Jeremiah 47:4
in Jeremiah 47For the day has come to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every remaining ally. Indeed, the LORD is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
because of the day that cometh to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remaineth: for Jehovah will destroy the Philistines, the remnant of the isle of Caphtor.
KJV
Because 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.
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This verse in Jeremiah 47
Commentary
6 notes on this verseTo spoil all the Philistines - These people, of whom there were five seignories, occupied the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, to the south of the Phoenicians. Tyrus and Zidon - Places sufficiently remarkable both in the Old and New Testament, and in profane history. They belonged to the Phoenicians; and at this time were depending on the succor of their allies, the Philistines. But their expectation was cut off. The remnant of the country of Caphtor - Crete, or Cyprus.
This site's exposition
at the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses
on Jeremiah 47:3-4
The terror is measured in the cruelest possible unit, fathers who will not turn back to help their own children because their hands have gone weak with fear, the invasion's speed and scale overriding even a parent's instinct. Verse 4 ties the coming judgment to the Philistines' origin from Caphtor, the same derivation Amos 9:7 and Deuteronomy 2:23 give them, and cuts off their old allies Tyre and Sidon in the same stroke, leaving the Philistine cities with no one left to call on.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Who the remnant of the country of Caphtor were is uncertain, but we find that the Caphtorim were near akin to the Philistines ( Gen. x. 14 ), and probably when their own country was destroyed such as remained came and settled with their kinsmen the Philistines, and were now spoiled with them. Some particular places are here named, Gaza, and Ashkelon,
Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Perhaps before the time of Moses they dwelt near and were subjugated by the Caphtorim (De 2:23) and subsequently delivered. "The remnant" means here those still left after the Egyptians had attacked Gaza and Palestine; or rather, those left of the Caphtorim after the Chaldeans had attacked them previous to their attack on the Philistines.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Because of the day that cometh to spoil - “Because” the day has come “to devastate.” The Philistines are called Tyre’s remaining (i. e., last) helper, because all besides who could have assisted her have already succumbed to the Chaldaean power. The judgment upon Philistia was in connection with that upon Tyre, and it was fulfilled by expeditions sent out by Nebuchadnezzar under him lieutenants to ravage the country and supply his main army with provisions. The country of Caphtor - The coastland of Caphtor. The Philistines came from the coast of the Egyptian Delta, and are called “a remnant” because they had been greatly reduced in numbers, partly by the long war of Psammetichus against Ashdod, partly by the capture of Gaza Jer 47:1, and partly by Assyrian invasions.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
to cut off from Tyre and Zidon The Philistines were aiding them against their enemies.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
the stamping Heb. שעטת. There is no similar [word in Scripture]. And Jonathan rendered it: from the steps.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַיּ֗וֹם | haiyom | the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַבָּא֙ | haba' | which is coming | H935 → | 2568 times |
| לִשְׁד֣וֹד | lishdod | to devastate | H7703 → | 57 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים | pelishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| לְהַכְרִ֤ית | lehakhrit | to cut off | H3772 → | 288 times |
| לְצֹר֙ | letzor | to Tyre | H6865 → | 42 times |
| וּלְצִיד֔וֹן | uletzidon | and to Sidon | H6721 → | 22 times |
| כֹּ֖ל | kol | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| שָׂרִ֣יד | sarid | survivor | H8300 → | 28 times |
| עֹזֵ֑ר | ʾozer | helping | H5826 → | |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| שֹׁדֵ֤ד | shoded | [is] about to devastate | H7703 → | 57 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים | pelishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| שְׁאֵרִ֖ית | sheerit | [the] remnant of | H7611 → | 66 times |
| אִ֥י | ʾi | [the] coastland of | H339 → | 36 times |
| כַפְתּֽוֹר׃ | khaftor | Caphtor | H3731 → |
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַיּ֗וֹםthe day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַבָּא֙which is coming
haba'H935 →2568 times
לִשְׁד֣וֹדto devastate
lishdodH7703 →57 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים[the] Philistines
pelishtimH6430 →287 times
לְהַכְרִ֤יתto cut off
lehakhritH3772 →288 times
לְצֹר֙to Tyre
letzorH6865 →42 times
וּלְצִיד֔וֹןand to Sidon
uletzidonH6721 →22 times
כֹּ֖לevery
kolH3605 →5413 times
שָׂרִ֣ידsurvivor
saridH8300 →28 times
עֹזֵ֑רhelping
ʾozerH5826 →
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
שֹׁדֵ֤ד[is] about to devastate
shodedH7703 →57 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים[the] Philistines
pelishtimH6430 →287 times
שְׁאֵרִ֖ית[the] remnant of
sheeritH7611 →66 times
אִ֥י[the] coastland of
ʾiH339 →36 times
כַפְתּֽוֹר׃Caphtor
khaftorH3731 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 2:23And the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, were destroyed by the Caphtorites, who came out of Caphtor and settled in their place.)
it leads to
- Genesis 10:14
the Pathrusites, the Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came), and the Caphtorites.
- Joshua 13:3
All the territory of the Philistines and the Geshurites, from the Shihor east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north (considered to be Canaanite territory)—that of the five Philistine rulers of…
- Genesis 10:14
Through
Amos 9:7“Are you not like the Cushites to Me, O children of Israel?” declares the LORD. “Did I not bring Israel up from the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Arameans from…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 2:23
And the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, were destroyed by the Caphtorites, who came out of Caphtor and settled in their place.)
- 2 Kings 16:9
So the king of Assyria responded to him, marched up to Damascus, and captured it. He took its people to Kir as captives and put Rezin to death.
- Jeremiah 9:25–26
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will punish all who are circumcised yet uncircumcised:
- Deuteronomy 2:23
Through
Isaiah 20:6And on that day the dwellers of this coastland will say, ‘See what has happened to our source of hope, those to whom we fled for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria!…
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:3
While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
- Matthew 23:33
You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?
- Hebrews 2:3
how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
- 1 Thessalonians 5:3
About Jeremiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.