Sidon, also called Great Sidon, was a prominent Phoenician city known for its trade and culture, and was the hometown of Jezebel, wife of King Ahab (1Ki. 16:31). It is mentioned in various contexts throughout the Bible, including the Old Testament (Gen. 10:19; Josh. 11:8; Judg. 10:6; Isa. 23:2-4; Jer. 27:3; Ezek. 28:21-22) and the New Testament (Matt. 11:21-22; Luke 4:26; Act.27.3).
Also known as Zidon · Great Sidon · Sidon the Great,Great Sidon · Greater Sidon · great Zidon · Sidonian · Zidonian
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.
Approximate location: 33.563, 35.366 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
47 verses in 18 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H6721
and the borders of Canaan extended from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore and become a harbor for ships; his border shall extend to Sidon.
which the Sidonians call Sirion but the Amorites call Senir—
and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who struck them down and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of Mizpeh. They struck them down, leaving no survivors.
to the south, all the land of the Canaanites, from Mearah of the Sidonians to Aphek, as far as the border of the Amorites;
All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim—all the Sidonians—I Myself will drive out before the Israelites. Be sure to divide it by lot as an inheritance to Israel, as I have commanded you.
It went on to Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon.
Asher failed to drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob.
the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath.
And again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD. They served the Baals, the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and Philistines. Thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him.
Sidonians, Amalekites, and Maonites oppressed you and you cried out to Me, did I not save you from their hands?
So the five men departed and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living securely, like the Sidonians, tranquil and unsuspecting. There was nothing lacking in the land and no oppressive ruler. And they were far away from the Sidonians and had no alliance with anyone.
There was no one to deliver them, because the city was far from Sidon and had no alliance with anyone; it was in a valley near Beth-rehob. And the Danites rebuilt the city and lived there.
Then they went to Gilead and the land of Tahtim-hodshi, and on to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon.
Now therefore, order that cedars of Lebanon be cut down for me. My servants will be with your servants, and I will pay your servants whatever wages you set, for you know that there are none among us as skilled in logging as the Sidonians.”
King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women.
Solomon followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
For they have forsaken Me to worship Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in My ways, nor done what is right in My eyes, nor kept My statutes and judgments, as Solomonʼs father David did.
And as if it were not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he even married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and he then proceeded to serve and worship Baal.
“Get up and go to Zarephath of Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”
The king also desecrated the high places east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, which King Solomon of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
and more cedar logs than could be counted; for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought a large quantity of cedar logs to David.
They gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.
Be silent, O dwellers of the coastland, you merchants of Sidon, whose traders have crossed the sea.
Be ashamed, O Sidon, the stronghold of the sea, for the sea has spoken: “I have not been in labor or given birth. I have not raised young men or brought up young women.”
He said, “You shall rejoice no more, O oppressed Virgin Daughter of Sidon. Get up and cross over to Cyprus— even there you will find no rest.”
all the kings of Tyre and Sidon; the kings of the coastlands across the sea;
Send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.
For the day has come to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every remaining ally. Indeed, the LORD is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.
The men of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen. Your men of skill, O Tyre, were there as your captains.
“Son of man, set your face against Sidon and prophesy against her.
And you are to declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I am against you, O Sidon, and I will be glorified within you. They will know that I am the LORD when I execute judgments against her and demonstrate My holiness through her.
All the leaders of the north and all the Sidonians are there; they went down in disgrace with the slain, despite the terror of their might. They lie uncircumcised with those slain by the sword and bear their shame with those who descend to the Pit.
Now what do you have against Me, O Tyre, Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering against Me a recompense? If you retaliate against Me, I will swiftly and speedily return your recompense upon your heads.
and also against Hamath, which borders it, as well as Tyre and Sidon, though they are very shrewd.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.
Jerusalem, Idumea, the region beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon. The large crowd came to Him when they heard what great things He was doing.
Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre. Not wanting anyone to know He was there, He entered a house, but was unable to escape their notice.
Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.
Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to the widow of Zarephath in Sidon.
Then Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of His disciples was there, along with a great number of people from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon.
Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
Now Herod was in a furious dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the kingʼs chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their region depended on the kingʼs country for food.
The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul with consideration, allowing him to visit his friends and receive their care.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.