¹The LORD ’s word that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines , before Pharaoh struck Gaza .

²The LORD says :

“Behold , waters rise up out of the north ,

and will become an overflowing stream ,

and will overflow the land and all that is therein ,

the city and those who dwell therein .

The men will cry ,

and all the inhabitants of the land will wail .

³At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong ones ,

at the rushing of his chariots ,

at the rumbling of his wheels ,

the fathers don’t look back for their children

because their hands are so feeble ,

⁴because of the day that comes to destroy all the Philistines ,

to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper who remains ;

for the LORD will destroy the Philistines ,

the remnant of the isle of Caphtor .

⁵Baldness has come on Gaza ;

Ashkelon is brought to nothing.

You remnant of their valley ,

how long will you cut yourself?

⁶“‘You sword of the LORD , how long will it be before you are quiet ?

Put yourself back into your scabbard ;

rest , and be still .’

⁷“How can you be quiet ,

since the LORD has given you a command ?

Against Ashkelon, and against the seashore ,

there he has appointed it .”