2 Sam 6.6-9 Zion was originally a Jebusite hill fortress in southern Jerusalem conquered by David and named the city of David. As the city expanded northward it later denoted the cite of the Temple. Its original location is a subject of dispute. The present Mount Zion is identified accd to ancient Christian tradition (site of last supper, site of Dormition of Mary) ...scholars debate this as the original Zion.
In prophets and psalms Zion is synonymous with Jerusalem; prophets also use Zion for whole Jewish kingdom; becomes symbol of Jewish restoration and rebirth (e.g. as in Zionism), also the idea of a messianic city of God. The word takes on intense religious charge over the centuries.
Look it up in the Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion (my source here) which should be in our seminar library.
I've wondered that too. My church sings an old hymn that says "I've got a new name over in Zion." From the context I've always made Zion synonymous with 'promised land' or 'Holy land'. I thought Zion could mean Jerusalem or Heaven depending on the way it's used so the word itself would just mean something along the lines of 'special area chosen by God for His people'.
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