What is the significance of Zaphon in the Bible?

Answer

The term Zaphon appears four times in the Hebrew Bible, meaning “north.”

In two instances, it denotes a city in Gad on the eastern side of the Jordan River (Joshua 14:27 and Judges 12:1), serving as a mere point of reference without further description.

The King James Version uses Zaphon in Psalm 48:2 and Isaiah 14:13, while modern translations render it as “north.”

A comparison of the two versions, with added emphasis:

KJV Psalm 48:2: “Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King.”

ESV Psalm 48:2: “Beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King.”

Although Mount Zion (Jerusalem) is centrally located in Israel, during the kingdom’s division, Jerusalem was situated near Judah’s northern border. This could explain why Zaphon is associated with Jerusalem in the ESV. Additionally, Zaphon was used in Canaanite texts to describe a “cosmic mountain par excellence in Northwest Semitic regions” (Niehr, H:, “Baal-Zaphon,” Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible Online, van der Toorn, Becking, and van der Horst, ed:, http://dx:doi:org/10:1163%2F2589-7802_DDDO_DDDO_Baal_Zaphon, accessed 1/19/22). It is possible that the author of Psalm 48:2 is drawing a deliberate parallel between a Canaanite sacred site (Baal-Zaphon) and the holiest place in Israel. In essence, the biblical writer may be suggesting a connection between the two sacred locations.

It is not Baal-Zaphon where God can be encountered, but Mt. Zion.

In Isaiah 14:13, the king of Babylon says, “I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.” This appears to use the term Zaphon similarly to how Psalm 48:2 does; however, the interpretation is complex due to the context. Some view this passage as alluding to Satan and his sin of pride that led to the fall, while others think it pertains solely to the Babylonian king and his sin of pride (likely influenced by Satan). In any case, the key point is that the speaker tried to elevate himself above the most sacred site(s).

In summary, Zaphon is a city in Israel with no specific importance, but the city’s name carries a sacred meaning for Canaanites, which might influence how the term is employed in biblical texts.