Jeremiah / Chapter 47

Jeremiah 47

7 verses • Westminster Leningrad Codex

Translator's Introduction

What This Chapter Is About

Jeremiah 47 contains the oracle against the Philistines — a concentrated burst of war poetry in only seven verses. Waters rise from the north to flood the Philistine coast. The cities of Gaza and Ashkelon are devastated. The Philistines are cut off along with their allies from Tyre and Sidon. The oracle closes with a haunting address to the sword of the LORD itself, asking how long it will rage before returning to its sheath — and answering that it cannot rest, because the LORD has given it its orders.

What Makes This Chapter Remarkable

This is one of the shortest oracles against a foreign nation in Jeremiah, but its intensity is extraordinary. The flood metaphor (v. 2) casts the Babylonian invasion as a cosmic deluge rising from the north — water imagery that inverts the exodus, where God parted waters to save Israel. Here God sends waters to destroy. The concluding dialogue with the sword (vv. 6-7) is unique in prophetic literature: the prophet addresses God's weapon directly, pleading for it to cease, then acknowledges that the sword acts on divine commission. The Philistines — Israel's ancient enemies from the time of the Judges through David — are now fellow victims of the same Babylonian storm. The superscription ties the oracle to an Egyptian campaign 'before Pharaoh struck Gaza' (v. 1), grounding the cosmic poetry in specific historical events.

Translation Friction

The superscription 'before Pharaoh struck Gaza' (v. 1) is historically uncertain — it may refer to Pharaoh Necho's campaign northward in 609 BCE or to an earlier Egyptian action. We translate without resolving the historical question. The phrase she'erit i Kaphtor (v. 4) — 'the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor' — identifies the Philistines' origin as Caphtor (likely Crete or the broader Aegean), which aligns with the 'Sea Peoples' migration known from Egyptian records. The phrase 'how long will you gash yourself?' (v. 5) uses the verb titgodedi, which can mean either mourning gashes (self-laceration in grief) or military gathering — we chose the mourning sense, as the context is lamentation.

Connections

The Philistines as 'remnant of Caphtor' connects to Amos 9:7 ('Did I not bring the Philistines from Caphtor?') and Deuteronomy 2:23. The flood-from-the-north motif links to Jeremiah 1:14 ('From the north disaster will break loose') and Isaiah 8:7-8 (Assyria as flood waters). The sword-of-the-LORD motif appears in Deuteronomy 32:41-42, Isaiah 34:5-6, and Ezekiel 21:1-17. Ashkelon and Gaza are named together in judgment oracles in Amos 1:6-8, Zephaniah 2:4-7, and Zechariah 9:5. The mourning imagery connects to the Philistine lament traditions referenced in Isaiah 14:29-31.

Jeremiah 47:1

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

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

KJV The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The superscription places this oracle before a specific Egyptian military campaign against Gaza. The historical referent is debated — most likely Pharaoh Necho II's march through Philistia en route to Carchemish in 609 BCE. The preposition el is rendered 'concerning' rather than the KJV's 'against' for consistency with the project's treatment of prophetic superscriptions. The oracle itself, however, describes a northern invasion (Babylon), not an Egyptian one — the superscription may be editorial, dating the oracle's reception rather than its subject.
Jeremiah 47:2

כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה הִנֵּה־מַ֜יִם עֹלִ֤ים מִצָּפוֹן֙ וְהָיוּ֙ לְנַ֣חַל שׁוֹטֵ֔ף וְיִשְׁטְפוּ֙ אֶ֣רֶץ וּמְלוֹאָ֔הּ עִ֖יר וְיֹ֣שְׁבֵי בָ֑הּ וְזָעֲק֣וּ הָאָדָ֔ם וְהֵילִ֕ל כֹּ֖ל יוֹשֵׁ֥ב הָאָֽרֶץ׃

This is what the LORD says: Waters are rising from the north — they will become a raging torrent! They will flood the land and everything in it, the city and all who live there. People will cry out; every inhabitant of the land will wail.

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The flood imagery depicts the Babylonian army as an unstoppable wall of water pouring down from the north. The word nachal shotef ('overflowing torrent, raging wadi') describes the flash floods that fill dry riverbeds — sudden, violent, and indiscriminate. The verb yishtephu ('they will flood') repeats the root of shotef, intensifying the drowning image. This inverts the Egypt oracle, where Egypt boasted of rising like the Nile (46:7-8) — here God himself sends the flood. The dual objects 'the land and everything in it, the city and all who live there' uses merism to indicate total destruction.
Jeremiah 47:3

מִקּ֗וֹל שַׁעֲטַת֙ פַּרְס֣וֹת אַבִּירָ֔יו מֵרַ֣עַשׁ לְרִכְבּ֔וֹ הֲמ֖וֹן גַּלְגִּלָּ֑יו לֹא־הִפְנ֤וּ אָבוֹת֙ אֶל־בָּנִ֔ים מֵרִפְי֖וֹן יָדָֽיִם׃

At the sound of the pounding hooves of his stallions, the rattling of his chariots, the rumble of his wheels — fathers will not turn back for their children, their hands too limp with terror.

KJV 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;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The verse builds an overwhelming soundscape: sha'atat parsot abbirav ('the stamping/pounding of his stallions' hooves'), ra'ash rikhbo ('the crashing of his chariot'), hamon galgillav ('the roar of his wheels'). The sounds arrive before the army does — the Philistines hear their death approaching. The word abbirav ('his mighty ones, his stallions') was used for Egypt's warriors in 46:15; here it refers to war horses. The most devastating image: fathers abandon their children because their hands have gone slack (riphyon yadayim, 'limpness of hands') — terror has dissolved the most primal human bond.
Jeremiah 47:4

עַל־הַיּ֗וֹם הַבָּא֙ לִשְׁד֣וֹד אֶת־כָּל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים לְהַכְרִ֤ית לְצֹר֙ וּלְצִיד֔וֹן כֹּ֖ל שָׂרִ֣יד עֹזֵ֑ר כִּֽי־שֹׁדֵ֤ד יְהוָה֙ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים שְׁאֵרִ֖ית אִ֥י כַפְתּֽוֹר׃

Because of the day that is coming to devastate all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every surviving ally. For the LORD is about to devastate the Philistines, the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor.

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

כַפְתּוֹר Kaphtor
"Caphtor" — Caphtor, Crete, Aegean coastland

The ancestral homeland of the Philistines, most likely Crete or the wider Aegean world. The Philistines were part of the 'Sea Peoples' migration documented in Egyptian records from the 12th century BCE. Amos 9:7 confirms this tradition: 'Did I not bring the Philistines from Caphtor?'

Translator Notes

  1. Tyre and Sidon — Phoenician cities north of Philistia — are mentioned because they were allied with the Philistines against Babylon. The verb lishddod ('to devastate, plunder') is repeated (shoeded) for emphasis. The identification of the Philistines as she'erit i Kaphtor ('remnant of the coastland/island of Caphtor') recalls their origin as part of the Sea Peoples migration from the Aegean world (cf. Amos 9:7, Deuteronomy 2:23). By calling them a 'remnant' (she'erit), the text implies they are already diminished — and now even that remnant will be destroyed. Kaphtor is generally identified with Crete or the broader Aegean region.
Jeremiah 47:5

בָּ֤אָה קָרְחָה֙ אֶל־עַזָּ֔ה נִדְמְתָ֥ה אַשְׁקְל֖וֹן שְׁאֵרִ֣ית עִמְקָ֑ם עַד־מָתַ֖י תִּתְגּוֹדָדִֽי׃

Baldness has come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is silenced — remnant of their valley. How long will you gash yourself in grief?

KJV Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Qorchah ('baldness') refers to the mourning practice of shaving the head in grief (cf. Isaiah 22:12, Micah 1:16) — Gaza has entered a state of lamentation. The verb nidmetah ('she is silenced, destroyed, cut off') applied to Ashkelon carries the dual sense of being silenced and being annihilated — the city's voice is extinguished. The question 'how long will you gash yourself?' (titgodadi) refers to the practice of self-laceration in mourning (cf. Deuteronomy 14:1, 1 Kings 18:28). The prophet addresses the surviving Philistines directly, but the question is rhetorical — the mourning will not end because there is no recovery coming.
Jeremiah 47:6

ה֗וֹי חֶ֚רֶב לַיהוָ֔ה עַד־אָ֖נָה לֹ֣א תִשְׁקֹ֑טִי הֵאָֽסְפִי֙ אֶל־תַּעְרֵ֔ךְ הֵרָגְעִ֖י וָדֹֽמִּי׃

O sword of the LORD, how long before you are still? Return to your sheath! Cease — be silent!

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The prophet now addresses the sword itself — a remarkable personification. The exclamation hoy ('O, alas') begins what reads as a lament directed at God's own weapon. The three imperatives — he'asephi ('gather yourself in, return'), heragi ('rest, be still'), and dommi ('be silent') — plead with the sword to stop its work. This is the prophet's own voice breaking through the oracle, unable to bear the destruction any longer, even destruction he has announced as God's will. The tension between prophetic commission and human compassion is raw.
Jeremiah 47:7

אֵ֚יךְ תִּשְׁקֹ֔טִי וַיהוָ֖ה צִוָּ֣ה לָ֑הּ אֶל־אַשְׁקְל֛וֹן וְאֶל־ח֥וֹף הַיָּ֖ם שָׁ֥ם יְעָדָֽהּ׃

How can it be still when the LORD has given it its orders? Against Ashkelon and against the seacoast — there he has appointed it.

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The prophet answers his own plea: the sword cannot rest because YHWH tsivvah lah ('the LORD has commanded it'). The sword is not autonomous — it executes divine orders. The word ye'adah ('he has appointed it, assigned it') uses the root y-'-d, related to mo'ed ('appointed time, meeting') — the same root used to mock Pharaoh in 46:17. There, Pharaoh missed his appointed time; here, the LORD's sword keeps its appointment precisely. The oracle ends not with resolution but with the terrible logic of divine judgment: once God commissions destruction, even the prophet's compassion cannot recall the weapon.
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