By Eugene Garner

JEREMIAH - CHAPTER 47

AN ORACLE CONCERNING PHILISTIA

    The Philistines had been Israel's closest and most perpetual enemy.
    Though their power had been considerably diminished during the reign of David, they had managed to maintain their national status.

    The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza. 2 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl. 3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses, at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands; 4 Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor. 5 Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself? 6 O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still. 7 How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he appointed it.

    1. Though this prophecy cannot be dated exactly, it was evidently given between 609-605 B.C.
    2 The overflowing flood that Jeremiah sees rising out of the north is a poetic description of the Chaldean army which overwhelms everything that is in its path, (vs. 2a; 46:8; Isa. 14:31; comp. Isa 8:7-8).
    3. So utterly terrorized are the Philistines by the approaching Chaldeans, so vividly described by Jeremiah in verse 3, that strong men cry out in fear, and fathers abandon their children to destruction, in an effort to flee!
    4. The time has come for Philistia to be destroyed, and for every potential helper of Tyre and Sidon to be cut off; it is The Lord Himself who is bringing consuming judgment upon the Philistines - a people who evidently sprang from Caphtor (possibly referring to Crete of Cilicia, vs. 4; comp. Amos 9:7; Deut. 2:23).
    5. Mourning has come upon the enemies of Israel before whose overwhelming physical superiority they once regarded themselves as "grasshoppers", (vs. 5; 16:6; Deut. 14:1; Mic. 1:16; Num. 13:22, 28, 33; Josh. 11:21-22; Judg. 1:20).
    6. It appears that verse 6 is a plea from the Philistines for the Lord to put His sword of judgment back into its scabbard that they might find rest.
    7. But Jeremiah replies that since the Lord has given it a charge against Ashkelon, there is no way that it can be quiet until its appointed task is accomplished!