Jeremiah 47

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

The word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah the prophet about the Philistines, before Pharaoh's attack on Gaza.

2 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,

This is what the Lord has said: See, waters are coming up out of the north, and will become an overflowing stream, overflowing the land and everything in it, the town and those who are living in it; and men will give a cry, and all the people of the land will be crying out in pain.

3 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.

At the noise of the stamping of the feet of his war-horses, at the rushing of his carriages and the thunder of his wheels, fathers will give no thought to their children, because their hands are feeble;

4 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.

Because of the day which is coming with destruction on all the Philistines, cutting off from Tyre and Zidon the last of their helpers: for the Lord will send destruction on the Philistines, the rest of the sea-land of Caphtor.

5 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?

The hair is cut off from the head of Gaza; Ashkelon has come to nothing; the last of the Anakim are deeply wounding themselves.

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

O sword of the Lord, how long will you have no rest? put yourself back into your cover; be at peace, be quiet.

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

How is it possible for it to be quiet, seeing that the Lord has given it orders? against Ashkelon and against the sea-land he has given it directions.