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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1712)
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>J E R E M I A H.</B></FONT>
<BR>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XLVII.</FONT>
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<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
This chapter reads the Philistines their doom, as the former read the
Egyptians theirs and by the same hand, that of Nebuchadnezzar. It is
short, but terrible; and Tyre and Zidon, though they lay at some
distance from them, come in sharers with them in the destruction here
threatened.
I. It is foretold that the forces of the northern crowns should come
upon them, to their great terror,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+47:1-5">ver. 1-5</A>.
II. That the war should continue long, and their endeavours to put an
end to it should be in vain,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+47:6,7">ver. 6-7</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="Jer47_1"> </A>
<A NAME="Jer47_2"> </A>
<A NAME="Jer47_3"> </A>
<A NAME="Jer47_4"> </A>
<A NAME="Jer47_5"> </A>
<A NAME="Jer47_6"> </A>
<A NAME="Jer47_7"> </A>
<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Judgment of the Philistines.</I></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 588.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>1 The word of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> that came to Jeremiah the prophet
against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.
&nbsp; 2 Thus saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>; 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.
&nbsp; 3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong
<I>horses,</I> at the rushing of his chariots, <I>and at</I> the rumbling
of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to <I>their</I>
children for feebleness of hands;
&nbsp; 4 Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines,
<I>and</I> to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that
remaineth: for the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> will spoil the Philistines, the remnant
of the country of Caphtor.
&nbsp; 5 Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off <I>with</I> the
remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?
&nbsp; 6 O thou sword of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, how long <I>will it be</I> ere thou be
quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.
&nbsp; 7 How can it be quiet, seeing the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> hath given it a charge
against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he
appointed it.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
As the Egyptians had often proved false friends, so the Philistines had
always been sworn enemies, to the Israel of God, and the more dangerous
and vexatious for their being such near neighbours to them. They were
considerably humbled in David's time, but, it seems they had got head
again and were a considerable people till Nebuchadnezzar cut them off
with their neighbours, which is the event here foretold. The date of
this prophecy is observable; it was <I>before Pharaoh</I> smote Gaza.
When this blow was given to Gaza by the king of Egypt is not certain,
whether in his expedition against Carchemish or in his return thence,
after he had slain Josiah, or when he afterwards came with design to
relieve Jerusalem; but this is mentioned here to show that this word of
the Lord came to Jeremiah against the Philistines when they were in
their full strength and lustre, themselves and their cities in good
condition, in no peril from any adversary or evil occurrent. When no
disturbance of their repose was foreseen by any human probabilities,
yet then Jeremiah foretold their ruin, which Pharaoh's smiting Gaza
soon after would be but an earnest of, and, as it were, the beginning
of sorrows to that country. It is here foretold,
1. That a foreign enemy and a very formidable one shall be brought upon
them: <I>Waters rise up out of the north,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+47:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
Waters sometimes signify multitudes of people and nations
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+17:15">Rev. xvii. 15</A>),
sometimes great and threatening calamities
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+69:1">Ps. lxix. 1</A>);
here they signify both. They <I>rise out of the north,</I> whence fair
weather and the wind that drives away rain are said to come; but now a
terrible storm comes out of that cold climate. The Chaldean army shall
overflow the land like a deluge. Probably this happened before the
destruction of Jerusalem, for it should seem that in Gedaliah's time,
which was just after, the army of the Chaldeans was quite withdrawn out
of those parts. The country of the Philistines was but of small extent,
so that it would soon be overwhelmed by so vast an army.
2. That they shall all be in a consternation upon it. The men shall
have no heart to fight, but shall sit down and cry like children:
<I>All the inhabitants of the land shall howl,</I> so that nothing but
lamentation shall be heard in all places. The occasion of the fright is
elegantly described,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+47:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
Before it comes to killing and slaying, the very <I>stamping of the
horses</I> and <I>rattling of the chariots,</I> when the enemy makes
his approach, shall strike a terror upon the people, to such a degree
that parents in their fright shall seem void of natural affection,
<I>for they shall not look back to their children,</I> to provide for
their safety, or so much as to see what becomes of them. Their
<I>hands shall be so feeble</I> that they shall despair of carrying
them off with them, and therefore they shall not care for seeing them,
but leave them to take their lot; or they shall be in such a
consternation that they shall quite forget even those pieces of
themselves. Let none be over-fond of their children, nor dote upon
them, since such distress may come that they may either wish they had
none or forget that they have, and have no heart to look upon them.
3. That the country of the Philistines shall be spoiled and laid
waste, and the other countries adjoining to them and in alliance with
them. It is a day <I>to spoil the Philistines, for the Lord will spoil
them,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+47:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
Note, Those whom God will spoil must needs be spoiled; for, <I>if God
be against them, who can be for them?</I> Tyre and Zidon were strong
and wealthy cities, and they used to help the Philistines in a strait,
but now they shall themselves be involved in the common ruin, and God
will cut off from them every <I>helper that remains.</I> Note, Those
that trust to help from creatures will find it cut off when they most
need it and will thereby be put into the utmost confusion. Who the
<I>remnant of the country of Caphtor</I> were is uncertain, but we find
that the Caphtorim were near akin to the Philistines
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+10:14">Gen. x. 14</A>),
and probably when their own country was destroyed such as remained came
and settled with their kinsmen the Philistines, and were now spoiled
with them. Some particular places are here named, <I>Gaza, and
Ashkelon,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+47:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
<I>Baldness has come upon them;</I> the invaders have stripped them of
all their ornaments, or they have made themselves bald in token of
extreme grief, and they are <I>cut off,</I> with the other cities that
were in the plain or valley about them. The products of their fruitful
valley shall be <I>spoiled,</I> and made a prey of, by the conquerors.
4. That these calamities should continue long. The prophet, in the
foresight of this, with his usual tenderness, asks them first
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+47:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>),
<I>How long will you cut yourselves,</I> as men in extreme sorrow and
anguish do? O how tedious will the calamity be! not only cutting, but
long cutting. But he turns from the effect to the cause: <I>They cut
themselves,</I> for the sword of the Lord cuts them. And therefore,
(1.) He bespeaks that to be still
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+47:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>):
<I>O thou sword of the Lord! how long will it be ere thou be
quiet?</I> He begs it would <I>put up itself into the scabbard,</I>
would devour no more flesh, drink no more blood. This expresses the
prophet's earnest desire to see an end of the war, looking with
compassion, as became a man, even upon the Philistines themselves, when
their country was made desolate by the sword. Note, War is the <I>sword
of the Lord;</I> with it he punishes the crimes of his enemies and
pleads the cause of his own people. When war is once begun it often
lasts long; the sword, once drawn, does not quickly find the way into
the scabbard again; nay, some when they draw the sword throw away the
scabbard, for they <I>delight in war.</I> So deplorable are the
desolations of war that the blessings of peace cannot but be very
desirable. O that <I>swords might be beaten into ploughshares!</I>
(2.) Yet he gives a satisfactory account of the continuance of the war
and stops the mouth of his own complaint
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+47:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>):
<I>How can it be quiet, seeing the Lord hath given it a charge</I>
against such and such places, particularly specified in its commission?
<I>There hath he appointed it.</I> Note,
[1.] The sword of war hath its charge from the Lord of hosts. Every
bullet has its charge; you call them blind bullets, but they are
directed by an all-seeing God. The war itself has its charge; he saith
to it, <I>Go, and it goes--Come, and it comes--Do this, and it does
it;</I> for he is commander-in-chief.
[2.] When the sword is drawn we cannot expect it should be sheathed
till it has fulfilled its charge. As the word of God, so his rod and
his sword, shall accomplish that for which he sends them.</P>
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