47 The Lord gave this message to the prophet Jeremiah before Pharaoh and the army of Egypt attacked Gaza. The Lord said this about the Philistines:
2 ‘Look at what is happening!
Armies in the north are rising like a flood of water.
They will pour out from there like a great river.
They will cover the whole land and everything in it.
They will destroy the cities and the people who live in them.
People will shout for help.
Everyone who lives there will cry with pain.
3 They will hear the sound of their enemies' horses
and the loud noises of their chariots.
Fathers will not turn back to save their children,
because fear has made them weak.
4 The time has come when the Lord will destroy all the Philistines.
None of them will remain to give help to Tyre and Sidon.
The Lord is ready to destroy the Philistines who remain.
Those are the people who came from the island of Crete. [ a ]
5 The people of Gaza will cut the hair off their heads
because they are so upset.
In Ashkelon, nobody will say a word.
You Philistines who live near the sea and are still alive,
will you continue to cut your bodies? [ b ]
6 You shout to the Lord , “How long will you attack us with your sword?
Please stop killing us! Put your sword away!”
7 But the Lord has commanded his sword to kill.
So it cannot rest!
The Lord has commanded his sword to attack Ashkelon
and the people who live on the coast of the sea.’
47 This is the message from the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet about the Philistines. This message came before Pharaoh attacked the city of Gaza.
2 This is what the Lord says:
“Look, the enemy is gathering in the north [ a ] like rising water.
They will come like a river spilling over its banks.
They will cover the whole country like a flood.
They will cover the towns and the people living in them.
Everyone in the country will cry for help.
Everyone will cry out in pain.
3 They will hear the sound of running horses,
the noisy chariots, the rumbling wheels.
Fathers will not be able to protect their children.
They will be too weak to help,
4 because the time has come to destroy all the Philistines.
The time has come to destroy Tyre and Sidon’s remaining helpers.
The Lord will destroy the Philistines,
the survivors from the Island of Crete. [ b ]
5 The people from Gaza will be sad and shave their heads.
The people from Ashkelon will be silenced.
Survivors from the valley, how long will you cut yourselves? [ c ]
6 “Sword of the Lord , you have not stopped.
How long will you keep fighting?
Go back into your scabbard [ d ] !
Stop! Be still!
7 But how can the sword of the Lord rest?
The Lord gave it a command.
He commanded it to attack
the city of Ashkelon and the seacoast.”
47 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?
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.
47 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the ( A ) Philistines, before Pharaoh [ a ] conquered ( B ) Gaza. 2 This is what the Lord says:
“Behold, waters are going to rise from ( C ) the north
And become an overflowing torrent,
And ( D ) overflow the land and everything that is in it,
The city and those who live in it;
And the people will ( E ) cry out,
And every inhabitant of the land will wail.
3 Because of the noise of the [ b ] ( F ) galloping hoofs of his [ c ] stallions,
The roar of his chariots, and the rumbling of his wheels,
The fathers have not turned back for their children,
Because of the debility of their hands,
4 Because of the day that is coming
To ( G ) destroy all the Philistines,
To eliminate from ( H ) Tyre and Sidon
Every surviving ally;
For the Lord is going to destroy the Philistines,
The remnant of the coastland of ( I ) Caphtor.
5 ( J ) Baldness has come upon Gaza;
( K ) Ashkelon has been destroyed.
Remnant of their valley,
How long will you ( L ) gash yourself?
6 Ah, ( M ) sword of the Lord ,
How long will you not be quiet?
Withdraw into your sheath;
Rest and stay still.
7 How can [ d ] it be quiet,
When the Lord has ( N ) given it an order?
Against Ashkelon and against the sea shore—
There He has ( O ) summoned it.”
47 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines ( A ) before Pharaoh attacked Gaza: ( B )
2 This is what the Lord says:
“See how the waters are rising in the north; ( C )
they will become an overflowing torrent.
They will overflow the land and everything in it,
the towns and those who live in them.
The people will cry out;
all who dwell in the land will wail ( D )
3 at the sound of the hooves of galloping steeds,
at the noise of enemy chariots ( E )
and the rumble of their wheels.
Parents will not turn to help their children;
their hands will hang limp. ( F )
4 For the day has come
to destroy all the Philistines
and to remove all survivors
who could help Tyre ( G ) and Sidon. ( H )
The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines, ( I )
the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor. [ a ] ( J )
5 Gaza will shave ( K ) her head in mourning;
Ashkelon ( L ) will be silenced.
You remnant on the plain,
how long will you cut ( M ) yourselves?
