47 This is Yahweh’s message that he gave to the prophet Yirmeyah (Jeremiah) concerning the Philistines before Far-oh (Pharaoh) attacked Azzah (Gaza).[ref] 2 Yahweh says this:

Listen, armies are rising in the north like floods of water.

They’ll be like an overflowing river.

Then they’ll overflow the land and everything in it—

its cities and its inhabitants.

So everyone will shout out for help,

and all the land’s inhabitants will wail.

3 At the sound of the stamping of their powerful horses’ hooves,

at the clattering of their chariots and the noise of their wheels,

fathers won’t help their children because of their own helplessness.

4 The day is coming that will devastate all of the Philistines—

to cut every survivor off from Tsor and Tsidon (Tyre and Sidon) who wants to help them,

because Yahweh is devastating the Philistines—

the remnant who originally came from Crete (Heb. Kaftor Island).

5 The people of Azzah (Gaza) will shave their heads in mourning.

The remnant in Ashkelon’s valley will be silenced.

How much longer will you cut yourself in mourning for?

6 Oh no, sword of Yahweh, how long will it be until you stop?

Get back to your scabbard. Stop and be silent.

7 How can it stop when Yahweh has commanded it,

when he has ordered it to attack Ashkelon and the other cities along the coast?