Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Tennes had proved a traitor and betrayed the city to Ochus, king of the Persians; the Persian troops
were admitted within the gates, and occupied the city walls. The Zidonians, before the arrival of
Ochus, had burnt their vessels to prevent any one’s leaving the town; and when they saw themselves
surrounded by the Persian troops, they adopted the desperate resolution of shutting themselves up
with their families, and setting fire each man to his own house. Forty thousand persons are said to
have perished in the flames. Zidon however, gradually recovered from the blow, and became again
a flourishing town. It is about fifty miles distant from Nazareth, and is the most northern city which
is mentioned in connection with Christ’s journeys. (The town Saida still shows signs of its former
wealth, and its houses are better constructed and more solid than those of Tyre, many of them being
built of stone; but it is a poor, miserable place, without trade or manufactures worthy of the name.
The city that once divided with Tyre the empire of the seas is now almost without a vessel. Silk
and fruit are its staple products. Its population is estimated at 10,000, 7000 of whom are Moslems,
and the rest Catholics, Maronites and Protestants.—McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopaedia. There
is a flourishing Protestant mission here.—ED.)
Zidonians
the inhabitants of Zidon. They were among the nations of Canaan; left to give the Israelites
practice in the art of war, (Judges 3:3) and colonies of them appear to have spread up into the hill
country from Lebanon to Misrephothmaim, (Joshua 13:4,6) whence in later times they hewed cedar
trees for David and Solomon. (1 Chronicles 22:4) They oppressed the Israelites on their first entrance
into the country, (Judges 10:12) and appear to have lived a luxurious, reckless life. (Judges 18:7)
They were skillful in hewing timber, (1 Kings 5:8) and were employed for this purpose by Solomon.
They were idolaters, and worshipped Ashtoreth as their tutelary goddess, (1 Kings 11:5,33; 2 Kings
23:13) as well as the sun-god Baal from whom their king was named. (1 Kings 16:31)
Zif
(1 Kings 6:1) [Month]
Ziha
(parched).
•The children of Ziha were a family of Nethinim who returned with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:43;
Nehemiah 7:46) (B.C. 536.)
•Chief of the Nethinim in Ophel. (Nehemiah 11:21) The name is probably identical with the
preceding.
Ziklag
(winding), a place which possesses a special interest from its having been the residence and the
private property of David. It is first mentioned in the catalogue of the towns of Judah in (Joshua
15:31) and occurs, in the same connection among the places which were allotted out of the territory
of Judah to Simeon. (Joshua 19:5) We next encounter it in the possession of the Philistines (1
Samuel 27:6) when it was, at David’s request, bestowed upon him by Achish king of Gath. He
resided there for a year and four months. (1 Samuel 27:6,7; 30:14,26; 1 Chronicles 12:1,20) It was
there he received the news of Saul’s death. (2 Samuel 1:1; 4:10) He then relinquished it for Hebron.
(2 Samuel 2:1) Ziklag is finally mentioned as being reinhabited by the people of Judah after their
return from captivity. (Nehemiah 11:28) The situation of the town is difficult to determine, and we
only know for certain that it was in the south country.
Zillah
(shade). [Lamech]
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William Smith