Zidon, Sidon
[Zi’don] [Si’don]
Eldest son of Canaan, son of Ham, and the city in Phoenicia founded by his descendants. Gen 10:15; Gen 10:19. In scripture Tyre is nearly always mentioned first, though it is probable that in early days Zidon had the supremacy, which led to the district of Phoenicia being called Sidon, and the people thereof Zidonians. In Jos 11:8; Jos 19:28, it is called ‘great Zidon.’ It fell to the lot of Asher, but they did not drive out the inhabitants, which led to the Israelites serving the gods of the place. Jdg 1:31; Jdg 10:6. Solomon also loved some of their women, and imitated their form of idolatry. 1Ki 11:1; 1Ki 11:33.
Zidon is denounced by the prophets for destruction. It is charged with being a ‘pricking brier’ to the house of Israel, and a ‘grieving thorn’ around them. Eze 28:21-24. Jehovah says of Zidon, in conjunction with Tyre, that they had taken His gold and silver and pleasant things, and carried them into their heathen temples, and had also sold the children of Judah unto the Grecians, to remove them far from their border. Joe 3:4-8. A warning message from Jeremiah was sent to the king of Zidon and neighbouring kings, exhorting them to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, who was Jehovah’s servant. Jer 27:3. We do not read that Nebuchadnezzar took Zidon, indeed his lengthy siege of Tyre probably enriched Zidon. The city is mentioned in Gen 49:13; Isa 23:2-12; Jer 25:22; Jer 47:4; Eze 27:8; Zec 9:2, etc.
The Lord Jesus visited its coasts, and said that it should be more tolerable in the day of judgement for Tyre and Sidon than for the cities in which He had done his mighty works. Mat 11:21-22; Mat 15:21; Act 12:20; Act 27:3.
The destruction of Zidon was remarkable. They revolted from the Persians, but Tennes their king turned traitor and betrayed them. When the place was besieged, many of the citizens went out in submission, but were cruelly butchered. They had burnt their ships that none might escape, and seeing no effectual means of defence, in despair they shut themselves up in their houses, set them on fire, and perished in the flames. This was in B.C. 351. It gradually recovered from this destruction and became again a flourishing town. It is now called Saida, 33 34′ N, there are many ruins.
In the Hebrew the name is Tzidon, as in the margin of Gen 10:15. Sidon is the Greek form of the name.