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

This is the Word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah the man of God about the Philistines, before Pharaoh won the war against Gaza.

2 T hus hath the LORD said: 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 cities and those that dwell therein; then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl.

The Lord says, “Waters are going to rise from the north and become a flood. They will flow over the land and everything in it, the cities and all who live in them. The men will cry out. Every person living in the land will cry in a loud voice.

3 A t 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;

Because of the noise of the feet of horses running, the noise of war-wagons and the sound of wheels, fathers have not turned back for their children. Their hands have become too weak,

4 b ecause of the day that comes to destroy all the Palestinians, and to cut off from Tyre and Zidon every helper that remains: for the LORD will destroy the Palestinians, the remnant of the island of Caphtor.

because of the day that is coming to destroy all the Philistines. And all those who helped Tyre and Sidon will be destroyed. For the Lord is going to destroy the Philistines, those who are left of the land of Caphtor by the sea.

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

All the hair is gone from the head of Gaza. Ashkelon has been destroyed. O you who are left of their valley, how long will you cut yourselves?

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, sword of the Lord, how long will it be before you are quiet? Return to your holder. Be at rest and do not move.

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

How can it be quiet, when the Lord has given it work to do? He has sent it against Ashkelon and against the land by the sea.”