Jeremiah 47

1 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremias the prophet against the people of Palestine, before Pharao took Gaza.

This is the message from the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet about the Philistines before Pharaoh attacked Gaza.

2 Thus saith the Lord: Behold there come up waters out of the north, and they shall be as an overflowing torrent, and they shall cover the land, and all that is therein, the city and the inhabitants thereof: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl,

This is what the Lord says: Look at the waters rising from the north! They will become an overflowing river that sweeps across the country and everything in it, flooding the towns and everyone's homes. The people will cry out for help; everyone who lives in the country will weep,

3 At the noise of the marching of arms, and of his soldiers, at the rushing of his chariots, and the multitude of his wheels. The fathers have not looked back to the children, for feebleness of hands,

as they hear the sound of stallions charging, the rattling of chariots and the rumble of their wheels. Fathers won't go back to help their sons—they have no strength because they're terrified.

4 Because of the coming of the day, in which all the Philistines shall be laid waste, and Tyre and Sidon shall be destroyed, with all the rest of their helpers. For the Lord hath wasted the Philistines, the remnant of the isle of Cappadocia.

The day has arrived when all the Philistines will be destroyed, when Tyre and Sidon will have no more allies to help them. The Lord is going to destroy the Philistines, those who are left from the island of Crete.

5 Baldness is come upon Gaza: Ascalon hath held her peace with the remnant of their valley: how long shalt thou cut thyself?

The people of Gaza will shave their heads; the town of Ashkelon lies in ruins. You who are left on the coastal plain, how long will you go on cutting yourself?

6 O thou sword of the Lord, how long wilt thou not be quiet? Go into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.

Oh sword of the Lord, when are you going to stop killing? Go back in your sheath. Stop killing and stay there!

7 How shall it be quiet, when the Lord hath given it a charge against Ascalon, and against the countries thereof by the sea side, and there hath made an appointment for it?

But how can the sword stop killing when the Lord has given it orders to attack Ashkelon and its coastlands?