mh_parser/vol_split/24 - Jeremiah/Chapter 47.xml

<div2 id="Jer.xlviii" n="xlviii" next="Jer.xlix" prev="Jer.xlvii" progress="45.05%" title="Chapter XLVII">
<h2 id="Jer.xlviii-p0.1">J E R E M I A H.</h2>
<h3 id="Jer.xlviii-p0.2">CHAP. XLVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Jer.xlviii-p1" shownumber="no">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, <scripRef id="Jer.xlviii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.47.1-Jer.47.5" parsed="|Jer|47|1|47|5" passage="Jer 47:1-5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II.
That the war should continue long, and their endeavours to put an
end to it should be in vain, <scripRef id="Jer.xlviii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.47.6-Jer.47.7" parsed="|Jer|47|6|47|7" passage="Jer 47:6,7">ver.
6-7</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Jer.xlviii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Jer.47" parsed="|Jer|47|0|0|0" passage="Jer 47" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Jer.xlviii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Jer.47.1-Jer.47.7" parsed="|Jer|47|1|47|7" passage="Jer 47:1-7" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Jer.xlviii-p1.5">
<h4 id="Jer.xlviii-p1.6">The Judgment of the
Philistines. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlviii-p1.7">b. c.</span> 588.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jer.xlviii-p2" shownumber="no">1 The word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlviii-p2.1">Lord</span> that came to Jeremiah the prophet against
the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.   2 Thus
saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlviii-p2.2">Lord</span>; 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.   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;  
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 <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlviii-p2.3">Lord</span> will spoil
the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor.   5
Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off <i>with</i> the
remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?   6 O
thou sword of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlviii-p2.4">Lord</span>, how long
<i>will it be</i> ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy
scabbard, rest, and be still.   7 How can it be quiet, seeing
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlviii-p2.5">Lord</span> hath given it a charge
against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he
appointed it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlviii-p3" shownumber="no">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> <scripRef id="Jer.xlviii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.47.2" parsed="|Jer|47|2|0|0" passage="Jer 47:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>.
Waters sometimes signify multitudes of people and nations
(<scripRef id="Jer.xlviii-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.17.15" parsed="|Rev|17|15|0|0" passage="Re 17:15">Rev. xvii. 15</scripRef>), sometimes
great and threatening calamities (<scripRef id="Jer.xlviii-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.69.1" parsed="|Ps|69|1|0|0" passage="Ps 69:1">Ps.
lxix. 1</scripRef>); 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, <scripRef id="Jer.xlviii-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:Jer.47.3" parsed="|Jer|47|3|0|0" passage="Jer 47:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. 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> <scripRef id="Jer.xlviii-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:Jer.47.4" parsed="|Jer|47|4|0|0" passage="Jer 47:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>.
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 (<scripRef id="Jer.xlviii-p3.6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.14" parsed="|Gen|10|14|0|0" passage="Ge 10:14">Gen. x.
14</scripRef>), 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> <scripRef id="Jer.xlviii-p3.7" osisRef="Bible:Jer.47.5" parsed="|Jer|47|5|0|0" passage="Jer 47:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. <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
(<scripRef id="Jer.xlviii-p3.8" osisRef="Bible:Jer.47.5" parsed="|Jer|47|5|0|0" passage="Jer 47:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), <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 (<scripRef id="Jer.xlviii-p3.9" osisRef="Bible:Jer.47.6" parsed="|Jer|47|6|0|0" passage="Jer 47:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): <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 (<scripRef id="Jer.xlviii-p3.10" osisRef="Bible:Jer.47.7" parsed="|Jer|47|7|0|0" passage="Jer 47:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): <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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