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At the noise of the pounding hooves of his steeds,
    the clanking chariots, the rumbling wheels,
Parents do not turn back for their children;
    their hands hang helpless,
Because of the day that is coming
    to destroy all the Philistines
And cut off from Tyre and Sidon[a]
    the last of their allies.
Yes, the Lord is destroying the Philistines,
    the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.(A)
Baldness is visited upon Gaza,(B)
    Ashkelon is reduced to silence;
Ashdod, remnant of their strength,
    how long will you gash yourself?[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 47:4 Tyre and Sidon: Phoenician seaports allied commercially with the Philistines and often rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar; cf. 27:1–4. After the capture of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar carried out a partially successful thirteen-year siege of Tyre. Caphtor: Crete and other Aegean islands, points of origin for the Philistines and other sea peoples; cf. Am 9:7.
  2. 47:5 Baldness…gash yourself: close-cropped hair, silence, and ritual slashing of the body express mourning and grief and here represent the mourner’s awareness that chaos has overcome order (cf. 41:5).

at the sound of the hooves of galloping steeds,
    at the noise of enemy chariots(A)
    and the rumble of their wheels.
Parents will not turn to help their children;
    their hands will hang limp.(B)
For the day has come
    to destroy all the Philistines
and to remove all survivors
    who could help Tyre(C) and Sidon.(D)
The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines,(E)
    the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.[a](F)
Gaza will shave(G) her head in mourning;
    Ashkelon(H) will be silenced.
You remnant on the plain,
    how long will you cut(I) yourselves?

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 47:4 That is, Crete