Jeremiah 47

THE word of the LORD, that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, be ore that Pharaoh smote Gaza In the former chapter the prophet foretold the Judgments of God upon the Egyptians, who were the Jews seeming Friends, but their real Enemies, as they were oc a on to them of Idolatry, and of a ful confidence in them He comes in this chapter to foretell the judgments of God upon the Philistines who were invetera e Enemies to the Jews against whom also I aiah, chap. 14.29.. his Prophesie, and Ezeki l an Amos prophesied, Ezek. 25.15. A o 1.6. and also Zeph ia in chap. 2 4.5. of his Prophesie. When the King of Bab lon took Gaza, one of the five Cities of the Philistin s the Scripture does not tell us. Some think it was either in his way to Carchemish, or as he came back a Conquerour from he Battel at Megidd where Iosiah was slain. The time when Ieremiah had his Revelation is set down to let us know, that it was in the time of the Philistines prosperity, when the Prophet could see no such effect existent, or probable in its causes..

Thus says the LORD, Behold, waters rise up out of the north Calamites and afflictions are often in Scripture set out under the notion of Waters, and as the miseries of Egypt were set out by the overflowings of their great River ilus. So the calamities of the Phili ines are expressed by the overflowings of the great River Euphrates, these miseries coming upon them by the Caldeans, which were a Northern people, their water are said to 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 It is said to be an overflowing flood that should over flow the Land, because it was to be a sweeping judgment, which like a flood should carry all before it, then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl which should produce amongst the inhabitants of Gaza a great howling, and lamentation..

At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong ho ses, at the rushing of his charets, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands This is all but a description of the march of an Army, so terrible as should make Parents forget their natural affection, and flee away to ave themselves looking upon themselves, as lost, and unable to protect their children..

Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines The day which God has set, and appointed for the ruine of the Philistines., and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth Tyre and Sidon were neighbouring to the Philistines, as appears from Gen. 10.14 15. Ioel 3.4. and so were often called to their help, God threatneth both to destroy them and also those that helped them;: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the countrey of Caphtor it appeareth from G n. 10.14. that the P i i ines and Caphtorims were related for their first Progen tors Phili tim and Capt im were both the sons of M z im the son of H m one of the sons of N ah. It appears from Deut. 2.23. that they expelled the A it s and dwelt n Hazerim to Azzah, whether their Countrey be what was afterwards called Cappadocia or Damiata is not much material for us to know, they were a people confe erate with the Phi istines, whom God here threatneth to destroy with them. The day which God has set, and appointed for the ruine of the Philistines..

Baldness is come upon Gaza, Askelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley Gaza and were two principal Cities belonging to the P ilistines taken by I dah, Iud. 1.18. we read of them 1 S m. 6.17 both A s. Z phan ah, and prophes ed their ruine. Am s 1.8. Z ani 2.4, 7 as this Prophet, by the remna t of the valley, most those who lived in the Vallies near about Askelon.: how long wilt thou cut thy self Conce ing the last clause in this ver e there is some difference, whe or the words should be joined w th the next verse and read too thy self, O thou Sword of the Lord (or as they lye in our Bi les) then the sense is, why will you in so desperate a case afflict your selves, when all your mourning will do you no good.?

O Thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet, put up thy self into thy scabbard, rest, and be still Some make the word o the 6th. verse to be the words of the Philistines in their mourning and ring themselves, crying to God to stop the Sword drawn against them and to retur it again into its Scabbard: Others make them the words of the Prophet, lamenting of Prophesie saw was like to be made mongst the Philistines the Cald s, (for good men are affected with the miseries even o the worst of men).

How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD has given it a charge against Ashkelon and against the sea shore? there has he appointed it ver e must e ex ounde ccording to the former, for f the wor s of the former ve se e understood as the words of the Phili ines those of this verse must be understood as the words of the Prophet putting them out of the hopes of the Swords stopping, because what it did was by commission from God, which it must execute if the word of the former verse be to be understood as the Prophets words, the words of this verse are either the Prophets words correcting himself, and concluding that this Sword could not be quiet, because it was edged by God himself, who had given i his commission which it must execu e: O the words of God, letting the prophet know that he had given this Sword its commission, and therefore it could not stop till Askelon and the people on the Sea shore were destroyed by it..