Jeremiah 47
1 That which has been the word of YHWH to Jeremiah concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh strikes Gaza:
Yahweh gave to the prophet Jeremiah a message about the people of Philistia. [The message was given to me] before Gaza [city in Philistia] was captured by [the army of] Egypt.
2 “Thus said YHWH: Behold, waters are going up from the north, And have been for an overflowing stream, And they overflow the land and its fullness, The city, and those dwelling in it, And men have cried out, And every inhabitant of the land has howled.
This is what Yahweh said: “[An army] [MET] will be coming from the northeast that will cover the land like a flood. They will destroy the land and everything in it; [they will destroy] people and cities. People will scream; everyone in the land will wail.
3 From the sound of the stamping of the hooves of his mighty ones, From the rushing of his chariot, The noise of his wheels, Fathers have not turned to sons, From feebleness of hands,
[They will hear] the sound of the hooves of the [enemy] horses, and [they will hear] the rumble/noise of the wheels [of their enemies’] chariots. Men [will run away; ] they will not stop to help their children; they will be completely weak and helpless [MTY].
4 Because of the day that has come to spoil all the Philistines, To cut off every helping remnant from Tyre and from Sidon. For YHWH is spoiling the Philistines, The remnant of the island of Caphtor.
It will be the time for all the people of Philistia to be destroyed, and the time to prevent the remaining soldiers from helping [the people of] Tyre and Sidon [cities]. [I, ] Yahweh, will get rid of the people of Philistia, those whose ancestors [long ago] came from Crete [island].
5 Baldness has come to Gaza, Ashkelon has been cut off, O remnant of their valley, Until when do you cut yourself?
[The people of] Gaza will be humiliated; they will shave off all the hair on their heads [to indicate that they are ashamed]. The [people of] [city] will all be silent [because they will be mourning]. [All you people who live] along the coast [of the Mediterranean Sea] who are still alive, how long [RHQ] will you gash yourselves [because you are mourning]?”
6 Behold, sword of YHWH, until when are you not quiet? Be removed to your sheath, rest and cease.
[The people of Philistia say, ] “Yahweh, when [RHQ] will you [tell our enemies to stop killing us with] [PRS] their swords? Tell them to [PRS] put them back into their sheaths and keep them there!”
7 How will it be quiet, And YHWH has given a charge to it, Against Ashkelon and against the seashore? He has appointed it there!”
But it would not be right [RHQ] for their swords to stay there, because Yahweh has commanded their enemies [to do something more]; Yahweh intends to tell them to attack [all the people living in] Ashkelon and [in other cities] along the coast.
