Phoenicia in Biblical Times
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Map of Ancient Phoenicia
The Phoenicians were the former inhabitants of the northern coastal plain between Carmel and the Amanus Mountains. The main cities were Tyre and Sidon. Phoenicia means the "Land of Palm Trees or Date-Palms."2 Samuel 5:11 - And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.
Matthew 11:21 - Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Phoenicia in the Smith's Bible Dictionary
Phoenice, Phoenicia
(land of palm trees) a tract of country, of which Tyre and
Sidon were the principal cities, to the north of Palestine, along
the coast of the Mediterranean Sea bounded by that sea on the west,
and by the mountain range of Lebanon on the east. The name was not
the one by which its native inhabitants called it, but was given to
it by the Greeks, from the Greek word for the palm tree. The native
name of Phoenicia was Kenaan (Canaan) or Kna, signifying lowland, so
named in contrast to the ad joining Aram, i.e. highland, the Hebrew
name of Syria. The length of coast to which the name of Phoenicia
was applied varied at different times.
1. What may be termed Phoenicia proper was a narrow
undulating plain, extending from the pass of Ras el-Beyad or Abyad,
the Promontorium Album of the ancients, about six miles south of
Tyre, to the Nahr el-Auly, the ancient Bostrenus, two miles north of
Sidon. The plain is only 28 miles in length. Its average breadth is
about a mile; but near Sidon the mountains retreat to a distance of
two miles, and near Tyre to a distance of five miles.
2. A longer district, which afterward became entitled to the
name of Phoenicia, extended up the coast to a point marked by the
island of Aradus, and by Antaradus toward the north; the southern
boundary remaining the same as in Phoenicia proper. Phoenicia, thus
defined is estimated to have been about 120 miles in length; while
its breadth, between Lebanon and the sea, never exceeded 20 miles,
and was generally much less. The whole of Phoenicia proper is well
watered by various streams from the adjoining hills. The havens of
Tyre and Sidon afforded water of sufficient depth for all the
requirements of ancient navigation, and the neighboring range of the
Lebanon, in its extensive forests, furnished what then seemed a
nearly inexhaustible supply of timber for ship-building
Full Article
Phoenicia
in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE
Phoenicia, Phoenicians
1. The Land:
The term "Phoenicia" is Greek (Phoinike, "land of dates, or palm
trees," from phoinix, "the date-palm"). It occurs in the Bible only
in Acts (11:19; 15:3; 21:2), the land being generally designated as
the "coast" or "borders of Tyre and Sidon" (Mt 15:21; Mk 7:24,31; Lk
6:17). In the Old Testament we find it included in the land
belonging to the Canaanites or to Sidon (Gen 10:19; 49:13; Josh
11:8; 1 Ki 17:9). The limits of Phoenicia were indefinite also. It
is sometimes used by classic writers as including the coast line
from Mt. Cassius on the North to Gaza or beyond on the South, a
distance of some 380 miles, or about 400 miles if we include the
sweep of indentations and bays and the outstretching of the
promontories. But in the stricter sense, it did not extend beyond
Gabala (modern Jebleh) on the North, and Mt. Carmel on the South, or
some 150 miles. The name was probably first applied to the region
opposite Cyprus, from Gabala to Aradus and Marathus, where the
date-palm was observed, and then, as it was found in still greater
abundance farther South, it was applied to that region also. The
palm tree is common on the coins of both Aradus and Tyre, and it
still grows on the coast, though not in great abundance. The width
of the land also was indefinite, not extending inland beyond the
crest of the two ranges of mountains, the Bargylus (Nusairi
Mountains) and the Lebanon, which run parallel to the coast and
leave but little space between them and the sea for the greater
portion of their length. It is doubtful whether the Phoenicians
occupied the mountain tracts, but they must have dominated them on
the western slopes, since they derived from them timber for their
ships and temples. The width of the country probably did not exceed
25 or 30 miles at the most, and in many places it was much less, a
very small territory, in fact, but one that played a distinguished
role in ancient times.
There are few harbors on the whole coast, none in the modern sense,
since what few bays and inlets there are afford but slight shelter
to modern ships, but those of the ancients found sufficient
protection in a number of places, especially by means of artificial
harbors, and the facility with which they could be drawn out upon
the sandy beach in winter when navigation was suspended. The
promontories are few and do not project far into the sea, such as
Theu-prosopon South of Tripolis, Ras Beirut and the broad projection
South of Tyre including Ras el-`Abyadh and Ras en-Naqura and Ras el-Musheirifeh
(see LADDER OF TYRE). The promontory of Carmel is rather more marked
than the others, and forms quite an extensive bay, which extends to
Acre. The promontory rises to a height of 500 ft. or more near the
sea and to more than double that elevation in its course to the
Southeast.
Mt. Lebanon, which forms the background of Phoenicia for about 100
miles, is a most striking feature of the landscape. It rises to a
height of 10,200 ft. in the highest point, East of Tripolis, and to
8,500 in Jebel Sunnin, East of Beirut, and the average elevation is
from 5,000 to 6,000 ft. It is rent by deep gorges where the numerous
streams have cut their way to the sea, furnishing most varied and
picturesque scenery. It was originally heavily wooded with cedar,
oak, and pine trees, which are still found in considerable numbers,
but by far the larger part of the mountain has been denuded of
forests, and the slopes have been extensively terraced for the
cultivation of vines and fruit trees and the mulberry for silk
culture. The plains along the coast are not extensive, but generally
very fertile and bear abundant crops of wheat, barley and other
cereals, where not given to the culture of the mulberry, orange,
lemon, fig, apricot and other small fruits. In its greatest extent
Phoenicia included the broad plain of Sharon and that of Acre,
between Carmel and that city, and a portion of the region watered by
the Kishon, but the plains of Phoenicia, strictly speaking, are much
more restricted. They are: the plain of Tyre, long but narrow,
extending from Ras el-`Abyadh to Sarepta; the plain of Sidon
extending from Sarepta to the Bostrenus (Nahr el-'Auly); the plain
of Beirut (Berytus) between the extensive sand dunes along the shore
and the rocky cape on the West and the foot of Lebanon, 10 or 12
miles long but only one or two wide, containing one of the largest
olive groves in Syria; the very small plain of Tripolis, including
that city and its port; and, the most extensive of all, the plain of
Marathus, extending from Arka to Aradus or even beyond, including
the river Eleutherus (Nahr el-Kebir). These plains furnished only a
portion of the food needed by the inhabitants who were more or less
dependent on their neighbors for it (1 Ki 5:11; Acts 12:20).
The rivers of Phoenicia are comparatively short and small; the
Litany rises in the Buka', between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon, and
finds its way in a deep and narrow gorge between Lebanon and Mt.
Hermon to the South, and finally turns westward and reaches the sea
a few miles North of Tyre, where it is called the Kasimiyeh. About
12 miles North of Beirut is the Dog River (Lycus), a very short
stream but noted for the famous pass at its mouth, where Egyptian
Assyrian and Babylonian kings engraved their monuments; and a few
miles South of Jebail (Gebal) is the Adonis (Nahr Ibrahim), which
comes down from 'Afqa (Apheca = Aphek, Josh 13:4), noted for the
rites of Venus and Adonis (see TAMMUZ); and the Eleutherus, already
mentioned, which runs through the valley between Bargylus and
Lebanon and provides the pass between these two mountains into the
interior. The other rivers are very short, but furnish a perennial
water-supply to the coast dwellers.
The products of the land, as well as the climate, are very varied on
account of the difference in elevation of the tracts suitable to
culture, ranging in temperature from the semi-tropical to Alpine.
How far the ancients cultivated the mountain sides we do not know,
but they certainly profited largely by the forests of cedar and
pine, especially the former, which was the most valuable for
shipbuilding and architectural purposes, and was highly prized, not
only by the Phoenicians, but by Egyptians, Assyrians and
Babylonians, who transported it to their own countries for
buildings. The mineral products are few, and the Phoenicians
depended on their colonies and other lands for what they needed of
these.
Full Article
The Bible Mentions "Tyre" in many places:
1 Kings 9:11 - ([Now]
Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with
cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his
desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land
of Galilee.
2
Chronicles 2:14 - The son of a woman of the daughters of
Dan, and his father [was] a man of Tyre, skilful to
work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in
timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also
to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which
shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men
of my lord David thy father.
Joshua
19:29 - And [then] the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the
strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and
the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib:
1 Kings
7:14 - He [was] a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali, and
his father [was] a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and
he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work
all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his
work.
Acts 12:20
- And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre
and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made
Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because
their country was nourished by the king's [country].
2
Chronicles 2:3 - And Solomon sent to Huram the king of
Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father,
and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein,
[even so deal with me].
2
Chronicles 2:11 - Then Huram the king of Tyre
answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath
loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.
1 Kings 5:1
- And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto
Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the
room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.
Isaiah 23:5
- As at the report concerning Egypt, [so] shall they be sorely
pained at the report of Tyre.
Luke 10:13
- Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the
mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which
have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting
in sackcloth and ashes.
2 Samuel
5:11 - And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers
to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they
built David an house.
Joel 3:4
- Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and
Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a
recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly [and] speedily will I
return your recompence upon your own head;
Matthew
11:21 - Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida!
for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in
Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in
sackcloth and ashes.
Acts 21:3
- Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand,
and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there
the ship was to unlade her burden.
Ezra 3:7
- They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and
meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of
Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa,
according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.
Mark 3:8
- And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and [from] beyond Jordan;
and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when
they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.
Mark 7:31
- And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and
Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the
coasts of Decapolis.
1
Chronicles 22:4 - Also cedar trees in abundance: for the
Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to
David.
Luke 6:17
- And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the
company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all
Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre
and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their
diseases;
Isaiah
23:17 - And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy
years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall
turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms
of the world upon the face of the earth.
Isaiah 23:1
- The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for
it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from
the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
1
Chronicles 14:1 - Now Hiram king of Tyre sent
messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and
carpenters, to build him an house.
Nehemiah
13:16 - There dwelt men of Tyre also therein,
which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath
unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 23:8
- Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the
crowning [city], whose merchants [are] princes, whose traffickers
[are] the honourable of the earth?
2 Samuel
24:7 - And came to the strong hold of Tyre,
and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and
they went out to the south of Judah, [even] to Beersheba.
Psalms 87:4
- I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me:
behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this [man]
was born there.
Psalms
45:12 - And the daughter of Tyre [shall be
there] with a gift; [even] the rich among the people shall intreat
thy favour.
Psalms 83:7
- Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants
of Tyre;
Mark 7:24
- And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre
and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know
[it]: but he could not be hid.
Acts 21:7
- And when we had finished [our] course from Tyre, we
came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one
day.
The Bible Mentions "Sidon" in many places:
Acts 12:20 - And Herod
was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but
they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the
king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their
country was nourished by the king's [country].
Genesis
10:19 - And the border of the Canaanites was from
Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest,
unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.
Luke 10:13
- Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the
mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which
have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting
in sackcloth and ashes.
Matthew
11:21 - Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida!
for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in
Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in
sackcloth and ashes.
Mark 3:8
- And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and [from] beyond Jordan;
and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when
they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.
Mark 7:31
- And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon,
he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of
Decapolis.
Luke 6:17
- And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the
company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all
Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon,
which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
Acts 27:3
- And the next [day] we touched at Sidon. And Julius
courteously entreated Paul, and gave [him] liberty to go unto his
friends to refresh himself.
Luke 4:26
- But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, [a city]
of Sidon, unto a woman [that was] a widow.
Mark 7:24
- And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and
Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man
know [it]: but he could not be hid.
Genesis
10:15 - And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn,
and Heth,
Matthew
15:21 - Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts
of Tyre and Sidon.
Matthew
11:22 - But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for
Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
Luke 10:14
- But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at
the judgment, than for you.