Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. Luke 10:13 NKJV

Jesus rebuked two cities of Israel who had seen his miracles and yet rejected him. He compares them to two gentile cities who were prosperous and wealthy in the worlds eyes, yet they had received the continuous judgment of God upon them like no others. For one reason, maybe because they were also the centers for the worship of false gods throughout their history.

An artifact known as the Inscription of Niqmadd by an Ugarit king named Niqmadd (circa  1400 B.C.) mentions both Tyre and Sidon for being centers for the worship of false gods. This would have been around the time of Joshua's conquest of Canaan.

It states: "They come to the shrine of Asherah of Tyre, to that of Elath of Sidon." (Anet 145 - KRT A)

At this time Tyre and Sidon relied upon Egypt for protection, the very nation who refused to obey the God of Israel even though they saw God's mighty signs in delivering the Hebrews from their bondage.

Other artifacts from the time of Joshua also mention Tyre and Sidon, such as the Amarna Letters. They were written by Canaanite rulers to the king of Egypt requesting help from Egypt to defend their cities from the conquering Hebrews.

One such letter states: "Behold I am guarding Tyre, the great city for the king, my lord, until the mighty power of the king comes unto me . . . Further Zimreda, king of Sidon, has written day by day to the criminal Aziru, the son of Abdu-Ashirta, concerning everything that he hears from Egypt." EA 147 Anet 484

Another Amarna letter states: "The Apiru(Hebrews) capture the cities of the king. There is not a single governor remaining . . . all have perished, Zimreda (king of Sidon), the townsman of Lachish have smitten him, servants who have become like Apiru (Hebrews).  EA 288 Anet 489

These two letters are proof that the Hebrews had conquered Lachish as listed in Joshua 15:39. As well as the fortified cities of Tyre and Sidon which are listed as being on the border of the conquered cities of the Hebrews as stated in Joshua 19:28-29. Although according to Judges 1:31 their inhabitants were not driven out.

It also shows that the leaders of Tyre and Sidon saw Canaan as being conquered by God's mighty hand without even the power of Egypt being able to stop them, yet were unwilling to turn from their false gods to the one true God of Israel.

Instead, Tyre and Sidon had one long history of being conquered, oppressed, and living in fear of the mighty Empires that would follow Egypt.  Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and the Greeks. 

Starting with the Assyrian King Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 B.C.) who ruled during the time of the prophet Elijah. He led an  expedition to Lebanon where he states: "The tribute of the seacoast - from the inhabitants of Tyre, Sidon . . . and Arvad, which is an island in the sea, consisting of gold, silver . . . their tribute I received and they embraced my feet." Anet 276

Then came Shalmaneser III (858-824 B.C.), ruling at the time of the prophet Elisha, who states: "In the eighteenth year of my rule, I crossed the Euphrates . . . Hazael of Damascus put his trust in his numerous army calling up his troops in great numbers . . . I inflicted defeat upon him, killing 16,000 of his experienced soldiers. . . He fled to save his life, but I followed him back to Damascus. . . I marched as far as the mountains of Balirasi which are located at the side of the sea, and erected a stela with my image as king. At that time I received tribute from the inhabitants of Tyre, Sidon, and of Jehu, the son of Omri, (King of Israel). Anet 280

"In the twenty-first year. . . I received tribute from the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon." Anet 280

Then came the Assyrian ruler Adadnirari (810-783 B.C.), who lived at the time of the prophet Jonah. He wrote: "king of Assyria . . . conquering, the Medes . . . Persia . . . Tyre, Sidon, Israel, Edom." Anet 281

After him came Tiglath-Pileaser III (744-727 B.C.). An artifact states: “I received tribute from . . . Jehoahaz of Judah, Kaushmalaku of Edom . . . and Haanuunu of Gaza . . . an officer of mine, the rabsaq, I sent to Tyre and received from Metenna of Tyre 150 talents of gold.” Anet 282

Then came Sargon II (712-705 B.C.). He states: “I received tribute from Rezon of Damascus, Menahem of Samaria, and Hiram of Tyre.” Anet 283

The next king was Sennacherib (704-681 B.C.), who attacked Tyre and Sidon during the time of King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah: "In my third campaign, I marched against Hatti, Luli, King of Sidon, . . . fled far overseas and perished . . . I overwhelmed his strong cities, Great Sidon, Little Sidon . . . Usha (the mainland settlement of Tyre) . . . all his fortress cities which provided food and water for his garrisons . . . I installed Ethabaal upon the throne to be their king and imposed tribute on him. . . Hezekiah a Jew, did not submit to my yoke, I laid siege to 46 of his strong cities.” Anet 287 - Taylor Prism.

"And Luli, the king of Sidon, was afraid to fight me and fled to Cyprus which is in the midst of the sea, and there he sought refuge. But even in this land, he met with death. I installed Ethabaal upon his royal throne and imposed upon him my royal kingly tribute. I laid waste the large district of Judah, the stronghold of Hezekiah" Anet 288.

Another artifact states: “I deprived Luli, king of Sidon, of his kingdom. . . I also laid waste to large districts of Judah and put the straps of my yoke upon Hezekiah, its king.” Anet 288 (From the Nebi Yunus Slab, published by Rawlinson, Vol1, Pl. 43.  Translation: Luckenbill, op.cit, p. 86, AR, II, 347). 

It was left up to the following king, Esarhaddon (680-669 B.C.), during the time of Judah’s king Manasseh, to destroy Sidon's very foundation and to lay seize to Tyre. He states:

"The town of Sidon I seized, its booty I carried away." Anet 303

"I conquered Tyre  which is an island in the midst of the sea.” Anet 290 (7-8)

"I am Esarhaddon, the conqueror of Sidon, which is an Island amidst the sea, who leveled all its urban cities. I even tore up and cast into the sea its wall and foundation, destroying completely the very place upon which it was built.”

(Siege of Sidon and Tyre)

"I caught out in the open sea, like a fish, Abidmilkutte its king, who had fled before my attack into the high sea, and I cut off his head."

(Sidon's King captured fleeing into the Sea)

"Sanduarri, king of Kundi and Sizu, . . . who made Abidmilkutte, king of Sidon his ally, . . . I caught him in his mountains and likewise cut off his head.

I hung the heads of both Sanduarri and Abidmilkutte around the necks of their nobles and chief officials to demonstrate to their citizens my power." Anet 290 (I9-54)

"Balu, king of Tyre, living in the midst of the sea, . . . threw off my yoke . . . I overwhelmed him, . . . he bowed down before me . . .  heavy tribute, along with his daughters with dowries he gave as tributes . . . I took away from him his towns situated on the mainland.” Anet 291 (reverse 2-10)

"I called up the kings . . . Balu, king of Tyre, Manasseh, king of Judah . . . these I sent out and made to transport under terrible difficulties to Nineveh . . . building materials for my palace." Anet 291 (v54-vi 1)

"In the course of my campaign, I threw up earthworks for a siege against Balu, king of Tyre who had put his trust upon his friend Tirhakah, king of Nubia . . . I withheld from the inhabitants food and fresh water which sustains life." Anet 292 (6 obverse-18 reverse)

The next king to rule was Ashurbanipal (668-633 B.C.), who continued to surround and seize Tyre.

"In my third campaign, I marched against Ba'il, king of Tyre, who lives on an Island in the midst of the sea, because he did not heed my royal orders . . . or my personal commands. I surrounded him and siezed his communications on the sea and on the land. I intercepted and made scarce their food supply and forced them to submit to my yoke.” Anet 295 ii

"I made him bow to my yoke. Ba'lu king of Tyre, who did not heed my royal orders, by surrounding him with earthworks and by seizing his communications on the sea and on the land.” Anet 297 (78-84)

Then came the Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar II (606-562 B.C.) during the time of the prophets Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel. He laid siege to Tyre for 13 years and captured many of its nobles.

 
(Babylons attack on Tyre)

A food ration list for prisoners and tradesmen was found from the time of Nebuchadnezzar including the name of King Jehoiachin as well as his sons, who were taken captive to Babylon, as well as mentioning 126 men from Tyre. Anet 308

Another artifact known as the Prism of Istanbul#7834 (Anet 308), states that both the king of Tyre and the king of Sidon were subjects to Nebuchadnezzar.

After the fall of Babylon, the Persian Empire was established under Cyrus the Great.  Tyre and Sidon found a brief reprieve from being attacked continuously, but they were forced to pay a yearly tribute of 350 talents to Cyrus.

But then came a man named Evagoras who attacked and took Tyre by force in 387 B.C. His account is recorded by the historian Isocrates who states this: “Evagoras . . . when he was forced to go to war, he proved so valiant, and had so valiant an ally in his son Pnytagoras, that he almost subdued the whole of Cyprus, ravaged Phoenicia, took Tyre by storm, caused Cilicia to revolt from the king, and slew so many of his enemies that many of the Persians, when they mourn over their sorrows, recall the valor of Evagoras.” (Isocrates Discources 9)

(Evagoras attack on Tyre)

Then in the mid-fourth century B.C., King Tennes of Sidon led a failed rebellion against the Persian king Artaxerxes III, enlisting the help of the Egyptians, who were subsequently drawn into a war with the Persians. At that time, Sidon was destroyed.

The account is as follows: “Revolt broke out in Sidon . . . Tyre and Aradus joined with Sidon and soon all Phoenicia was under revolt. . . the king of Persia moved with his army toward Phoenicia. His army consisted of 300,000 foot-soldiers, 30,000 horsemen, 300 triremes, and 500 ships of burden, besides other ships to convey provisions. When Tennes heard of the size of the Persian king’s army he lost courage. To save his own life he resolved to betray his city into the enemy’s hands . . . Because of the king’s delay the Sidonians had provided themselves with sufficient troops and provisions. A triple wall was constructed around the city. . . Tennes now persuaded Mentor to assist in the betrayal and left him in the city, while he himself went out under the pretext of going to counsel with the king and took with him a hundred of the leading citizens of Sidon. When he came near the camp he had the hundred men arrested and delivered to Artaxerxes III. The king received Tennes as a friend and had the hundred men shot with spears as instigators of the revolt. Afterward 500 Sidonians, with the signal of fugitives, came to Artaxerxes III beseeching him for mercy for the city. These also were captured and slain, so relentless was his anger for the murder of his officers. Tennes then persuaded the Egyptian mercenaries to let him and the king into the city. The betrayer’s turn came next, for he thought now to have no more need of Tennes, and hence he had him slain.

Before the king entered the city, the betrayed Sidonians, in their despair, burned all their ships so no one could flee for safety, and then set the city on fire and killed themselves and their dependents. It is said that 40,000 people perished. . . The remainder of Phoenicia readily submitted to the requests of Artaxerxes III. This was the severest blow the nation ever received in all its history. This tragic downfall of the once so powerful city must have made a deep impression on the whole world.”

The last hammer left to fall on the remaining city of Tyre came under Alexander the Great.

The ancient historian Josephus mentions Alexander taking Tyre in his history ‘Antiquities’ Chapter 11: “Alexander came into Syria, and took Damascus; and when he had obtained Sidon, he besieged Tyre . . . Alexander had conquered Tyre after a seven month seize.”

So as you can see Tyre suffered greatly throughout its long history, but even so, there would be a remnant from Tyre who would in fact repent and turn to the Lord, becoming followers of Christ.

The first is a woman mentioned in Matthew 15:21-28, who believed and cried out to Jesus "Have mercy on me, O Lord, the Son of David!" To whom Jesus would later reply: "O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto you even as you desire."  

Others are mentioned in Acts 21 1-11: "After sighting Cyprus and leaving it on our left we sailed to Syria and put in at Tyre, since that was where the ship was to discharge her cargo. We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them for a week. They felt led by the Spirit again and again to warn Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.”

The church grew so well there that in 335 A.D. there was a Church Council held at Tyre.

Unfortunately, over time, once again Tyre and Sidon would fall into the delusion of falling for a false god, this time the god of Islam, Allah. And in the fall of 2024, when Hezbollah forces from Lebanon began firing missiles at Israel. Israel responded by attacking the cities of Lebanon. And you guessed it, they included attacks on the port cities of Tyre and Sidon.

So as you can see, Tyre and Sidon have had one long history of being punished on a continual basis. And it is recorded for all of mankind to see how the Lord deals with a people who are proud and trust solely in the wealth they possess, thinking that somehow their riches will protect them from disaster and God’s wrath.

So how should we look on our pride and worldly wealth? As the words of song the "Wondrous Cross" states:

"When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of Glory died

My richest gain I count but loss

And pour contempt on all my pride."

The Bible’s Greatest Statements Concerning Riches and Pride:

"Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.” 1 Timothy 6:17

"By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life.” Proverbs 22:4

This article on Tyre and Sidon is taken from our 4 volume book series "Bible Believer's Archaeology" which can be downloaded for your ebook reader by visiting our resource download page by Clicking Here.

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Sources and additional information used in compiling data and illustrations for this article, Along with additional info:

The Holy Bible, Author: The Lord God. Scripture is taken from the New King James Version unless noted.

Scripture prophecy verses concerning the destruction of Tyre and Sidon:

Ezekiel 26:2 Tyre rejoiced when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem. Ezekiel 26:3 Thus the Lord declared that He would bring many nations in war against her and tear down her walls as His punishment upon them rejoicing in Israel’s calamity. Ezekiel 26:7 The very Babylonian king who destroyed Jerusalem would lay siege to Tyre. Ezekiel 27:2 Since Tyre boasted pridefully in their wealth and their beautiful city. Ezekiel 28:2 And the prince of Tyre exalted himself as if he were a god. Ezekiel 28:7 The Lord thus promised to bring many terrible nations to war against her as punishment. In Ezekiel 28:13-17 The prince of Tyre is also compared to Lucifer as being proud and lifted up because of his beauty as well as wanting to exalt himself above God. Just as in Isaiah 14:12-15 where one of the traits of Lucifer is wanting to exalt himself above God. 

Scripture verse prophecy concerning the destruction of Sidon (Zidon):

Ezekiel 28:21-26 God said that there would be blood in her streets and a sword would be brought against her on every side, because they despised Israel and therefore the God of Israel.

Sources:

Ancient Near Eastern Texts - Relating to the Old Testament (ANET) - James B. Pritchard. Third Edition with Supplement 1969. ISBN0-691-03503-2. (ANET) Artifacts below mentioning Tyre and Sidon:

Inscription of Niqmadd, ANET 145 - KRT A

Amarna Letters written at the time of Joshua mentioning Tyre & Sidon EA 147 (ANET 484) &  EA 288 (ANET 489)

Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 B.C.) ANET 276 Received tribute from Tyre and Sidon.

Shalmaneser III (858-824) ANET 280: "I received tribute of the inhabitants of Tyre, Sidon, and of Jehu, son of Omri."

Adadnirari (810-783) ANET 281: "king of Assyria . . .  conquering, the Medes . . . Persia . . . Tyre, Sidon, Israel, Edom."

Tiglath-Pileaser III (744-727) ANET 282: "I received tribute from "Jehoahaz of Judah, an officer of mine, the rabsaq, I sent to Tyre and received from Metenna of Tyre 150 talents of gold."

Sargon II (712-705) ANET 283: "I recieved tribute from Rezon of Damascus, Menahem of Samaria, Hiram of Tyre.”

Sennacherib (704-681) ANET 287 Taylor Prism:  "Luli, King of Sidon, . . . fled far overseas and perished . . . I overwhelmed his strong cities, Great Sidon, Little Sidon . . . Usha (the mainland settlement of Tyre) . . . Hezekiah a Jew, did not submit to my yoke, I laid siege to 46 of his strong cities.”

ANET 288: "And Luli, king of Sidon, was afraid to fight me and fled to Cyprus which is in the midst of the sea, and there sought refuge.  But even in this land, he met with death. I installed Ethabaal upon his royal throne and imposed upon him my royal kingly tribute.  I laid waste the large district of Judah, the stronghold of Hezekiah."

"I deprived Luli, king of Sidon, of his kingdom. . . I also laid waste large districts of Judah and put the straps of my yoke upon Hezekiah, its king. (From the Nebi Yunus Slab, published by Rawlinson, Vol1, Pl. 43.  Translation: Luckenbill, op.cit, p. 86, AR, II, 347. 

Esarhaddon (680-669) ANET 303: "The town of Sidon seized, its booty carried away."

ANET 290 (7-8): "I conquered Tyre which is an island in the midst of the sea.”

ANET 290 (I9-54): “(I am Esarhaddon), the conqueror of Sidon, which is an Island amidst the sea, who leveled all its urban cities. - I even tore up and cast into the sea its wall and foundation, destroying completely the very place it was built upon.  I caught out in the open sea, like a fish, Abidmilkutte its king, who had fled before my attack into the high sea, and I cut off his head. . . Sanduarri, king of Kundi and Sizu,  . . . who made Abidmilkutte, king of Sidon his ally,  . . .  I caught him in his mountains and likewise cut off his head.  I hung the heads of both Sanduarri and Abidmilkutte around the necks of their nobles and chief officials to demonstrate to their citizens  my power."

ANET 291 (reverse 2-10): “Balu, king of Tyre, living in the midst of the sea,  . . . threw off my yoke . .  .  I overwhelmed him,  . . .  he bowed down before me . . .  heavy tribute, along with his daughters with dowries he gave as tributes . . .  I took away from him his towns situated on the mainland.”

ANET 291 (v54-vi 1): "I called up the kings . . . Balu, king of Tyre, Manasseh, king of Judah . . . these I sent out  and made to transport under terrible difficulties to Nineveh . . . building materials for my palace."

ANET 292 (6 obverse-18 reverse): "In the course of my campaign I threw up earthworks for a siege against Balu, king of Tyre who had put his trust upon his friend Tirhakahh, king of Nubia. . . I withheld from the inhabitants food and fresh water which sustains life."

Josephus ‘Antiquities’ Chapter 6: “Nebuchadnezzar besieged Tyre thirteen years, while at the same time Ethbaal reigned at Tyre.”

Artaxerxes III Ochus and his reign: with special consideration of the Old Testament sources bearing upon the period by Hirschy, Noah Calvin, Publication date 1909 - Publisher: University of Chicago Press, pg.29-31 Account of Tennes king of Sidon revolt against Artaxerxes III leading to Sidon’s destruction by fire.

Isocrates, Speeches  Isoc. 9- Evagoras who attacked and took Tyre by force in 387 B.C.

Josephus ‘Antiquites’ Chapter 11: “Alexander came into Syria, and took Damascus; and when he had obtained Sidon, he besieged Tyre.”

The History of Alexander the Great, by Quintus Curtius Rufus - Peter Pratt, translator pg 432-438 Seize of Tyre info.

Artwork: Capturing the king of Sidon as he flees into the sea.- p332 Hutchinson's Story of the Nations. published 1915

Artwork: Attack on Tyre -  Hutchinson's Story of the Nations published circa 1920's. Stanley L Wood (1866-1928)

Artwork: Siege of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army, Illustration, Ridpath's History of the World, Volume I, by John Clark Ridpath, LL. D., Merrill & Baker Publishers, New York, 1894

Artwork: The capture of Tyre by Evagoras of Cyprus, c.391 B.C. Evagoras aka Euagoras. King of Salamis (411-374 BC) in Cyprus. From Hutchinson's History of the Nations, published 1915.

Artwork: Alexander the Grear seize of Tyre.  Hutchinsons Story of the Nations, published 1915 pg. 338

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