Topical Bible: Commerce: Zidonians

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Zidonians, also known as the Sidonians, were the inhabitants of the ancient city of Sidon, one of the principal cities of Phoenicia. Located on the Mediterranean coast, Sidon was a significant center of commerce and trade in the ancient Near East. The Zidonians are frequently mentioned in the Bible, often in the context of their maritime prowess and commercial activities.

Geographical and Historical Context

Sidon, along with its sister city Tyre, was situated in what is now modern-day Lebanon. The city's strategic location on the Mediterranean coast made it a hub for trade and commerce. The Zidonians were renowned for their skills in navigation and shipbuilding, which facilitated their extensive trade networks across the Mediterranean region.

Biblical References

The Zidonians are mentioned in several passages of the Bible, highlighting their influence and interactions with the Israelites. In the Book of Judges, the Zidonians are noted for their idolatry, which became a snare to the Israelites: "The Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines" (Judges 10:6).

King Solomon's reign saw significant interaction with the Zidonians. Solomon employed their expertise in timber and craftsmanship for the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem. In 1 Kings 5:6, Solomon requests cedar logs from Hiram, king of Tyre, acknowledging the Zidonians' skill: "Now therefore, command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My servants will work with yours, and I will pay you for your servants according to whatever you say, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians" (1 Kings 5:6).

Cultural and Religious Influence

The Zidonians were known for their worship of Baal and Ashtoreth, deities that were often in direct opposition to the worship of Yahweh by the Israelites. This religious influence is evident in the account of King Ahab, who married Jezebel, a Sidonian princess. Jezebel's introduction of Baal worship into Israel is recorded in 1 Kings 16:31: "And as if it were a trivial thing for Ahab to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and then proceeded to serve and worship Baal" (1 Kings 16:31).

Economic Contributions

The Zidonians were instrumental in the spread of goods and culture throughout the Mediterranean. Their trade included the exchange of luxury items such as purple dye, glass, and fine textiles, which were highly prized in the ancient world. The prophet Ezekiel, in his lament over Tyre, also alludes to the commercial activities of Sidon: "The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers. Your skilled men, O Tyre, were aboard as your captains" (Ezekiel 27:8).

Legacy

The Zidonians left a lasting legacy in the ancient world through their contributions to commerce, navigation, and culture. Their interactions with the Israelites, both positive and negative, are a testament to their significant role in the biblical narrative. The Zidonians' influence extended beyond their immediate geographical region, impacting the economic and religious landscape of the ancient Near East.

Nave's Topical Index

Isaiah 23:2
Be still, you inhabitants of the isle; you whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.
Nave's Topical Index

Ezekiel 27:8
The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were your mariners: your wise men, O Tyrus, that were in you, were your pilots.
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Library

Pride of Prosperity
... The enormous revenues acquired through commerce with many lands were supplemented
by ... For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 3 pride of prosperity.htm

Deuteronomy
... The Zidonians had Ashtoreth, the moon. ... nation of the Jews, inhabiting a country not
as large as Wales, without sea-port towns and commerce, without colonies or ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon xv deuteronomy.htm

The Sixth vision "On Earth"
... Amos 5:25, 26); and the worship of Ashtoreth, the abomination (ie, idol) of the
Zidonians, and Chemosh, the abomination of the Moabites, and Milcom, the ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the sixth vision on earth.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... was carried on through the mouths of the Nile, and of this commerce the Phoenicians ...
of the Jordan the town of Laish, whose people, like the Zidonians, dwelt in ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm