יִרְמְיָהוּ 47

1 אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיָ֧ה דְבַר־יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא אֶל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים בְּטֶ֛רֶם יַכֶּ֥ה פַרְעֹ֖ה אֶת־עַזָּֽה׃ ס

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

2 כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה הִנֵּה־מַ֜יִם עֹלִ֤ים מִצָּפֹון֙ וְהָיוּ֙ לְנַ֣חַל שֹׁוטֵ֔ף וְיִשְׁטְפוּ֙ אֶ֣רֶץ וּמְלֹואָ֔הּ עִ֖יר וְיֹ֣שְׁבֵי בָ֑הּ וְזָֽעֲקוּ֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם וְהֵילִ֕ל כֹּ֖ל יֹושֵׁ֥ב הָאָֽרֶץ׃

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 מִקֹּ֗ול שַֽׁעֲטַת֙ פַּרְסֹ֣ות אַבִּירָ֔יו מֵרַ֣עַשׁ לְרִכְבֹּ֔ו הֲמֹ֖ון גַּלְגִּלָּ֑יו לֹֽא־הִפְנ֤וּ אָבֹות֙ אֶל־בָּנִ֔ים מֵֽרִפְיֹ֖ון יָדָֽיִם׃

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 עַל־הַיֹּ֗ום הַבָּא֙ לִשְׁדֹ֣וד אֶת־כָּל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים לְהַכְרִ֤ית לְצֹר֙ וּלְצִידֹ֔ון כֹּ֖ל שָׂרִ֣יד עֹזֵ֑ר כִּֽי־שֹׁדֵ֤ד יְהוָה֙ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים שְׁאֵרִ֖ית אִ֥י כַפְתֹּֽור׃

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 בָּ֤אָה קָרְחָה֙ אֶל־עַזָּ֔ה נִדְמְתָ֥ה אַשְׁקְלֹ֖ון שְׁאֵרִ֣ית עִמְקָ֑ם עַד־מָתַ֖י תִּתְגֹּודָֽדִי׃ ס

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 הֹ֗וי חֶ֚רֶב לַֽיהוָ֔ה עַד־אָ֖נָה לֹ֣א תִשְׁקֹ֑טִי הֵאָֽסְפִי֙ אַל־תַּעְרֵ֔ךְ הֵרָגְעִ֖י וָדֹֽמִּי׃

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

7 אֵ֣יךְ תִּשְׁקֹ֔טִי וַֽיהוָ֖ה צִוָּה־לָ֑הּ אֶֽל־אַשְׁקְלֹ֛ון וְאֶל־חֹ֥וף הַיָּ֖ם שָׁ֥ם יְעָדָֽהּ׃ ס

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