Jeremiah 47

1 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.

The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before that Pharaoh struck Gaza.

2 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.

"Thus says the LORD: 'Look, waters rise up out of the north, and shall become an overflowing stream, and shall overflow the land and all that is in it, the city and those who dwell in it; and the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall wail.

3 [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].

At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong ones, at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers do not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;

4 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].

because of the day that comes to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper who remains: for the LORD will destroy the Philistines, the remnant of the isle of Caphtor.

5 [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]?”

Baldness has come on Gaza; Ashkelon is brought to nothing, the remnant of their valley: how long will you cut yourself?

6 [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!”

You sword of the LORD, "how long will it be before you be quiet? Put yourself into your sheath; rest, and be still."

7 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.

How can it be quiet, since the LORD has given you a command? Against Ashkelon, and against the seashore, there has he appointed it.'"