Hamath was a fortress city on a southern trade route from Asia Minor. It marked the northern boundary of Israel (see Numbers 13:21; Joshua 13:5).
The twin port cities of Tyre and Sidon were independent Phoenician kingdoms on the Mediterranean coast north of Israel (modern-day Lebanon). They often appear together in biblical texts (for example, Ezra 3:7; Joel 3:4; Luke 10:13–14). These cities were famous for their maritime trade wealth. However, Old Testament prophets criticized their pride and harsh policies and predicted their destruction (Isaiah 23; Ezekiel 26:3–14; Amos 1:9–10).