The Hebrew name Tsidon (צִידוֹן) refers to the ancient Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast, north of Tyre, in modern-day Lebanon. It was the oldest Phoenician city, founded by Sidon, the firstborn son of Canaan. Its name may mean fishing place. Sidon was a major commercial and maritime center in the ancient world.
Sidon appears in Scripture primarily as a symbol of gentile pride and idolatry subject to divine judgment. Jezebel, who led Israel into Baal worship, was from Sidon (1 Kings 16:31). Yet even Sidon appears in stories of mercy — Elijah was sent to a widow in Zarephath of Sidon during famine (1 Kings 17:8–16), demonstrating that God's grace extends beyond Israel. Jesus referred to this when He visited the region of Tyre and Sidon (Matthew 15:21), healing the Syrophoenician woman's daughter and declaring that Tyre and Sidon would fare better in judgment than the unrepentant cities of Israel.