Dictionaries :: Zidonians

Smith's Bible Dictionary

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; 11:33; 2 Kings 23:13) as well as the sun‐god Baal from whom their king was named (1 Kings 16:31).