Jeremiah 47
What Happens in This Chapter
God gives Jeremiah a message about the Philistines, a people who lived near the sea. An army is coming from the north like a flood, and their towns will be destroyed. The people cry out and mourn, and no one can stop what is coming. The chapter ends with the sword still under God's orders against Ashkelon and the coast.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.
1This is the message the LORD gave to Jeremiah, a prophet who told people what God said. The message was about the Philistines, a people who lived by the sea. It came before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, attacked the city of Gaza.
2Thus saith the LORD; 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.
2This is what the LORD says. Look, waters are rising up in the north. They will spill over like a flood that covers everything. They will cover the land and all that is in it. They will cover the cities and the people who live there. Then the men will cry out. Everyone in the land will weep and wail.
3At 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;
3They will hear the pounding hoofs of strong horses. They will hear chariots rushing by and wheels rumbling. Fathers will not even turn back to help their own children. Their hands will hang down, too weak to do anything.
4Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor.
4This is because the day is coming to ruin all the Philistines. Every friend left to help the cities of Tyre and Sidon will be cut off. The LORD is going to ruin the Philistines. They are the ones still left from the land of Caphtor.
"Tyrus" is the older spelling of Tyre, a city on the coast. Caphtor is the island the Philistines first came from, probably Crete.
5Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?
5The people of Gaza have shaved their heads in sadness. The town of Ashkelon is silenced, and so is the rest of their valley. How long will you cut your own skin?
Long ago, people shaved their heads and cut their skin to show they were very sad. It was how they mourned when someone died.
6O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.
6The people cry out, "Oh sword of the LORD, how long until you rest? Go back into your case. Stop now and be still."
The KJV word "scabbard" means the cover a sword slides into when it is not being used.
7How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he appointed it.
7But how can the sword rest? The LORD has given it a job to do. He has sent it against Ashkelon and against the land by the sea.
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