1 Y ahweh’s word that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before that Pharaoh struck 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 Y ahweh says: Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall become an overflowing stream, and shall overflow the land and all that is therein, the city and those who dwell therein; and the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall wail.

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 ones, at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers don’t 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 Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper who remains: for Yahweh will destroy the Philistines, the remnant of the isle 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 has come on Gaza; Ashkelon is brought to nothing, the remnant of their valley: how long will you cut yourself?

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 Y ou sword of Yahweh, how long will it be before you be quiet? Put up yourself into your 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 you be quiet, since Yahweh has given you a command? Against Ashkelon, and against the seashore, 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.”