Jeremiah 47 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Jeremiah 47 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment


1 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.

2 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters 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: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl.

God plans to drown the Philistines in a flood, and "all the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl."
In the Bible, often waters are a symbol for many people. In this verse the waters are:

Meaning an army of men, which should come in great numbers, and with great force and rapidity, like an overflowing flood.

3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses, at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;

4 Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor.

5 Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?

6 O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.

"O thou sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet?" Good question. Someone needs to take the sword away from the big guy.
These are the words of the Philistines, and given that they call the sword of the Chaldeans the sword of God it appears they have recognised that they were punished by God. And on taking away God's sword: to whom will his people go if God was not able to defend them? They certainly couldn't go to the world as it hates Christians.

7 How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he appointed it.