The Zidonians were the inhabitants of the ancient Phoenician city of Sidon, located near present-day Lebanon. Sidon was an important port city and center of trade and pagan worship in ancient times. The Zidonians are mentioned several times in the Bible, often in connection to their idolatrous religious practices and interactions with the Israelites.
Some key facts about the Zidonians in the Bible:
- Sidon was the firstborn son of Canaan, the grandson of Noah (Genesis 10:15). This establishes the lineage of the Sidonians back to Noah’s family after the Flood.
- The Zidonians were noted as expert sailors and shipbuilders (1 Kings 5:6). Their ships traded across the Mediterranean.
- King Hiram of Tyre, who helped King Solomon build the temple, was described as being half-Zidonian (1 Kings 16:31). There was a close connection between Sidon and the city of Tyre.
- The Zidonians worshipped the false gods Baal, Astarte, Tammuz and others (Judges 10:6, 1 Kings 11:5). Their form of Baal worship involved lewd sexual rites.
- When the Israelites under Joshua entered Canaan, the land of the Zidonians was not conquered (Judges 1:31). The tribe of Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Sidon.
- The Zidonians oppressed Israel during the period of the judges along with the Philistines and Ammonites (Judges 10:12).
- King Ahab’s wife Jezebel was the daughter of the king of Sidon (1 Kings 16:31). Jezebel later caused problems for Elijah and promoted Baal worship in Israel.
- Jesus visited the region of Tyre and Sidon during His ministry (Matthew 15:21, Mark 7:24). He healed the daughter of a Canaanite woman there.
- Some Zidonians were among those present on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was first poured out on the early church (Acts 2:9).
While the Bible condemns the idolatrous practices of the Zidonians, it also records instances where God showed mercy to them. The book of Ezekiel contains prophecies against Sidon and other pagan nations (Ezekiel 28:20-24). Overall, the Zidonians serve as an example of both the sinfulness of humanity and the reach of God’s compassion to all people.
The Lineage and Origins of the Zidonians
The Zidonians traced their ancestry back to Sidon, the firstborn son of Canaan. According to Genesis 10:15, “Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth.” Canaan was the son of Ham, who was one of the three sons of Noah. After the Flood, Noah’s descendants began to spread out and settle different lands. Ham’s son Canaan settled in the region later known as the Promised Land. According to the Table of Nations in Genesis 10, Sidon was the oldest son of Canaan and likely settled the city that came to bear his name.
As Canaanites, the Sidonians practiced a pagan, idolatrous religion. Leviticus 18:3 records God commanding the Israelites when they prepared to enter Canaan: “You shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes.” Nevertheless, the Israelites failed to completely drive out the Canaanites from the land. The cities along the Phoenician coast, including Sidon, remained strongholds of Canaanite culture and religion.
Sidon the Prominent Phoenician Trade Center
Sidon was located on the eastern Mediterranean coast north of Israel. It served as one of the main Phoenician port cities, along with Tyre, Byblos and others. The Sidonians were renowned asskillful sailors, navigators and manufacturers of naval vessels. This brought them great wealth through maritime trade.
1 Kings 5:6 – “Now therefore command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. And my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you set, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”
Hiram, the king of Tyre, complimented Solomon for using Sidonian labor and skills to gather cedar and cypress timber for building the temple. The Sidonians were known across the ancient Near East for their exceptional abilities as lumberjacks and shipbuilders. Their strategic location on the Mediterranean coast allowed them to establish colonies across the sea and trade with many nations.
Religious Practices and Idolatry
The thriving commercial success of Phoenician cities like Sidon flowed from the physical blessings of God upon Canaan. However, spiritually the Sidonians were far from God. They practiced lewd religions that worshipped false fertility gods.
Judges 10:6 – “The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lord and did not serve him.”
This passage summarizes the debased religious life of Israel at the time of the judges. In addition to Baal and Ashtoreth, the Sidonians worshipped Dagon, El, Tammuz, Melqart, Eshmun, Baalat, Astarte, Adonis and other idols. Their religion involved occult practices, sexual immorality and child sacrifice. The cult of Moloch in particular demanded sacrificing children by fire. It was an evil, demonic system that deceived and enslaved its followers.
Interactions Between the Zidonians and Israelites
Given their proximity along the coast of Canaan, there were various interactions between the Israelites and Sidonians throughout Old Testament history. At times, the Zidonians influenced Israelites to follow pagan practices. At other times, God’s people fought against Sidon as they defeated other Canaanite cities.
Failure to Conquer Sidon
Judges 1:31 – “Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon or of Ahlab or of Achzib or of Helbah or of Aphik or of Rehob.
The tribe of Asher was allotted land along the coast that was still populated by Phoenicians like the Sidonians. Unlike tribes such as Ephraim and Manasseh that drove out the Canaanites in their territory, Asher compromised by not forcefully occupying the assigned region. This opened the door for Asher to be influenced by the sensual pagan culture of Sidon.
Oppression from and Intermarriage with Sidon
Judges 10:12 – “The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand.”
During the 350 years of the judges, Israel wandered from God and experienced His discipline through subjection to raiding bands of Sidonians and other groups. Earlier compromise with the Canaanites led to intermarriage and idolatry in Israel. King Ahab’s marriage to the Sidonian princess Jezebel brought Baal worship into the kingdom through her influence (1 Kings 16:31-32).
Prophecies Against Sidon
As the Israelites fell into apostasy, God raised up prophets like Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Zechariah to pronounce judgment against Sidon along with other pagan nations that opposed God’s purposes. Despite being blessed with geographical richness and commercial wealth, Sidon was spiritually bankrupt and destined for destruction.
Ezekiel 28:21-24 – “Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against her and say, Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, O Sidon, and I will manifest my glory in your midst. And they shall know that I am the Lord when I execute judgments in her and manifest my holiness in her; for I will send pestilence into her, and blood into her streets; and the slain shall fall in her midst, by the sword that is against her on every side. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
This severe judgment was fulfilled when the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar conquered Phoenicia. Secular history records that the Sidonian king fled the city and the temples were destroyed. Babylon’s domination of Sidon continued until the Persians took over around 538 BC. Sidon later fell under Greek and subsequent Roman rule.
Jesus’s Ministry in the Region of Tyre and Sidon
In the New Testament, Jesus traveled to the area of Tyre and Sidon as recorded in Mark 7:24-30. There He healed the daughter of a Greek Syrophoenician woman. This Gentile mother persistently appealed to Christ to drive a demon out of her little girl. She compared herself to a dog begging for crumbs under the master’s table. Her faith in Jesus’ ability to heal impressed Him. The fact that Jesus ministered in this predominantly pagan region shows God’s compassion is available to all peoples.
Mark 7:31 – “Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee.”
Later in His ministry, Christ passed through the area again on trips between Galilee and regions east of the Jordan River. His willingness to visit an area associated with paganism and idolatry shows the inclusive scope of the Gospel.
Sidonians at Pentecost: The Gospel Reaches Phoenicia
In the book of Acts, people from Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya and Cretan Jews and Arabian converts were present on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9-11). Verse 9 specifically mentions that residents of Phoenician cities like Sidon were among the Diaspora Jews visiting Jerusalem who witnessed the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 11:19 – “Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.”
Following the stoning of Stephen, where Saul (Paul) lent his approval, the early church was scattered beyond Jerusalem. As they fled persecution, some believers took the Gospel to Phoenicia, including ancient Sidon. A church was established in the pagan center that later produced bishops and leaders like Macrinus of Sidon who fought heresies.
Lessons From the Biblical Accounts of the Zidonians
Though the Zidonians were indeed an idolatrous people, several valuable lessons can be drawn from their place in biblical history:
- The reach of the Gospel is unlimited. Jesus Himself visited Sidon, and the early church reached Phoenicia despite its reputation as a pagan stronghold.
- God hates spiritual compromise. The failure to remove Canaanite influence allowed syncretism to creep into the tribes near Sidon.
- National blessings do not signify righteousness. Sidon’s wealth did not protect it from God’s judgment on its wickedness.
- Repentance allows divine mercy. Some Zidonians turned to God, as evidenced by their presence at Pentecost. There is always hope in Christ.
- Avoiding idolatry is essential. The sensual Canaanite religions easily trapped Israelites. Resisting those temptations is important.
As a powerful mercantile city immersed in false religion, Sidon and its inhabitants provide a sobering example of both the sinfulness of humanity and the boundless reach of divine grace. The Zidonians were indeed sinful, but not beyond the grasp of God’s redemptive plan in Christ.
Sidon in the Intertestamental and Post-New Testament Era
The city of Sidon continued to play a role in Near Eastern history during the Intertestamental Period between the Old and New Testaments as well as subsequent to the close of the New Testament canon.
Following the conquests of Alexander the Great, Sidon came under Greek control as part of the Seleucid dynasty. During this Hellenistic period, works like the Septuagint were produced to make the Hebrew Scriptures accessible to Greek-speaking Jews and Gentiles.
In the First Century AD, Sidon was incorporated as a Roman colony under Emperor Augustus. It became an important hub of trade and Greek culture in the Roman province of Syria. The Romans built theaters, baths, temples and other monuments.
Origen records in the Third Century AD that Sidon had a Christian bishop by this time, indicating ongoing evangelization. The city declined in importance compared to Beirut, but remained significant.
Sidon continued to exist under Byzantine Christian rule after Rome’s fall until coming under Islamic control from the Seventh Century following the rise of Islam and the conquests of Muhammad’s successors. The Crusades brought temporary European control between 1111-1291 AD. Sidon featured in battles between Crusader and Muslim forces.
Over the succeeding centuries, Sidon passed between Ottoman Turkish, British and French control before becoming part of independent Lebanon in the 20th Century. The ancient city remains an important port and economic center in Lebanon to this day.
While no longer a haven of pagan religion as in biblical times, the long, complex history of Sidon testifies to its continued importance as a Mediterranean port city over thousands of years from the Phoenicians to today.
Conclusion
In summary, the Zidonians were the inhabitants of the critical port city of Sidon on the Phoenician coast. Descended from Canaan, they developed an infamous reputation as pagan idolaters yet also as skillful sailors and businessmen.
The Bible records how the Israelites interacted with the Zidonians in complex ways over centuries, including both conflict and compromise. The failures of the Sidonians serve as a warning, while glimpses of God’s grace toward them reveal His unlimited love.
Though infamous at times for wickedness, some Zidonians did embrace the Gospel. As seen at Pentecost, no people group is irredeemable or excluded from the hope found in Jesus Christ.