Jeremiah 47

1 This is the word [message from God, declaration] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord of Israel] that came to Jeremiah [whom Jehovah has appointed] the prophet [one who speaks for God] about the Philistines [inhabitants of Philistia, a non-Israelite people] before [prior to, at an earlier time] Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful ruler] struck down [smote, defeated] Gaza [Azzah, a strong Philistine city]. word study 2 This is what the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] says: “See how the waters [a spring or watercourse] are rising from the north [the direction of divine judgment] and becoming an overflowing torrent [a flood, a deluge]. They will overflow the land [the earth, the territory] and its fullness [all its abundance, everything in it], the cities [towns, inhabited areas] and their inhabitants [residents, dwellers]. The people [mankind, humanity] will cry out [in distress, for help], and all who dwell [reside, live] in the land [the earth, the region] will wail [mourn, lament] word study 3 at the sound [voice, noise] of the galloping [stamping, rushing] hooves [claw or split hoof] of stallions [strong horses, mighty ones], the rumbling [quaking, thunder] of chariots [vehicles, cavalry], and the clatter [rattling, rumbling] of their wheels [whirlwind, circular motion]. The fathers [parents, ancestors] will not turn back [look back, face towards] for their sons [children, descendants]; their hands [strength, power] will hang limp [feeble, weak]. word study 4 For the day [of reckoning, a time of judgment] has come to destroy [to ruin, lay waste] all the Philistines [inhabitants of Philistia], to cut off [to sever, eliminate] from Tyre [a major Phoenician city] and Sidon [a city on the Mediterranean coast] every remaining ally [helper, supporter]. Indeed, the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] is about to destroy [to devastate, bring to an end] the Philistines [a remnant from the island of Caphtor], the remnant [what is left, a surviving group] from the coasts [the region, the borders] of Caphtor [possibly the island of Crete]. word study 5 The people of Gaza [Azzah, the strong city] will shave their heads [become bald, experience baldness] in mourning; Ashkelon [a major Philistine city] will be silenced [cease, brought to nothing]. O remnant [what is left, surviving ones] of their valley [lowland area], how long [until when, for how much time] will you gash [cut, wound] yourself? word study 6 ‘Alas [woe, a cry of sorrow], O sword [cutting instrument] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], how long [till when, until what time] until you rest [be quiet, cease from action]? Return [put up, go back] to your sheath [scabbard, resting place]; cease [stop, be still] and be still [rest, quiet yourself]!’ word study 7 How [in what way, to what extent] can it rest [be quiet, cease from action] when the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] has commanded [given a charge, appointed] it? He has appointed [assigned, designated] it against Ashkelon [a major Philistine city] and the shore [coast, seashore] of its coastland [territory, region].” word study