Bible Location
Meaning: monument; raised up; sepulcher · 140 cross references · Modern-day map available
Zion is the hill associated with David's stronghold in Jerusalem and, by extension, a name for Jerusalem itself and for God's chosen dwelling among his people. It is important because it gathers together themes of kingship, worship, covenant hope, judgment, restoration, and the future people of God. First appears in 2 Sam 5:7.1
Place meaning
monument; raised up; sepulcher
Coordinates
31.78, 35.23
First appears
2 Sam 5:7
AI summary: Zion begins as a specific hill in Jerusalem but quickly becomes one of the Bible's richest theological place names. It is the city of David, the site associated with royal rule and temple worship, and the place from which prophets and psalmists speak of God's reign, protection, and presence. Because of that, Zion also becomes the focus of warning when the people trust the city while abandoning covenant faithfulness; judgment on Jerusalem therefore carries emotional and theological weight. Yet the prophets also use Zion as the language of restoration, pilgrimage, and future hope, and the New Testament extends that imagery to the gathered people of God and the heavenly city. The cross references show Zion functioning both as a real hill in Jerusalem and as a central biblical symbol of God's kingdom purposes.1
Place meaning
monument; raised up; sepulcher
Latitude
31.78
Longitude
35.23
Bible references
140
Sunny; height, one of the eminences on which Jerusalem was built. It was surrounded on all sides, except the north, by deep valleys, that of the Tyropoeon (q.v.) separating it from Moriah (q.v.), which it surpasses in height by 105 feet. It was the south-eastern hill of Jerusalem.
When David took it from the Jebusites (Josh. 15:63; 2 Sam. 5:7) he built on it a citadel and a palace, and it became “the city of David” (1 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 19:21, 31; 1 Chr. 11:5). In the later books of the Old Testament this name was sometimes used (Ps. 87:2; 149:2; Isa. 33:14; Joel 2:1) to denote Jerusalem in general, and sometimes God’s chosen Israel (Ps. 51:18; 87:5).
In the New Testament (see SION) it is used sometimes to denote the Church of God (Heb. 12:22), and sometimes the heavenly city (Rev. 14:1). 3
Source note: this 1893 dictionary language reflects its period and may be culturally insensitive or outdated. It is presented as historical source material, not as ai-BIBLE’s language, interpretation, or endorsement.
| Book | Cross-References |
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| 2Sam | |
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| Zeph | |
| Zech | |
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| Rom | |
| 1Pet |
Figure1: A table of cross references between the selected passage and other passages (Data from Robert Rouse, “Theographic Bible Information,” Theographic-Bible-Metadata, 2020, https://github.com/robertrouse/theographic-bible-metadata.)
AI-assisted summary prepared for ai-BIBLE and stored as page content, based on dictionary material, place metadata, and linked Bible cross references.
Alistair de Blacquiere-Clarkson, “ai-BIBLE Bible Names JSON Factsheet Aggregating Material from Smith’s Bible Dictionary & Hitcocks’s New and Complete Analysis of the Bible.” ai-BIBLE electronic edition, version 1.0.
M.G.Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ai-BIBLE electronic edition, version 1.0.
Robert Rouse, “Theographic Bible Information,” Theographic-Bible-Metadata, 2020, https://github.com/robertrouse/theographic-bible-metadata.