Tyre was involved in the slave trade (Joel 3:6; Ezekiel 27:13).1 The covenant of brotherhood
likely refers to the historic commercial relationship that had existed between Israel and the Phoenicians (2 Samuel 5:11; 1 Kings 5:1, 1 Kings 5:11 1 Kings 16:31).2,3 Tyre may have a lesser guilt than others, merely serving as a middleman, but they still showed a callous disregard for human life by allowing business profits to override basic moral convictions about the dignity of man.4
9 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.