Zion; Sion; Mount Zion

Dictionary of Biblical Words:

This occurs in Heb. 12:2222But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (Hebrews 12:22), where it is put in contrast with Mount Sinai, the one being descriptive of law, and the other of heavenly grace and blessing. In Gal. 4, a similar figure is used, only the words are not the same.

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(mount, sunny). Zion or Sion in its literal and restricted sense was the celebrated mount in Jerusalem, the highest and southernmost or southwesternmost of the city. It was the original hill of the Jebusites (Josh. 15:6363As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day. (Joshua 15:63)). After David became king, he captured it, “the stronghold of Zion,” from the Jebusites, dwelt in the fort there, and greatly enlarged and strengthened its fortifications, calling it “the city of David” (2 Sam. 5:6-96And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. 7Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David. 8And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. 9So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward. (2 Samuel 5:6‑9); 1 Chron. 11:5-85And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David. 6And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief. 7And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David. 8And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city. (1 Chronicles 11:5‑8)). Despite David’s prestige the name of Zion still clung to it (1 Kings 8:11Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. (1 Kings 8:1); 2 Kings 19:21,3121This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. (2 Kings 19:21)
31For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this. (2 Kings 19:31); 2 Chron. 5:22Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. (2 Chronicles 5:2)). The O. T. poets and prophets exalted the word Zion by frequent use and gave it a sacred turn, so that in time it came to type a sacred capital (Psa. 2:66Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (Psalm 2:6)); holy place (Psa. 87:2; 149:22The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. (Psalm 87:2)
2Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. (Psalm 149:2); Isa. 30:1919For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. (Isaiah 30:19)); God’s chosen people (Psa. 51:18; 87:518Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. (Psalm 51:18)
5And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. (Psalm 87:5)); the Christian church (Heb. 12:2222But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (Hebrews 12:22)); the heavenly city (Rev. 14:11And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

This was in reality a part of Jerusalem, being one of the mountains on which Jerusalem was built. Zion is often called “the city of David,” it was where he dwelt (2 Sam. 5:77Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David. (2 Samuel 5:7); 1 Chron. 11:55And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David. (1 Chronicles 11:5); Mic. 3:10,1210They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. (Micah 3:10)
12Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest. (Micah 3:12)). Which part of Jerusalem was thus designated is now a disputed point: some few contend for the north-west; but most believe it to have been on the south-west, and to have extended farther south than the present wall of the city. It would in this case have been in proximity to the temple on the south-east, which could have been reached by a bridge over the Tyropoeon valley (2 Chron. 5:22Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. (2 Chronicles 5:2)). In Psalm 48:22Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. (Psalm 48:2), occur the words “the joy of the whole earth is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.” This has been thought to mean that mount Zion was in the north of the city; but may it not signify that on the north side of Zion is the city of the great King, that is, Jerusalem? The psalm is clearly millennial. Zion, having failed as a part of Jerusalem, was to be plowed as a field which is still its condition (Mic. 3:1212Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest. (Micah 3:12)).
The term Zion has constantly in scripture a metaphorical sense. It represents the intervention of sovereign grace in the person of God’s elect king, when Israel were utterly helpless, and the ark had been given into the hands of the enemy. The ark was brought by David to the city of David, and this may have led to Zion being regarded as the center of blessing, and as a source from whence blessing proceeded, as it often is in the Psalms (Psa. 87:22The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. (Psalm 87:2); Psa. 149:22Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. (Psalm 149:2); etc). The favored people of God are often spoken of as DAUGHTERS OF ZION, Israel are constantly thus addressed in the Prophets, whether to be blamed for their waywardness and punished; or to be cheered with the prospect of future prosperity. And in these prophecies of their coming exaltation, Zion is referred to as the seat of the Messiah’s royal power on earth, as in Isaiah 52:1-81Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. 2Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. 3For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money. 4For thus saith the Lord God, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. 5Now therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the Lord; and my name continually every day is blasphemed. 6Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I. 7How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! 8Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. (Isaiah 52:1‑8); Isaiah 60:1414The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 60:14) and Hebrews 12:2222But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (Hebrews 12:22). In scripture Zion never means the church: it always signifies blessing on earth, and is specially in connection with Israel, when the ultimate blessing of the nations will be through Israel; nevertheless Christians now enter into its spiritual import as being under the reign of grace while here on earth.

Bible Handbook:

The Lord hath afflicted His Zion
The city He loved so well,
Where He deign’d, like a couching lion,
In glory and strength to dwell.
And why hath Jehovah forsaken
The place of His ancient throne;
His Vine from the wilderness taken,
To flourish for Him alone?
Ah! deem not the Holy One cruel;
Had Solyma loved His will,
She had sparkled the costliest jewel,
The beauty of nations, still;
The Lord had been still her defender,
And she, the queen of the earth,
In holiness, freedom, and splendour,
Had gloried in Shiloh’s birth.
But she fell  —  and her crown of glory
Was struck from her rebel brow;
And with feet all wounded and gory,
She wanders in exile now.
Yet, sad one, distrust not our pity;
Though some may wring out thy tears,
We will weep for the Holy City,
And sorrow o’er former years.
Thou art stricken, dethroned, and lowly,
Bereft of a home on earth,
Yet still to our hearts thou art holy,
Thou land of Messiah’s birth!
He sprang from thy chosen of daughters,
His star o’er thy hills arose,
He bathed in thy soft-flowing waters,
And wept o’er thy coming woes.
He wept, who in secret yet lingers,
With yearnings of heart, o’er thee;
He, He, whom thy blood-sprinkled fingers
Once nailed to the cursed tree.
Dark deed! it was thine to afflict Him;
Yet longs His soul for the day
When thou, in the blood of thy victim,
Shalt wash thy deep stains away.
Thou land of the Cross, and the glory,
Whose brightness at last will shine
Afar through the earth  —  what a story
Of darkness and light is thine!
He died as a lamb:  —  as a lion,
He spares thee, nor can forget
His desolate Exile of Zion;
He waits to be gracious yet.
Sir Edward Denny, Bart.

Jackson’s Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names:

parched place