“As for the inhabitants of the hills between the L’vanon and Misrefot-Mayim, that is, all the Tzidonim, I myself will expel them ahead of the people of Israel; all you have to do is assign it to Israel as an inheritance, as I have ordered you.”-Joshua 13:6
The next major unconquered territory brought to our attention were “the inhabitants of the hills between Lebanon and Misrefot-Mayim”.
This area is located on the northern seacoast of Canaan and went by the more famous name of Phoenicia.
However, if that’s the case, why is it referred to as the area inhabited by the Sidonians?
Well, here’s the thing.
Sidon was the capital city of Phoenicia.
Since that’s where the central government was located, sometimes it was normal to just lump all the citizens of Phoenicia as being Sidonians even though technically speaking that wasn’t the case.
For example, when I’m traveling overseas and someone asks me where I’m from, I’ll tell them I’m from America.
However, when I’m traveling within the United States and someone asks me where I’m from, I’ll tell them I’m from Minnesota.
It would probably sound super weird if I said to them “I’m from America”.
They’d be like “Well duh, but what part of America are you from?” (if they decided to keep conversing with me from that point on).
The rule is I answer where I’m from based on the context of the situation (where I’m located) and whose asking the question.
It was the same deal with Sidon and Phoenicia.
Sidon was such a major city and so-well known that it became the norm to call all the residents of Phoenicia “Sidonians”.
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