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.
Jeremiah 47 Bible Commentary
Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown
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.