Jeremiah 47

Jer 47:1-7.

PROPHECY AGAINST THE

PHILISTINES.

1. Pharaoh-necho probably smote Gaza on his return after

defeating Josiah at Megiddo

(2Ch 35:20)

[GROTIUS]. Or, Pharaoh-hophra

(Jer 37:5, 7)

is intended: probably on his return from his fruitless attempt to save

Jerusalem from the Chaldeans, he smote Gaza in order that his

expedition might not be thought altogether in vain [CALVIN]

(Am 1:6, 7).

2. waters--

(Isa 8:7).

The Chaldeans from the north are compared to the overwhelming waters of

their own Euphrates. The smiting of Gaza was to be only the prelude of

a greater disaster to the Philistines. Nebuzara-dan was left by

Nebuchadnezzar, after he had taken Jerusalem, to subdue the rest of the

adjoining cities and country.

3. (Compare

Jer 4:29).

fathers . . . not look back to . . . children--Each shall think only

of his own safety, not even the fathers regarding their own children. So

desperate shall be the calamity that men shall divest themselves of the

natural affections.

for feebleness of hands--The hands, the principal instruments of

action, shall have lost all power; their whole hope shall be in their

feet.

4. every helper--The Philistines, being neighbors to the

Phœnicians of Tyre and Sidon, would naturally make common cause

with them in the case of invasion. These cities would have no

helper left when the Philistines should be destroyed.

Caphtor--the Caphtorim and Philistines both came from Mizraim

(Ge 10:13, 14).

The Philistines are said to have been delivered by God from Caphtor

(Am 9:7).

Perhaps before the time of Moses they dwelt near and were subjugated by

the Caphtorim

(De 2:23)

and subsequently delivered. "The remnant" means here those still left

after the Egyptians had attacked Gaza and Palestine; or rather, those

left of the Caphtorim after the Chaldeans had attacked them previous to

their attack on the Philistines. Some identify Caphtor with Cappadocia;

GESENIUS, with Crete

(Eze 25:16,

Cherethims); KITTO, Cyprus. Between Palestine and

Idumea there was a city Caparorsa; and their close connection with

Palestine on the one hand, and Egypt (Mizraim,

Ge 10:13, 14)

on the other hand, makes this locality the most likely.

5. Baldness . . . cut thyself--Palestine is represented as a female

who has torn off her hair and cut her flesh, the heathenish

(Le 19:28)

token of mourning

(Jer 48:37).

their valley--the long strip of low plain occupied by the Philistines

along the Mediterranean, west of the mountains of Judea. The Septuagint reads Anakim, the remains of whom were settled in those regions

(Nu 13:28).

Joshua dislodged them so that none were left but in Gaza, Gath, and

Ashdod

(Jos 11:21, 22).

But the parallel

(Jer 47:7),

"Ashkelon . . . the sea-shore," established English

Version here, "Ashkelon . . . their valley."

6. Jeremiah, in the person of the Philistines afflicting themselves

(Jer 47:5),

apostrophizes the "sword of the Lord," entreating mercy (compare

De 32:41;

Eze 21:3-5, 9, 10).

up thyself--Hebrew, "Gather thyself," that is, retire or return.

7. Jeremiah, from addressing the sword in the second person, turns

to his hearers and speaks of it in the third person.

Lord . . . given it a charge--

(Eze 14:17).

the sea-shore--the strip of land between the mountains and

Mediterranean, held by the Philistines: "their valley"

(see on

Jer 47:5).

there hath he appointed it--

(Mic 6:9).

There hath He ordered it to rage.