See, waters rise up out of the north
    and will be an overflowing flood,
and will overflow the land, and all that is in it,
    the city and those who dwell in it.
Then the men shall cry out
    and all the inhabitants of the land will howl
³ at 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 will not look back to their children
    because of the feebleness of their hands,
⁴ because of the day that comes
    to destroy all the Philistines
and to cut off from Tyre and Sidon
    every helper that remains.
For the Lord will destroy the Philistines,
    the remnant of the country of Caphtor.
⁵ Baldness has come upon Gaza;
    Ashkelon has been cut off.
O remnant of their valley,
    how long shall you gash yourself?

⁶ O sword of the Lord,
    how long shall you not be quiet?
Withdraw into your sheath,
    rest, and be still.
⁷ How can it be quiet,
    seeing the Lord has given it a charge
against Ashkelon and against the sea shore?
    There He has appointed it.