Jeremiah 47

A Message About the Philistines

This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines^a before Pharaoh attacked Gaza:^b

This is what the Lord says:

“See how the waters are rising in the north;^c

they will become an overflowing torrent.

They will overflow the land and everything in it,

the towns and those who live in them.

The people will cry out;

all who dwell in the land will wail^d

at the sound of the hooves of galloping steeds,

at the noise of enemy chariots^e

and the rumble of their wheels.

Parents will not turn to help their children;

their hands will hang limp.^f

For the day has come

to destroy all the Philistines

and to remove all survivors

who could help Tyre^g and Sidon.^h

The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines,ⁱ

the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.^j

Gaza will shave^k her head in mourning;

Ashkelon^l will be silenced.

You remnant on the plain,

how long will you cut^m yourselves?

“ ‘Ah, swordⁿ of the Lord,’ ^⌈you cry,^⌈

‘how long till you rest?

Return to your sheath;

cease and be still.’^o

But how can it rest

when the Lord has commanded it,

when he has ordered it

to attack Ashkelon and the coast?”^p