1. the hill on which the higher and more ancient part of Jerusalem was built (דָּוִד עִיר, city of David, because David captured it); it was the southwesternmost and highest of the hills on which the city stood; (many now would identify it with the eastern hill, some with the northern; cf. Furrer in Schenkel iii. 216ff; Mühlau in Riehm, under the word; per contra Wolcott in B. D. American edition, under the word; Schultz in Herzog edition 2 vi., p. 543f).

2. used very often for the entire city of Jerusalem itself: Romans 9:33 and 1 Peter 2:6 (after Isaiah 28:16); Romans 11:26 (from Isaiah 59:20); ἡ θυγάτηρ Σιών (see θυγάτηρ, b.β'.), Matthew 21:5; John 12:15.

3. Since Jerusalem, because the temple stood there, was called the dwelling-place of God (cf. Matthew 5:35; κύριος τήν Σιών ᾑρετίσατο εἰς κατοικίαν ἑαυτῷ, Psalm 131:13 ()), the expression τό Σιών ὄρος is transferred to heaven, as the true dwelling-place of God and heavenly beings, the antitype of the earthly Zion: Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 14:1.

In Scripture “Zion” functions as a richly layered term. Originating as the name of the Jebusite stronghold captured by David (2 Samuel 5:7), it quickly becomes a synonym for Jerusalem, the Temple mount, and ultimately the covenant people and their destiny. The New Testament writers draw on this dense background each time they invoke the name, signaling both continuity with Israel’s account and the fulfillment of that account in Jesus Christ and His Church.

Old Testament Roots and Theological Development

1. Royal Center. Zion is first linked to Davidic kingship (Psalm 2:6; 110:2). The hill becomes the seat of God’s chosen king.
2. Place of Divine Presence. With the ark and later Solomon’s Temple, Zion is the earthly locale where the LORD sets His name (Psalm 132:13-14).
3. Prophetic Hope. Prophets envision Zion as the stage for end-time salvation: nations stream to her light (Isaiah 2:2-4), captives return in joy (Isaiah 52:8-10), and a new covenant dawns (Jeremiah 31:6, 12).
4. Personified Community. “Daughter of Zion” symbolizes the covenant people themselves—loved, disciplined, yet finally redeemed.

Usage in the New Testament

The Greek word occurs seven times, each rich with intertextual echoes:

• Matthew 21:5 and John 12:15—In the triumphal entry, Zechariah 9:9 is quoted: “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King is coming to you, gentle and mounted on a donkey.’” By greeting Jesus as Zion’s King, the Gospels declare Him the long-promised Son of David who brings messianic peace.
• Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:6—Paul and Peter cite Isaiah 28:16: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” Zion here is the locus of decisive revelation: Jesus is the cornerstone. Acceptance or rejection of Him determines salvation.
• Romans 11:26—“The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob.” Paul sees Jesus’ saving work, issuing from Zion, as guaranteeing the eventual salvation of “all Israel.”
• Hebrews 12:22—Believers “have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” The writer contrasts Sinai’s fear with Zion’s festal assembly, underscoring the believer’s present access to God through the new covenant.
• Revelation 14:1—John sees “the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.” Zion anchors apocalyptic hope: the Lamb’s victory and the security of the redeemed.

Prophetic Significance

1. Messianic Kingship. Zion language frames Jesus as the reigning King who fulfills Davidic promises (Luke 1:32-33).
2. Cornerstone Motif. In Romans and 1 Peter, Zion is the construction site of God’s new temple, with Christ the foundational stone and believers “living stones” being built together (1 Peter 2:4-10).
3. Eschatological Deliverance. Romans 11 and Revelation 14 portray Zion as the launch point and gathering place of final redemption, where both Israel’s restoration and the Church’s glorification converge.

Ecclesiological and Ministry Implications

• Worship and Identity. Hebrews 12:22-24 invites congregations to realize that every assembly around Word and Table is a participation in heavenly Zion. Corporate worship is thus more than ritual; it is communion with “innumerable angels in joyful assembly.”
• Mission to the Nations. Isaiah’s vision of peoples streaming to Zion undergirds the Great Commission. The Church, as Zion’s outpost, beckons the nations to the enthroned King (Matthew 28:18-20).
• Pastoral Assurance. The image of Zion’s steadfastness encourages believers facing pressure. As the city that “cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28), Zion guarantees the security of those who trust in Christ.

Eschatological Hope

The culmination of the biblical account is a perfected Zion—a new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven (Revelation 21:2). The Lamb stands there; God dwells with His people; tears, death, and curse are gone. Every New Testament reference to Zion directs the reader’s gaze toward this consummation, assuring the Church that her future is as certain as the risen Savior who rules from Zion today.