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Jeremiah 47

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Prophecy Against the Philistines 1–5

1
The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza. ​
2
Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl. ​
3
At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses, at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;
4
Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor. ​
5
Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself? ​

The Irrevocable Divine Judgment 6–7

6
O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still. ​
7
How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he appointed it. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Jeremiah 47

Verse 1

against the Philistines — Their cities stand in the cup of 25:20: Ashkelon, ‘Azzah’ (Gaza), Ekron and Ashdod. The word is dated ‘before that Pharaoh smote Gaza’, so it was spoken ahead of that stroke. The Philistines are the ‘inhabitants of the sea coast’ of Zeph 2:5, in the land once held by the Avims as far as Azzah (Deut 2:23).

Verse 2

waters rise up out of the north — The flood of 46:7–8, here turned on the Philistines. ‘Overflowing flood’ is nachal, a torrent, and ‘overflow’ is shataph, the verb of Isa 8:8, ‘he shall overflow and go over’. ‘Out of the north’ is where evil ‘shall break forth’ in 1:14 and where Egypt’s destruction comes from in 46:20.

Verse 4

the remnant of the country of Caphtor — Caphtor is named only here, in Deut 2:23 (the Caphtorims who displaced the Avims) and in Amos 9:7, ‘the Philistines from Caphtor’. Gen 10:14 traces them to Casluhim, ‘out of whom came Philistim’. Tyrus and Zidon lose ‘every helper that remaineth’, so the Philistines stand alone.

Verse 5

Baldness is come upon Gaza — Shaving the head and cutting the flesh for the dead were forbidden to the LORD’s people: ‘Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead’ (Lev 19:28; Deut 14:1). Moab mourns the same way, ‘every head shall be bald… upon all the hands shall be cuttings’ (48:37). Zeph 2:4 says ‘Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation’.

Verse 6

O thou sword of the LORD — The sword is the LORD’s own, drawn and sent (Ezek 21:3–5; Jer 12:12, ‘the sword of the LORD shall devour’). ‘Scabbard’ is ta’ar, the sheath of Ezek 21:3–5, where the sword is drawn out and ‘shall not return any more’. The question ‘how long?’ is answered in the next verse.

Verse 7

the LORD hath given it a charge — The answer to v.6. ‘Given a charge’ is tsavah, to command, and ‘appointed’ is ya’ad, to fix to a place: the sword has its orders ‘against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore’. The same coast is later ‘for the remnant of the house of Judah’, who shall lie down ‘in the houses of Ashkelon’ (Zeph 2:7).