Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 47

Verse 1

THE TITLE, Jeremiah 47:1.

1. The word of the Lord… against the Philistines “The prophecy against Philistia was one of those contained in Jehoiakim’s roll, but there are many difficulties connected with the superscription, owing to our ignorance of contemporaneous history.” Dean Smith.

Before that Pharaoh smote Gaza Probably Pharaoh-necho, after his defeat at Carchemish. The possession of this stronghold might enable him to hold in check his conquering enemy, and thus serve as a protection to his own land. With this view this prophecy would come between the battle of Carchemish and the capture of Gaza.

THE PROPHECY OF RUIN, 2-7.

Verse 2

2. Waters rise up The comparison of a hostile army to an inundating flood spreading devastation over the land is repeatedly used. See Jeremiah 46:7-8; Isaiah 8:7, etc. This flood is said to come out of the north, because all those Eastern peoples enter Palestine, Philistia, and Egypt from the north.

All that is therein The margin is better, all the fulness thereof, meaning not the people, but the fruits of the earth and the wealth of its inhabitants.

Verse 3

3. Strong horses War horses.

The fathers shall not look back Nothing could more impressively set forth the appalling danger and terror. So fearful would be the panic that the parent would not pause to see whether his children were effecting their escape.

Verse 4

4. The destruction is represented as falling upon the Philistines and Phenicians. This suggests an expedition directed against this whole region of country. The Philistines are called the remnant of the country of Caphtor. Caphtor has been, by different authors, identified with Cappadocia, Crete, Cyprus, and the Egyptian Delta. The last of these identifications is the best approved, as it is pretty well settled that the Philistines came from Egypt.

Country Literally, coast land.

Verse 5

5. Baldness A sign of the deepest grief and calamity.

How long wilt thou cut thyself Philistia is represented as a woman tearing her own body in grief and despair.

Verse 6

6. O thou sword… how long As if it may no longer be endured. The prayer is in behalf of Philistia and in behalf of humanity for respite and mercy.

Verse 7

7. How can it, etc. A reply to the question asked in Jeremiah 47:6. Jehovah hath given “the sword” a commission, and it cannot be quiet until the commission be fulfilled.

Sea shore A suitable designation of Philistia.