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.

This is the word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines. This word came to him before Pharaoh attacked 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.

“Yahweh says this: See, floods of water are rising in the north. They will be like an overflowing river! Then they will overflow the land and everything in it, its cities and its inhabitants! So everyone will shout for help, and all the inhabitants of the land will lament.

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 sound of the stamping of their strong horses' hooves, at the roar of their chariots and the noise of their wheels, fathers will not help their children because of their own weakness.

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].

For the day is coming that will devastate all of the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every survivor who wants to help them. For Yahweh is devastating the Philistines, those who remain from the island 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 will come upon Gaza. As for Ashkelon, the people who are left in their valley will be made silent. How long will you cut yourself in mourning?

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!”

Woe, sword of Yahweh! How long will it be until you become silent? Go back to your scabbard! Stop and be silent.

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 rest when Yahweh has commanded it, when he has ordered it to attack Ashkelon and the coastlands along the sea?”