서론
無標題
英文原文
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)
對非利士人的審判（主前588年）
¹ 法老攻擊迦薩之先，有耶和華的話臨到先知耶利米，論非利士人。
² 耶和華如此說：有水從北方發起，成為漲溢的河，要漫過遍地和其中所充滿的，並城和其中所住的。那時人要哀號，那地一切居民要哀號。
³ 聽見他壯馬蹄踏的響聲、他戰車轟轟的響聲、他車輪輥輥的響聲，父親因手發軟，都不回頭看顧兒女；
⁴ 因為日子將到，要毁滅一切非利士人，剪除推羅、西頓一切剩餘的幫助者；因為耶和華必毁壞非利士人，就是迦斐託沿海餘剩的居民。
⁵ 迦薩成了光禿；亞實基倫已被剪除，連他們山谷中剩下的人也被剪除；你割傷自己要到幾時呢？
⁶ 耶和華的刀劍啊，你到幾時才止息呢？你要入鞘安息靜默。
⁷ 耶和華既吩咐它攻擊亞實基倫和沿海一帶，它怎能止息呢？他已經在那裏派定它。
正如埃及人屢次向神的以色列證明是不可靠的朋友，照樣非利士人向來是他們的死仇，又因與他們鄰近而更為危險可惡。他們在大衛時代曾被大大削弱，但看來他們又重新抬頭，成了一個頗有勢力的民族，直到尼布甲尼撒連他們帶鄰國一併剪除——這就是此處所預告的事。這預言的時間值得留意：是在「法老攻擊迦薩之先」。法老何時擊打迦薩，並不確定——是在他征伐迦基米施的路上，還是在他殺了約西亞之後從那裏返回之時，還是後來他有意解救耶路撒冷之時；但此處提及這一點，為要表明耶和華論非利士人的這話臨到耶利米之時，他們正處於全盛的實力與榮華之中，他們和他們的城邑都狀況良好，沒有任何仇敵或意外的危險。當沒有任何屬人的可能性預見他們的安寧會受攪擾之時，耶利米卻預告了他們的傾覆；不久之後法老擊打迦薩，不過是這傾覆的憑據，可說是那地「災難的起頭」。此處預告：1. 必有外邦的仇敵、且是極其可畏的仇敵臨到他們：「有水從北方發起」，耶47:2。水有時指列國列民之多（啟17:15），有時指重大而可畏的災禍（詩69:1）；此處兼指二者。水「從北方發起」——北方本是說到好天氣和驅散雨水之風所來之處；如今卻有一場可怕的風暴從那寒冷的地區而來。迦勒底的軍隊要如洪水一般漫過那地。這事大概發生在耶路撒冷被毀之前，因為看來在基大利的時候——就是耶路撒冷被毀之後不久——迦勒底的軍隊已經完全從那些地方撤走了。非利士人的地不過很小，所以如此龐大的軍隊很快就能將它淹沒。2. 他們必都因之陷入驚惶。壯士無心爭戰，卻像孩童那樣坐下哀哭：「那地一切居民都要哀號」，以致各處只聽見哀聲。那驚嚇的緣由被優美地描寫出來，耶47:3。在還未到殺戮之前，仇敵逼近之時，「馬蹄的響聲、戰車的響聲」就要使百姓驚恐，驚到一個地步，連父母在驚惶中也似乎失去了天性的愛——「他們都不回頭看顧兒女」，不為兒女的安全作安排，甚至不看他們的下場如何。「他們的手發軟」，無力帶着他們一同逃走，所以也不願看見他們，任憑他們聽天由命；或說他們的驚惶到了一個地步，連自己骨肉也全然忘記。所以誰也不要過分溺愛兒女，因為苦難可能臨到，那時人或許巴不得自己沒有兒女，或忘記自己有兒女，也無心看顧他們。3. 非利士人的地必被擄掠荒廢，與他們結盟相連的鄰國也是如此。這是「毁壞非利士人的日子，因為耶和華必毁壞他們」，耶47:4。請注意，神所要毁壞的人，必被毁壞；因為「神若反對他們，誰能幫助他們呢？」推羅、西頓是堅固富庶的城，素常在非利士人窘迫之時幫助他們，但如今他們自己也必捲入共同的災禍之中，神必從他們中間剪除一切「剩餘的幫助者」。請注意，那些倚靠受造之物幫助的人，在最需要的時候必發現那幫助斷絕，從而陷入極大的混亂。「迦斐託沿海餘剩的居民」是誰，並不確定，但我們讀到迦斐託人與非利士人甚為相近（創10:14），或許他們本國被毀之後，剩下的人便來與他們的親族非利士人同住，如今也與他們一同被擄掠。此處點名提到幾個地方：「迦薩、亞實基倫」，耶47:5。「光禿臨到他們」；或是入侵者剝去了他們一切的裝飾，或是他們因極度悲傷而剃光了自己；他們與周圍平原山谷中的別城一同「被剪除」。他們那肥美山谷的出產要被征服者「擄掠」，成為掠物。4. 這些災禍要延續許久。先知預見此事，照着他素常的體恤，先問他們（耶47:5）：「你割傷自己要到幾時呢」——人在極度憂傷痛苦中便如此行？唉，這災禍何等冗長！不僅是割傷，更是長久的割傷。但他從結果轉向原因：「他們割傷自己」，是因為耶和華的刀劍割傷他們。所以，（1）他求那刀劍靜默（耶47:6）：「耶和華的刀劍啊，你到幾時才止息呢？」他求它「入鞘」，不再吞吃人肉，不再飲血。這表達了先知渴望看見戰爭結束的心情——他以人的慈悲，連非利士人當他們的地被刀劍弄得荒涼之時，也對他們動了憐憫。請注意，戰爭是「耶和華的刀劍」；他用以刑罰仇敵的罪，又為自己的百姓伸冤。戰爭一旦開始，往往曠日持久；刀劍一旦出鞘，就不易再回到鞘中；不，有人拔出刀來，連鞘也丟了，因他們「以戰爭為樂」。戰爭的荒涼既如此可悲，平安的福分便不能不令人渴慕。「但願人將刀打成犁頭！」（2）然而他對戰爭的延續作了滿意的解釋，止住了自己的抱怨（耶47:7）：「它怎能止息呢？因為耶和華已經吩咐它」攻擊這些那些地方——這些都在它的委任中明確指定。「他已經在那裏派定它。」請注意，[1.] 戰爭的刀劍是從萬軍之耶和華那裏領受命令的。每一顆子彈都有它的命令；你們稱之為亂射的子彈，卻是由一位全知的神所引導。戰爭本身也有它的命令；他對它說「去」，它就去——「來」，它就來——「作這事」，它就作；因為他是元帥。[2.] 刀劍既已出鞘，在它完成所受的命令之前，我們不能指望它入鞘。神的話如此，他的杖、他的刀也如此——他差遣它們去作甚麼，它們就必成全。
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.
本章向非利士人宣判了他們的結局，正如前章向埃及人宣判了同一個結局，且是出於同一隻手——尼布甲尼撒的手。篇幅雖短，卻極其可畏；推羅與西頓雖與他們相距稍遠，卻也在此所威嚇的毀滅中有分。一、預言北方列強的軍隊必臨到他們，使他們大受驚嚇（耶 47:1-5）。二、這場戰事必持續許久，他們想要結束戰爭的努力都將徒然（耶 47:6,7）。