Zi´uhn
A name that refers to different aspects of the city of Jerusalem as well as to “the mountain of Samaria.” According to (2Sam 5:6-10), when David and his men took Jerusalem from the Jebusites, “David took the stronghold of Zion, which is now the city of David.” Here, the reference seems to be to a pre-Israelite fortress just south of the current Temple Mount complex. Although this city or fortress can be called Zion, the Temple Mount area immediately to the north, which was first constructed under Solomon’s reign, also ends up bearing that name (Ps 2:6; Ps 46:4; Ps 78:68-69). But in ()Amos 6:1), Zion occurs in a phrase in which it is parallel to “Mount Samaria.” In any case, the image of Zion is employed as a metaphor for security and protection (Ps 125). The NT continues this imagery using the term “heavenly Jerusalem” or “Zion” metaphorically in reference to the church (Heb 12:22), the gospel message (1Pet 2:6), and the place of God’s dwelling (Rev 14:1).
