Jeremiah 47

Chapters 46 through 51 of Jeremiah contain a series of judgment prophecies against the nations, that is, the peoples outside Israel. This chapter is the second of them. Whereas the preceding Jeremiah 46 concerns Egypt, this chapter is directed against the Philistines on the Mediterranean coast, and the following Jeremiah 48 turns to Moab.

Outline

• Verse 1 Superscription. This is the word that came to the prophet Jeremiah concerning the Philistines before Pharaoh struck Gaza.
• Verses 2–3 Waters rising out of the north overflow and cover the land, its cities, and its inhabitants. At the noise of stamping hoofs and rumbling chariot wheels, the fathers' hands grow feeble, and they do not look back to their children.
• Verse 4 The day is coming when the Philistines will be destroyed and every helper remaining to Tyre and Sidon will be cut off. The remnant of the Philistines from the isle of Caphtor will also perish.
• Verse 5 Baldness comes upon Gaza, and Ashkelon and the plain are destroyed. The people are depicted cutting themselves in mourning.
• Verses 6–7 A cry goes up to the "sword of the LORD," asking how long it will refuse to rest. The answer follows that it cannot rest, because the LORD has commanded it against Ashkelon and the seashore.

Key Verses

• Jeremiah 47:2 "Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood" — the central image of the chapter, likening the invading army to an overflowing flood.
• Jeremiah 47:4 "the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth" — a declaration that the judgment extends not only to the Philistines but also to their allies.
• Jeremiah 47:6 "O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet?" — an address to the personified sword of judgment, paired with the answer in verse 7.

People and Places

• Jeremiah: The prophet who received this word.
• Pharaoh: A title for the king of Egypt. The text does not specify which king is meant.
• Philistines: A people who lived on the southern Mediterranean coast; the object of this prophecy.
• Gaza: A coastal city in southern Philistia.
• Ashkelon: A Philistine coastal city north of Gaza.
• Tyre and Sidon: Phoenician port cities to the north, mentioned as powers that might help the Philistines.
• Caphtor: An island described as the place of origin of the Philistines, commonly identified with Crete (see Amos 9:7).

Points to Consider

• The waters from the north: The text does not name the invader. In keeping with the overall thrust of the Book of Jeremiah, however, it is generally understood as the army of Babylon. According to the Babylonian Chronicles, Nebuchadnezzar captured Ashkelon around 604 BC.
• The Pharaoh of verse 1: Many interpreters identify him as the Egyptian king Necho II. The exact date of the attack on Gaza, however, is uncertain.
• Shaving the head and cutting the body: These were mourning customs practiced in the ancient Near East. The Law forbade them to Israel (Leviticus 19:28; Deuteronomy 14:1).
• The meaning of the oracles against the nations: Prophecies against the Philistines also appear in Isaiah 14:29–31, Ezekiel 25:15–17, Amos 1:6–8, Zephaniah 2:4–7, and Zechariah 9:5–7. These prophecies are interpreted in various ways. Some readings focus on their historical fulfillment, while others read them as a confession that God is sovereign over the nations.
• Placement within the book: In the Septuagint, the oracles against the nations are placed in the middle of chapter 25 and appear in a different order. The position of this chapter therefore also differs from its position in the Masoretic Text.
• Connection with the New Testament: The road to Gaza is the setting of the account of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26). Tyre and Sidon also appear in the words and ministry of Jesus (Matthew 11:21–22; 15:21). The New Testament does not, however, directly quote the prophecy of this chapter.