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This chapter reads the Philistines their doom, as the former read the Egyptians theirs and by the same hand, that of Nebuchadnezzar. It is short, but terrible; and Tyre and Zidon, though they lay at some distance from them, come in sharers with them in the destruction here threatened. I. It is foretold that the forces of the northern crowns should come upon them, to their great terror, Jer 47:1-5. II. That the war should continue long, and their endeavours to put an end to it should be in vain, Jer 47:6,7.
1-7
The Judgment of the Philistines (588 BC)
对非利士人的审判（主前588年）
¹ 法老击打迦萨以前，耶和华论非利士人的话临到先知耶利米。 ² 耶和华如此说：有水从北方发起，成为涨溢的河，要涨过那地和其中所充满的；涨过那城和其中所住的。人必呼喊，那地一切居民必哀号。 ³ 听见他们壮马蹄跳的响声、车辆奔驰的轰轰、车轮的隆隆，父亲的手必因发软而不回身看顾儿女； ⁴ 因为日子将到，要毁灭一切非利士人，从推罗、西顿剪除一切剩下的帮手；因为耶和华必毁坏非利士人，就是迦斐托海岛剩余的人。 ⁵ 迦萨必成为光秃；亚实基伦已被剪除，连同他们山谷中其余的人；你要割伤自己到几时呢？ ⁶ 耶和华的刀啊，你几时才止息呢？你要入鞘，安息不动。 ⁷ 它怎能止息呢？耶和华既吩咐它攻击亚实基伦和海边之地——他既在那里派定它。
正如埃及人屡次作了以色列人虚假的朋友，非利士人也始终是神的以色列人死仇；又因他们既是如此邻近的邻舍，便更危险、更恼人。在大卫时代他们大受挫折，但看来他们又恢复了势力，成为相当强盛的民，直到尼布甲尼撒与他们的邻舍一同将他们剪除——这正是此处所预言的事。这预言的日期值得注意：是在「法老击打迦萨以前」。法老何时击打迦萨，并不能确定——是在他征讨迦基米施时，还是杀约西亚之后从那里回来时，还是后来怀着解救耶路撒冷的目的而来时；但这里特别提到，为要表明耶和华对非利士人的这话临到耶利米时，正是他们处于全盛荣华之中——他们本身和他们的城邑都景况良好，毫无任何仇敌或祸患的危险。当人的任何预料都看不出他们的安宁将受搅扰之时，耶利米便预言了他们的灭亡；此后不久法老击打迦萨，不过是这事的首付，可说是那地「灾难的起头」。此处预言：1. 必有外邦的仇敌——而且是极其可畏的仇敌——临到他们：「有水从北方发起」（耶47:2）。水有时象征多民多国（启17:15），有时象征巨大可畏的灾祸（诗69:1）；此处兼具二意。「从北方发起」——北方本是说天气晴朗、是驱散雨水的风所从来的方向；如今却要从那寒冷之地刮起可怕的风暴。迦勒底的军兵要如洪水般漫过那地。这事大概发生在耶路撒冷被毁之前，因为看来在基大利时代——就是紧接着——迦勒底的军兵已全从那些地方撤走了。非利士之地幅员不大，所以如此庞大的军队很快便把它淹没。2. 他们必因此全都惊惶失措。勇士再无斗志，竟如孩童般坐着哭号：「那地一切居民必哀号」，各处只听见哀号。这惊吓的缘由被生动地描绘出来（耶47:3）。在杀戮之先，敌军逼近之时，单是「马的跳跃」和「车的轰轰」，便足以叫百姓恐惧到一个地步，父母在惊慌中似乎毫无天伦之情：「因为他们不回身看顾儿女」，不顾他们的安全，连他们将会如何也不看一眼。他们的「手必因发软」而无心带他们同走，所以也不愿看见他们，任凭他们各取命运；或他们必惊惶到一个地步，连自己身上的一块肉——儿女——也全然忘了。不要有人过分溺爱儿女，因为患难或临到，那时人或愿自己没有儿女，或忘了自己有儿女，也无力看他们一眼。3. 非利士之地必被劫掠荒凉，与他们结盟的邻近诸国也必如此。「这是毁灭非利士人的日子，因为耶和华必毁坏他们」（耶47:4）。当记取：神所要毁坏的人，必被毁坏；因为「神若敌挡他们，谁能帮助他们呢？」推罗、西顿是强盛富足的城邑，素常在非利士人急难时帮助他们，但如今他们自己也必卷入共同的灾祸，神必从他们中间剪除「一切剩下的帮手」。当记取：那些倚靠受造之物帮助的人，在极需要之时却见帮助断绝，便必陷入极度混乱。「迦斐托之地剩余的人」是谁，难以确定；但我们知道迦斐托人与非利士人血缘相近（创10:14），大概他们本国被毁之后，剩下的便来与他们的亲族非利士人同住，如今也与他们一同被毁。这里特别提到几处地名：「迦萨、亚实基伦」（耶47:5）。「光秃临到他们」——入侵者剥去了他们一切装饰；或是他们为极度的悲伤而自剃其头；他们连同周围平原或山谷中其他城邑一同「被剪除」。他们肥美山谷的出产必被征服者劫掠作为掠物。4. 这些灾祸必长久持续。先知预见这事，照他一贯的柔情，先问他们（耶47:5）：「你要割伤自己到几时呢？」——正如极度忧伤痛苦之人所作的。这灾难何等冗长！不但割伤，而且长久割伤。但他从结果转向原因：「他们割伤自己」，因为耶和华的刀割伤他们。所以（1）他吩咐那刀止息（耶47:6）：「『耶和华的刀啊，你几时才止息呢？』他求它『入鞘』，不再吞吃人肉，不再喝人血。」这话表明先知渴望战争早日结束；当他以人的柔情看见非利士人的地因刀剑而荒凉时，甚至对他们也动了怜悯之心。当记取：战争是「耶和华的刀」；他借此刑罚他仇敌的罪行，也借此为他自己的百姓伸冤。战争一经开始，往往旷日持久；刀一旦出鞘，不易再入鞘；不，有人出鞘之时便丢了鞘，因为他们「以战争为乐」。战争的荒凉既如此可悲，和平的福气便不能不极其可慕。但愿「刀打成犁头」！（2）然而他对战争的延续作了满意的交代，并堵住自己抱怨的口（耶47:7）：「它怎能止息呢？耶和华既吩咐它攻击某某地方——其委任状上特别列明——他既在那里派定它。」当记取：[1] 战争之刀有其从万军之耶和华而来的使命。每一颗子弹都有它的使命；你们称之为盲目之弹，其实由一位无所不见的神所引导。战争本身也有其使命；他对它说「去」，它就去——说「来」，它就来——说「作这事」，它就作；因为他是全军的大元帅。[2] 刀既出鞘，若不完成所命，我们不能指望它入鞘。正如神的话，他的杖和他的刀，也必成就他所差他们去作的事。
英文原文
The Judgment of the Philistines (588 BC)
¹ The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.
² Thus 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.
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 shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;
⁴ 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.
⁵ Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?
⁶ O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.
⁷ How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he appointed it.
As the Egyptians had often proved false friends, so the Philistines had always been sworn enemies, to the Israel of God, and the more dangerous and vexatious for their being such near neighbours to them. They were considerably humbled in David's time, but, it seems they had got head again and were a considerable people till Nebuchadnezzar cut them off with their neighbours, which is the event here foretold. The date of this prophecy is observable; it was before Pharaoh smote Gaza. When this blow was given to Gaza by the king of Egypt is not certain, whether in his expedition against Carchemish or in his return thence, after he had slain Josiah, or when he afterwards came with design to relieve Jerusalem; but this is mentioned here to show that this word of the Lord came to Jeremiah against the Philistines when they were in their full strength and lustre, themselves and their cities in good condition, in no peril from any adversary or evil occurrent. When no disturbance of their repose was foreseen by any human probabilities, yet then Jeremiah foretold their ruin, which Pharaoh's smiting Gaza soon after would be but an earnest of, and, as it were, the beginning of sorrows to that country. It is here foretold, 1. That a foreign enemy and a very formidable one shall be brought upon them: Waters rise up out of the north, Jer 47:2. Waters sometimes signify multitudes of people and nations (Re 17:15), sometimes great and threatening calamities (Ps 69:1); here they signify both. They rise out of the north, whence fair weather and the wind that drives away rain are said to come; but now a terrible storm comes out of that cold climate. The Chaldean army shall overflow the land like a deluge. Probably this happened before the destruction of Jerusalem, for it should seem that in Gedaliah's time, which was just after, the army of the Chaldeans was quite withdrawn out of those parts. The country of the Philistines was but of small extent, so that it would soon be overwhelmed by so vast an army. 2. That they shall all be in a consternation upon it. The men shall have no heart to fight, but shall sit down and cry like children: All the inhabitants of the land shall howl, so that nothing but lamentation shall be heard in all places. The occasion of the fright is elegantly described, Jer 47:3. Before it comes to killing and slaying, the very stamping of the horses and rattling of the chariots, when the enemy makes his approach, shall strike a terror upon the people, to such a degree that parents in their fright shall seem void of natural affection, for they shall not look back to their children, to provide for their safety, or so much as to see what becomes of them. Their hands shall be so feeble that they shall despair of carrying them off with them, and therefore they shall not care for seeing them, but leave them to take their lot; or they shall be in such a consternation that they shall quite forget even those pieces of themselves. Let none be over-fond of their children, nor dote upon them, since such distress may come that they may either wish they had none or forget that they have, and have no heart to look upon them. 3. That the country of the Philistines shall be spoiled and laid waste, and the other countries adjoining to them and in alliance with them. It is a day to spoil the Philistines, for the Lord will spoil them, Jer 47:4. Note, Those whom God will spoil must needs be spoiled; for, if God be against them, who can be for them? Tyre and Zidon were strong and wealthy cities, and they used to help the Philistines in a strait, but now they shall themselves be involved in the common ruin, and God will cut off from them every helper that remains. Note, Those that trust to help from creatures will find it cut off when they most need it and will thereby be put into the utmost confusion. Who the remnant of the country of Caphtor were is uncertain, but we find that the Caphtorim were near akin to the Philistines (Ge 10:14), 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, Jer 47:5. Baldness has come upon them; the invaders have stripped them of all their ornaments, or they have made themselves bald in token of extreme grief, and they are cut off, with the other cities that were in the plain or valley about them. The products of their fruitful valley shall be spoiled, and made a prey of, by the conquerors. 4. That these calamities should continue long. The prophet, in the foresight of this, with his usual tenderness, asks them first (Jer 47:5), How long will you cut yourselves, as men in extreme sorrow and anguish do? O how tedious will the calamity be! not only cutting, but long cutting. But he turns from the effect to the cause: They cut themselves, for the sword of the Lord cuts them. And therefore, (1.) He bespeaks that to be still (Jer 47:6): O thou sword of the Lord! how long will it be ere thou be quiet? He begs it would put up itself into the scabbard, would devour no more flesh, drink no more blood. This expresses the prophet's earnest desire to see an end of the war, looking with compassion, as became a man, even upon the Philistines themselves, when their country was made desolate by the sword. Note, War is the sword of the Lord; with it he punishes the crimes of his enemies and pleads the cause of his own people. When war is once begun it often lasts long; the sword, once drawn, does not quickly find the way into the scabbard again; nay, some when they draw the sword throw away the scabbard, for they delight in war. So deplorable are the desolations of war that the blessings of peace cannot but be very desirable. O that swords might be beaten into ploughshares! (2.) Yet he gives a satisfactory account of the continuance of the war and stops the mouth of his own complaint (Jer 47:7): How can it be quiet, seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against such and such places, particularly specified in its commission? There hath he appointed it. Note, [1.] The sword of war hath its charge from the Lord of hosts. Every bullet has its charge; you call them blind bullets, but they are directed by an all-seeing God. The war itself has its charge; he saith to it, Go, and it goes—Come, and it comes—Do this, and it does it; for he is commander-in-chief. [2.] When the sword is drawn we cannot expect it should be sheathed till it has fulfilled its charge. As the word of God, so his rod and his sword, shall accomplish that for which he sends them.
本章向非利士人宣告了他们的厄运，正如前一章向埃及人宣告厄运一样，且都是出于同一只手——尼布甲尼撒的手。这预言虽短，却极其可畏；推罗和西顿虽距他们较远，也在此处所警告的毁灭中与他们同受其害。一、预言北方的列强军队必来攻击他们，使他们大大惊恐（耶 47:1-5）。二、这战争将持续很久，他们想方设法止息战祸，终归徒然（耶 47:6-7）。