Amos 1:9-10
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. So I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre, and it shall devour her strongholds.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The true offense here isn't just selling captives, but that Tyre broke a "brotherly covenant." This wasn't just any treaty; it was a deep bond, potentially rooted in historical friendship and mutual support between Tyre and Israel, a relationship they utterly betrayed through their greed.
Amos is delivering a series of divine judgments against surrounding nations, and here he turns to Tyre, the wealthy Phoenician port city. While Tyre was known for its commerce and skilled artisans, with a history of friendly relations with Israel, its recent actions have incurred God's wrath. Specifically, Tyre is condemned for handing over captives to Edom, a callous act that broke a significant, ancient covenant of brotherhood with Israel.
Why does God keep count of offenses? What makes a broken promise so serious in His eyes?
The phrase "for three transgressions... and for four" isn't just a poetic way to say "many times." It signals that God has been patiently observing Tyre's actions, accumulating offenses. The final straw, the act that seals their doom, is explicitly stated: they "delivered up a whole people to Edom" and, crucially, "did not remember the covenant of brotherhood."
This "covenant of brotherhood" points to a deep historical and relational bond between Tyre and Israel. It wasn't just a political alliance; it was built on mutual respect and aid, notably between King Hiram of Tyre and King David, and later Solomon. This friendship was so significant it was recognized by both sides as a divine blessing. Tyre's sin wasn't just a betrayal of a political pact; it was a betrayal of a divinely sanctioned relationship, a profound disregard for a shared history and the bonds of kinship, even when that kinship was symbolic or based on shared respect for God.
God's justice isn't arbitrary. It's a response to the violation of established relationships and agreements, especially those built on principles of loyalty and shared identity.
Tyre was a wealthy trading city. What happens when business interests clash with moral obligations?
Tyre was renowned as a bustling center of commerce and trade, a 'mart of nations' as Ezekiel describes. Their wealth was built on extensive networks and skilled craftsmanship. However, this prosperity came at a moral cost.
The specific transgression mentioned—delivering up "a whole people to Edom"—speaks to Tyre's involvement in the slave trade. They weren't just trading goods; they were trading human beings, acting as agents for the cruel Edomites who sought to exploit and subjugate their Israelite kin.
This act reveals a tragic prioritization: Tyre chose lucrative business dealings and possibly payments from Edom over the deep-seated bonds of brotherhood and a shared history. Their 'mercantile cupidity,' as one commentator put it, blinded them to their moral and relational responsibilities. God holds them accountable not just for the act of selling people, but for the profound betrayal of kinship that underpinned it. Their wealth did not excuse their cruelty; it amplified their sin.
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.
Tyre's betrayal of the ancient covenant with Israel, particularly by trading people to Edom, stands out because of its long-standing, peaceful, and economically beneficial relationship with David and Solomon. This historical amity made their complicity in the slave trade, even with a rival like Edom, a profound violation of trust and brotherhood.
c. 960 BC
Solomon and Hiram's Covenant
King Solomon of Israel and King Hiram of Tyre form a formal treaty of friendship and trade, cementing a relationship that had begun with Hiram's support for David.
885–860 BC
Assyrian Influence in Phoenicia
The Assyrian king Asshurnazirpal receives tribute from Tyre, indicating growing Assyrian dominance over the region, which would continue to affect Phoenician cities.
734 BC
Tyre Pays Tribute to Tiglath-Pileser
Hiram, king of Tyre, pays tribute to the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III, showing Tyre's submission to the rising Mesopotamian empire.
c. 701 BC
Tyre Under Sennacherib's Influence
Tyre is listed among tributaries to Assyrian kings, suggesting a period of subjugation or at least significant political pressure from the Assyrian empire.
This passage directly establishes the historical 'brotherly covenant' between King David and Hiram of Tyre, highlighting a significant relationship of friendship and mutual aid that Tyre later betrayed.
Ezekiel 27:13This chapter vividly describes Tyre as a global commercial hub, emphasizing its extensive trade in people ('souls of men'), which directly illustrates the 'mercantile cupidity' mentioned as a motive for their transgression against the covenant.
Psalm 83:7This psalm lists Edom among nations plotting against Israel, providing context for why Tyre's complicity in handing people over to Edom was a direct betrayal of their own kin and a participation in a hostile alliance.
Amos 1:6This verse shows a similar transgression by Gaza, highlighting a pattern of judgment against neighboring nations for acts of betrayal and violence, underscoring that Tyre's sin was not unique in its severity but part of a broader theme of divine reckoning.
1 Kings 5:12This verse records the continuation of the covenant between Hiram and Solomon, explicitly stating that the relationship was blessed by God and underpinned by mutual respect, making Tyre's later actions a profound disregard for divine favor and established peace.
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 true offense here isn't just selling captives, but that Tyre broke a "brotherly covenant." This wasn't just any treaty; it was a deep bond, potentially rooted in historical friendship and mutual support between Tyre and Israel, a relationship they utterly betrayed through their greed.
Amos is delivering a series of divine judgments against surrounding nations, and here he turns to Tyre, the wealthy Phoenician port city. While Tyre was known for its commerce and skilled artisans, with a history of friendly relations with Israel, its recent actions have incurred God's wrath. Specifically, Tyre is condemned for handing over captives to Edom, a callous act that broke a significant, ancient covenant of brotherhood with Israel.
Amos is delivering a series of divine judgments against surrounding nations, and here he turns to Tyre, the wealthy Phoenician port city. While Tyre was known for its commerce and skilled artisans, with a history of friendly relations with Israel, its recent actions have incurred God's wrath. Specifically, Tyre is condemned for handing over captives to Edom, a callous act that broke a significant, ancient covenant of brotherhood with Israel.
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Early 8th century BC— this verse
Amos Prophesies Against Tyre
Amos delivers his prophecy, denouncing Tyre for its betrayal of a "brotherly covenant" and its complicity in selling people to Edom.
586 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Siege of Tyre
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Tyre for 13 years. While the city likely survived, the prolonged conflict weakened it significantly.
332 BC
Alexander the Great Captures Tyre
Alexander the Great conquers Tyre after a grueling seven-month siege, selling tens of thousands of its inhabitants into slavery and marking a major turning point in its history.
"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. So I will s…" — The true offense here isn't just selling captives, but that Tyre broke a "brotherly covenant." This wasn't just any treaty; it was a deep bond, potentially rooted in historical friendship and mutual…