Zion

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

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