Yeremia 47:1

Judgment on the Philistine Cities

47:1 The Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah ¹  about the Philistines before Pharaoh attacked Gaza. ² 

Yoel 3:4

3:4 Why are you doing these things to me, Tyre and Sidon? ³ 

Are you trying to get even with me, land of Philistia? ⁴ 

I will very quickly repay you for what you have done! ⁵ 

Zefanya 2:4

Judgment on Surrounding Nations

2:4 Indeed, ⁶  Gaza will be deserted ⁷ 

and Ashkelon will become a heap of ruins. ⁸ 

Invaders will drive away the people of Ashdod by noon, ⁹ 

and Ekron will be overthrown. ¹⁰ 

[47:1]  ¹ tn Heb “That which came [as] the word of the Lord to Jeremiah.” For this same construction see 14:1; 46:1 and see the translator’s note at 14:1 for explanation.

[47:1]  ² sn The precise dating of this prophecy is uncertain. Several proposals have been suggested, the most likely of which is that the prophecy was delivered in 609 b.c. in conjunction with Pharaoh Necho’s advance into Palestine to aid the Assyrians. That was the same year that Josiah was killed by Necho at the battle of Megiddo and four years before Necho was defeated by Nebuchadnezzar, the foe from the north. The prophecy presupposes that Ashkelon is still in existence (v. 5) hence it must be before 604 b.c. For a fairly complete discussion of the options see G. L. Keown, P. J. Scalise, T. G. Smothers, Jeremiah 26-52 (WBC), 299-300.

[3:4]  ³ tn Heb “What [are] you [doing] to me, O Tyre and Sidon?”

[3:4]  ⁴ tn Or “districts.”

[3:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “quickly, speedily, I will return your recompense on your head.” This is an idiom for retributive justice and an equitable reversal of situation.

[2:4]  ⁶ tn Or “for” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).

[2:4]  ⁷ tn There is a sound play here in the Hebrew text: the name Gaza (עַזָּה, ’azzah) sounds like the word translated “deserted” (עֲזוּבָה, ’azuvah).

[2:4]  ⁸ tn Or “a desolate place.”

[2:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “[As for] Ashdod, at noon they will drive her away.”

[2:4]  sn The reference to noon may suggest a sudden, quick defeat (see Jer 6:4; 15:8).

[2:4]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “uprooted.” There is a sound play here in the Hebrew text: the name “Ekron” (עֶקְרוֹן, ’eqron) sounds like the word translated “uprooted” (תֵּעָקֵר, te’aqer).