Bible Dictionaries
Canaanite

Easton's Bible Dictionary

A name given to the apostle Simon (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:18 ). The word here does not, however, mean a descendant of Canaan, but is a translation, or rather almost a transliteration, of the Syriac word Kanenyeh (RSV rendered "Cananaen"), which designates the Jewish sect of the Zealots. Hence he is called elsewhere (Luke 6:15 ) "Simon Zelotes;" i.e., Simon of the sect of the Zealots. (See SIMON .)