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#Gen.10.15), [19](/gen#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 ([Josh. 11:8](/josh#Josh.11.8); [19:28](/josh#Josh.19.28)). It was the mother city of Tyre. It lay within the lot of the tribe of Asher, but was never subdued ([Judg. 1:31](/judg#Judg.1.31)). The Zidonians long oppressed Israel ([Judg. 10:12](/judg#Judg.10.12)). From the time of David its glory began to wane, and Tyre, its “virgin daughter” ([Isa. 23:12](/isa#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 ([1 Kings 11:1](/1kgs#1Kgs.11.1), [33](/1kgs#1Kgs.11.33)). This city was famous for its manufactures and arts, as well as for its commerce ([1 Kings 5:6](/1kgs#1Kgs.5.6); [1 Chr. 22:4](/1chr#1Chr.22.4); [Ezek. 27:8](/ezek#Ezek.27.8)). It is frequently referred to by the prophets ([Isa. 23:2](/isa#Isa.23.2), [4](/isa#Isa.23.4), [12](/isa#Isa.23.12); [Jer. 25:22](/jer#Jer.25.22); [27:3](/jer#Jer.27.3); [47:4](/jer#Jer.47.4); [Ezek. 27:8](/ezek#Ezek.27.8); [28:21](/ezek#Ezek.28.21), [22](/ezek#Ezek.28.22); [32:30](/ezek#Ezek.32.30); [Joel 3:4](/joel#Joel.3.4)). Our Lord visited the “coasts” of Tyre and Zidon = Sidon (q.v.), [Matt. 15:21](/matt#Matt.15.21); [Mark 7:24](/mark#Mark.7.24); [Luke 4:26](/luke#Luke.4.26); and from this region many came forth to hear him preaching ([Mark 3:8](/mark#Mark.3.8); [Luke 6:17](/luke#Luke.6.17)). From Sidon, at which the ship put in after leaving Caesarea, Paul finally sailed for Rome ([Acts 27:3](/acts#Acts.27.3), [4](/acts#Acts.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.