Thus says the LORD: “For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they delivered up a whole people to Edom, and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that Tyre's sin wasn't just selling people into slavery, but a deliberate betrayal of a "brotherly covenant." This covenant wasn't just about a past treaty between rulers like Hiram and Solomon, but a deeper rejection of kinship and solidarity that God expected between nations.
Thus says the LORD: “For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they delivered up a whole people to Edom, and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Amos is laying out a series of divine judgments against surrounding nations for their cruelty and injustice, and Tyre is the next city in line. Like the Philistines before them, the Tyrians are condemned for selling people into slavery, specifically handing over captives to their neighbors in Edom. This act is especially egregious because it violates an ancient bond of friendship and alliance, a "brotherly covenant" that once existed between Tyre and Israel, dating back to the days of David and Solomon.
Why does the Bible sometimes list sins in sevens? It's not just counting, but a powerful way to show a pattern of rebellion.
When the Bible says "for three transgressions, and for four," it's a common Hebrew idiom. It doesn't mean exactly three or four sins, but rather a pattern of repeated and escalating wickedness. It signifies a point where a nation or person has moved beyond a simple mistake into a hardened, willful rebellion against God's justice.
This phrase appears multiple times in Amos, signaling that God's judgment isn't arbitrary. It's a response to a deep-seated corruption that has been allowed to fester, proving that the transgression is not isolated but a defining characteristic.
Tyre and Israel had a history of friendship, even a 'brotherly covenant.' So why did Tyre commit such a heinous act?
The core of Tyre's offense wasn't just selling people; it was the betrayal of a special relationship. The text mentions a 'covenant of brotherhood.' This likely refers to the historical alliance and goodwill between the Phoenician kings (like Hiram) and Israel's kings (David and Solomon).
This wasn't just a political treaty; it involved mutual respect and even shared religious understanding, as Hiram recognized God's favor on David and Solomon. Tyre's sin was handing over a 'whole people' – likely Jewish captives – to their enemies, the Edomites. This act was a brutal violation of their shared history and the implicit trust built on that 'brotherly covenant.' It was a mercenary act that prioritized profit over kinship and justice.
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Understand the original words
berit · Hebrew Noun
Refers to a solemn, binding agreement or treaty between parties, often initiated by God with His people. It involves mutual obligations and, in the context of the nations, a recognition of kinship or neighborly duty that should prevent betrayal.
The verse highlights how even a prosperous trading city like Tyre, known for its past alliances with Israel, could fall into grave sin by profiting from human suffering and forgetting foundational bonds of kinship and covenant.
c. 970 BC
Solomon's Treaty with Hiram of Tyre
Solomon and Hiram of Tyre establish a formal covenant of trade and mutual aid, marked by friendship and cooperation in building projects like the Temple.
c. 885–860 BC
Assyrian Influence in Phoenicia
Assyrian kings receive tribute from Tyre, indicating a period of Assyrian dominance or at least significant regional power that impacted Phoenician cities.
734 BC
Tyre Pays Tribute to Tiglath-Pileser III
The king of Tyre pays tribute to the Assyrian king, showing Tyre's involvement in the geopolitical struggles of the era.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Tyre
Shalmaneser IV likely besieged Tyre for five years, though the city appears to have survived this intense pressure.
c. 605 BC— this verse
Tyre Delivers Exiles to Edom
During a period of regional upheaval, possibly related to Babylonian incursions, Tyre captures and delivers Hebrew captives to the Edomites, violating a long-standing covenant of brotherhood.
586 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Siege of Tyre
Tyre endures a lengthy siege by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon, a major event in the region that weakened its power.
332 BC
Alexander the Great Captures Tyre
Alexander the Great conquers Tyre after a challenging seven-month siege, selling 30,000 inhabitants into slavery and marking a significant turning point in its history.
This passage paints a vivid picture of Tyre's vast commercial network and its dependence on relationships with other nations, highlighting the irony of its downfall due to its dealings in human lives and a disregard for justice.
2 Samuel 5:11This verse directly references the beginning of the 'brotherly covenant' between King David and Hiram of Tyre, establishing the historical context for Amos's accusation of betrayal.
1 Kings 5:1-12This passage details the continuation and strengthening of the covenant between Hiram and Solomon, emphasizing the established ties of friendship and trade that Tyre later violated.
Joel 3:4-6This passage from Joel echoes Amos's condemnation, specifically accusing Tyre and other nations of selling Judean captives to the Greeks, demonstrating a pattern of similar transgressions.
Amos 1:6This verse shows that Tyre's sin of selling people into captivity was not unique but shared with the Philistines, illustrating a broader regional pattern of exploitation that Amos is addressing.
barnesAmos 1:9: "Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:"
The last crowning sin, for which judgment is pronounced on Tyre, is the same as that of Philistia, and probably was enacted in concert with it. In Tyre, there was this aggravation, that it was a violation of a previous treaty and friendship. It was not a covenant only, nor…
calvinAmos 1:9-10: "Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:"
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:
Sic dicit Jehova, Super tribus sceleribus Tyri et s…
The verse highlights that Tyre's sin wasn't just selling people into slavery, but a deliberate betrayal of a "brotherly covenant." This covenant wasn't just about a past treaty between rulers like Hiram and Solomon, but a deeper rejection of kinship and solidarity that God expected between nations.
Amos is laying out a series of divine judgments against surrounding nations for their cruelty and injustice, and Tyre is the next city in line. Like the Philistines before them, the Tyrians are condemned for selling people into slavery, specifically handing over captives to their neighbors in Edom. This act is especially egregious because it violates an ancient bond of friendship and alliance, a "brotherly covenant" that once existed between Tyre and Israel, dating back to the days of David and Solomon.
Amos is laying out a series of divine judgments against surrounding nations for their cruelty and injustice, and Tyre is the next city in line. Like the Philistines before them, the Tyrians are condemned for selling people into slavery, specifically handing over captives to their neighbors in Edom. This act is especially egregious because it violates an ancient bond of friendship and alliance, a "brotherly covenant" that once existed between Tyre and Israel, dating back to the days of David and Solomon.
"Thus says the LORD:
“For three transgressions of Tyre,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they delivered up a whole people to Edom,
and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood." — The verse highlights that Tyre's sin wasn't just selling people into slavery, but a deliberate betrayal of a "brotherly covenant." This covenant wasn't just about a past treaty between rulers like Hi…
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Last reviewed October 2026