise. Sidonians were skilled sailors and craftsmen, particularly noted for their lumber trade. They supplied cedar for both Solomon's temple and the post-exile reconstruction (1Ki.5.6; Ezra 3:7). Ezekiel described Sidon's mariners as skilled oarsmen (Ezk.27.8).

Sidon frequently appears in connection with idolatry. The city's deities, particularly Ashtoreth, influenced Israelite worship during periods of apostasy (Judges 10:6). Solomon's Sidonian wives led him into idol worship (1Ki.11.1,5), and Jezebel, a Sidonian princess, promoted Baal worship in Israel (1Ki.16.31).

Several prophets pronounced judgment against Sidon. Isaiah depicted it as a mourning merchant city (Isaiah 23:2,4,12). Jeremiah included it among nations to drink God's cup of wrath (Jeremiah 25:22). Ezekiel prophesied against it, declaring God would be glorified through its judgment (Ezk.28.21-22).

In the New Testament, Jesus mentioned Sidon in comparing it favorably to unrepentant Jewish cities (Matthew 11:21-22). He visited the region of Tyre and Sidon (Mrk.7.24,31), and people from these areas came to hear him (Luke 6:17). The apostle Paul visited Sidon during his journey to Rome (Act.27.3).

The city maintained commercial relations with Herod's territories, as evidenced by the reference to Tyre and Sidon's dependence on Herod's country for food (Act.12.20).

Probably corresponds to modern Saida in Lebanon, which has maintained continuous habitation since ancient times.

Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0

Every mention

47 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)

Genesis2 mentions

Genesis 10:19The border of the Canaanites was from Sidon—as you go toward Gerar—to Gaza—as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim—to Lasha.Genesis 49:13“Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea. He will be for a haven of ships. His border will be on Sidon.

Deuteronomy1 mention

Deuteronomy 3:9(The Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir.)

Joshua4 mentions

Joshua 11:8Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Israel, and they struck them, and chased them to great Sidon, and to Misrephoth Maim, and to the valley of Mizpah eastward. They struck them until…Joshua 13:4on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, to Aphek, to the border of the Amorites;Joshua 13:6all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, even all the Sidonians. I will drive them out from before the children of Israel. Just allocate it to Israel for an…Joshua 19:28and Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, even to great Sidon.

Judges6 mentions

Judges 1:31Asher didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob;Judges 3:3the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.Judges 10:6The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and served the Baals, the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the…Judges 10:12The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, oppressed you; and you cried to me, and I saved you out of their hand.Judges 18:7Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, how they lived in safety, in the way of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was no one in the land…Judges 18:28There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone else; and it was in the valley that lies by Beth Rehob. They built the city and lived in it.

2 Samuel1 mention

2 Samuel 24:6then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; and they came to Dan Jaan and around to Sidon,

1 Kings6 mentions

1 Kings 5:6Now therefore command that cedar trees be cut for me out of Lebanon. My servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you say. For…1 Kings 11:1Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites,1 Kings 11:5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.1 Kings 11:33because they have forsaken me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon. They have not walked in my…1 Kings 16:31As if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal…1 Kings 17:9“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain you.”

2 Kings1 mention

2 Kings 23:13The king defiled the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mountain of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the…

1 Chronicles1 mention

1 Chronicles 22:4and cedar trees without number, for the Sidonians and the people of Tyre brought cedar trees in abundance to David.

Ezra1 mention

Ezra 3:7They also gave money to the masons and to the carpenters. They also gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa…

Isaiah3 mentions

Isaiah 23:2Be still, you inhabitants of the coast, you whom the merchants of Sidon that pass over the sea have replenished.Isaiah 23:4Be ashamed, Sidon; for the sea has spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying, “I have not travailed, nor given birth, neither have I nourished young men, nor brought up virgins.”Isaiah 23:12He said, “You shall rejoice no more, you oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon. Arise, pass over to Kittim. Even there you will have no rest.”

Jeremiah3 mentions

Jeremiah 25:22and all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the isle which is beyond the sea;Jeremiah 27:3Then send them to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the children of Ammon, to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to…Jeremiah 47:4because of the day that comes to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper who remains; for Yahweh will destroy the Philistines, the remnant of the isle of…

Ezekiel4 mentions

Ezekiel 27:8The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers. Your wise men, Tyre, were in you. They were your pilots.Ezekiel 28:21“Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against it,Ezekiel 28:22and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Behold, I am against you, Sidon. I will be glorified among you. Then they will know that I am Yahweh, when I have executed judgments in her, and am…Ezekiel 32:30“There are the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Sidonians, who have gone down with the slain. They are put to shame in the terror which they caused by their might. They lie…

Joel1 mention

Joel 3:4“Yes, and what are you to me, Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Will you repay me? And if you repay me, I will swiftly and speedily return your repayment on your own head.

Zechariah1 mention

Zechariah 9:2and Hamath, also, which borders on it, Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.

Matthew3 mentions

Matthew 11:21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.Matthew 11:22But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.Matthew 15:21Jesus went out from there and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.

Mark3 mentions

Mark 3:8from Jerusalem, from Idumaea, beyond the Jordan, and those from around Tyre and Sidon. A great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came to him.Mark 7:24From there he arose and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house and didn’t want anyone to know it, but he couldn’t escape notice.Mark 7:31Again he departed from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and came to the sea of Galilee through the middle of the region of Decapolis.

Luke4 mentions

Luke 4:26Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.Luke 6:17He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came…Luke 10:13“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and…Luke 10:14But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.

Acts2 mentions

Acts 12:20Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him and, having made Blastus, the king’s personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because…Acts 27:3The next day, we touched at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself.

What the dictionary says

Fishing; fishery, Gen. 10:15, 19 (A.V. marg., Tzidon; R.V., Zidon); Matt. 11:21, 22; Luke 6:17.

Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)

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Sources

STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding · CC BY 4.0 · www.openbible.info/geo/
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain