Zidon A fishery, a town on the Mediterranean coast, about 25 miles north of Tyre. It received its name from the "first-born" of Canaan, the grandson of Noah (Gen 10:15, Gen 10:19). It was the first home of the Phoenicians on the coast of Palestine, and from its extensive commercial relations became a "great" city (Jos 11:8; Jos 19:28). It was the mother city of Tyre. It lay within the lot of the tribe of Asher, but was never subdued (Jdg 1:31). The Zidonians long oppressed Israel (Jdg 10:12). From the time of David its glory began to wane, and Tyre, its "virgin daughter" (Isa 23:12), rose to its place of pre-eminence. Solomon entered into a matrimonial alliance with the Zidonians, and thus their form of idolatrous worship found a place in the land of Israel (Kg1 11:1, Kg1 11:33). This city was famous for its manufactures and arts, as well as for its commerce (Kg1 5:6; Ch1 22:4; Eze 27:8). It is frequently referred to by the prophets (Isa 23:2, Isa 23:4, Isa 23:12; Jer 25:22; Jer 27:3; Jer 47:4; Eze 27:8; Eze 28:21, Eze 28:22; Eze 32:30; Joe 3:4). Our Lord visited the "coasts" of Tyre and Zidon = Sidon (q.v.), Mat 15:21; Mar 7:24; Luk 4:26; and from this region many came forth to hear him preaching (Mar 3:8; Luk 6:17). From Sidon, at which the ship put in after leaving Caesarea, Paul finally sailed for Rome (Act 27:3, Act 27:4). This city is now a town of 10,000 inhabitants, with remains of walls built in the twelfth century A.D. In 1855, the sarcophagus of Eshmanezer was discovered. From a Phoenician inscription on its lid, it appears that he was a "king of the Sidonians," probably in the third century B.C., and that his mother was a priestess of Ashtoreth, "the goddess of the Sidonians." In this inscription Baal is mentioned as the chief god of the Sidonians.
Zif Brightness; splendour; i.e., "the flower month," mentioned only in Kg1 6:1, Kg1 6:37, as the "second month." It was called Iyar by the later Jews. (See MONTH.)
Ziha Drought. (1.) The name of a family of Nethinim (Ezr 2:43; Neh 7:46). (2.) A ruler among the Nethinim (Neh 11:21).
Ziklag A town in the Negeb, or south country of Judah (Jos 15:31), in the possession of the Philistines when David fled to Gath from Ziph with all his followers. Achish, the king, assigned him Ziklag as his place of residence. There he dwelt for over a year and four months. From this time it pertained to the kings of Judah (Sa1 27:6). During his absence with his army to join the Philistine expedition against the Israelites (Sa1 29:11), it was destroyed by the Amalekites (Sa1 30:1, Sa1 30:2), whom David, however, pursued and utterly routed, returning all the captives (Sa1 30:26). Two days after his return from this expedition, David received tidings of the disastrous battle of Gilboa and of the death of Saul (2 Sam. 1:1-16). He now left Ziklag and returned to Hebron, along with his two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, and his band of 600 men. It has been identified with 'Asluj , a heap of ruins south of Beersheba. Conder, however, identifies it with Khirbet Zuheilikah, ruins found on three hills half a mile apart, some seventeen miles north-west of Beersheba, on the confines of Philistia, Judah, and Amalek.
Zillah Shadow, one of the wives of Lamech, of the line of Cain, and mother of Tubal-cain (Gen 4:19, Gen 4:22).
Zilpah Drooping, Leah's handmaid, and the mother of Gad and Asher (Gen 30:9).
Zilthai Shadow (i.e., protection) of Jehovah. (1.) A Benjamite (Ch1 8:20). (2.) One of the captains of the tribe of Manasseh who joined David at Ziklag (Ch1 12:20).
Zimmah Mischief. (1.) A Gershonite Levite (Ch1 6:20). (2.) Another Gershonite Levite (Ch1 6:42). (3.) The father of Joah (Ch2 29:12).
Zimran Vine-dressers; celebrated, one of the sons of Abraham by Keturah (Gen 25:2).
Zimri Praise-worthy. (1.) A son of Salu, slain by Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, because of his wickedness in bringing a Midianitish woman into his tent (Num 25:6). (2.) Murdered Elah at Tirzah, and succeeded him on the throne of Israel (Kg1 16:8). He reigned only seven days, for Omri, whom the army elected as king, laid siege to Tirzah, whereupon Zimri set fire to the palace and perished amid its ruins (Kg1 16:11). Omri succeeded to the throne only after four years of fierce war with Tibni, another claimant to the throne.