Synopsis of the Chapter
He predicts that all the Philistines, together with the Tyrians and Sidonians, are to be laid waste by Nebuchadnezzar: whence he exclaims in verse 6: O sword of the Lord, how long will you not rest?
Verse 1: Quod Factum Est Verbum Domini Ad Jeremiam Prophetam Contra Palaestinos ¶
1. The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before Pharaoh struck Gaza.
Verse 2: Ecce Aquae Ascendunt ¶
2. Behold, waters rise. — He compares the numerous and impetuous army of the Chaldeans to waters and an overflowing torrent, which overthrows cities with their inhabitants. So Theodoret.
THEY SHALL COVER THE LAND (of Egypt), AND ALL THAT IS IN IT — that is, all the things that are in it; for these things, as it were, fill it, such as cities, fields, villages, fortresses, etc.
Verse 3: A Strepitu Pompae Armorum ¶
3. AT THE NOISE OF THE POMP OF HIS WEAPONS. — In Hebrew: at the sound of the stamping of his strong ones' hooves; that is, of horses powerful in their hooves. For "weapons" in Hebrew is parsot abbirav, which our translator renders in Isaiah V, 28, as "the hooves of his horses;" for hooves belong to horses, and consequently are the weapons of cavalry for charging the enemy and fighting: for horses have remarkable power in their hooves, and with them in their running they raise a great noise, Isaiah chapter V, 28, Ezekiel chapter XXVI, 10.
FATHERS DID NOT LOOK BACK FOR THEIR CHILDREN, THEIR HANDS BEING LIMP — that is, because of terror, and the resulting limpness and quasi-paralysis of their hands, fathers forgot nature and neglected their children, and did not look back to see what was happening to their children. So Theodoret and the Chaldean.
Verse 4: Pro Adventu Diei ¶
4. Because of the coming of the day — because of the day of destruction that will come, when all Palestine will be laid waste: hence the terror will be so great that fathers will not care for their children.
TYRE AND SIDON SHALL BE SCATTERED WITH ALL THEIR REMAINING ALLIES. — Vatablus translates differently from the Hebrew: To destroy every surviving helper for Tyre and Sidon, that is, so that the Philistines, who used to assist Tyre and Sidon, would be destroyed. But the Septuagint and the Chaldean agree with our translator, although both versions come to the same thing.
THE REMNANT OF THE ISLAND OF CAPPADOCIA. — Note: Cappadocia is here called an island, although it is on the mainland, because it is maritime and extends along a long coastline into the Euxine Sea (Black Sea): thus the Septuagint, the Chaldean and our translator render the Hebrew Caphtor as Cappadocia. Note that the Philistines are called the remnant of the Cappadocians: because the Cappadocians occupied Palestine, having expelled the Hivites, as is clear from Deuteronomy II, 23. So Theodoret, Rabanus, Hugo. The Philistines therefore were a colony of the Cappadocians. Add that the Philisthiim and Caphtorim, that is, the Cappadocians, were brothers, as is clear from Genesis chapter X, 14.
Others, such as Theodoret and a Castro, translate the Hebrew Caphtor not as Cappadocia (for that, they say, is far distant from Palestine), but as Cyprus: for the same letters are in both words, if you remove the t from Caphtor: and a Castro thinks that Cyprus was formerly called Cappadocia; but I would like to see where and by whom this is said.
Finally, Torniellus at the year of the world 1931, number 32, suspects that the island of Cappadocia here refers to what was later called new Tyre (or a place near it), which is situated near old Tyre: for this is properly an island, and is near the Philistines. This opinion is supported first by the fact that the Hebrew Caphtor, that is, Cappadocia, seems to be the same as caph, that is, hand, and tor, that is, of Tyre, as if you were to say, the hand, that is, the side or neighbor, of Tyre. Secondly, by the fact that Adrichomius, from Bredenbach and others, in the description of the tribe of Asher, number 91, reports that near Lebanon and the Adonis River, not far from Tyre, there is a place distinguished by a temple of Saint George, which is called Cappadocia by the inhabitants.
Verse 5: Veniet (Veniet Certo Et Brevi) Calvitium ¶
5. BALDNESS SHALL COME (It shall certainly and soon come) — that is, plundering and the seizure of all goods, so that they seem not to have left even a hair upon Gaza. So Rabanus, Lyranus, Vatablus. Secondly, "baldness," that is, immense calamity and mourning. For they were accustomed to shave their heads in mourning, as is clear from Isaiah chapter XV, 2, Ezekiel VII, 18, Amos VIII, 10. So Maldonatus.
ASHKELON HAS FALLEN SILENT. — That is, it has been completely cut off and overthrown, that is, Ashkelon will be cut off and overthrown. It is metalepsis: for when a city is destroyed, there is solitude and silence of all things. We saw something similar in chapter XXV, 37 and elsewhere. Secondly, "it fell silent" because it was stupefied by the sudden and unexpected arrival of the enemy. Thirdly, because the insolent enemy cut off its breath and tongue. So Sanchez.
Ashkelon was a strong city, one of the five satrapies of the Philistines. Here Samson killed thirty Philistines and took their garments, to give them to the thirty men who had solved his riddle, Judges XIV. They say that in this city was born Herod, who in the time of Christ killed the infants in Bethlehem, and hence he is called the Ashkelonite. Today, retaining its ancient strength, it is the strongest fortress of the Saracens. So Adrichomius.
AND THE REMNANTS OF THEIR VALLEY — and the remaining towns and suburban villages that were in the valley, since Gaza and Ashkelon were situated in a higher place.
How long will you cut yourself? — how long will Ashkelon and Gaza tear themselves with their nails, or even with knives in the manner of the Gentiles, from grief and mourning? So Hugo, Lyranus and Vatablus. The Septuagint translates: How long will you cut, O sword (O sword) of the Lord? The sword of the Lord is Nebuchadnezzar, say Theodoret and Rabanus.
Verse 6: O Mucro Domini! ¶
6. O SWORD OF THE LORD! — Out of immense compassion for the great slaughter of the Philistines, which he foresaw, Jeremiah cries out and begs it to rest: for a sufficiently great slaughter has been accomplished. So Maldonatus.
Cool yourself — from the heat of slaying, which flows from the fury of the slayer, as if to say: O cool and temper your fury and your eagerness for slaying the Ashkelonites.
Verse 7: Quomodo Quiescet? ¶
7. HOW CAN IT REST? — The Prophet answers himself: the sword cannot rest, because God has commanded it to rage against Ashkelon.
AND HAS APPOINTED IT THERE — He has commanded that it rage there. Others translate: He has appointed for it a time in which it must rage; and so it cannot cease until it has completed this mission of its in the time appointed for it.
Furthermore, this prophecy against the Philistines was fulfilled in the fifth year after the destruction of Jerusalem, which was the 23rd year of Nebuchadnezzar. For then he laid waste Coele-Syria (to which the Philistines belong). So Josephus, book X of the Antiquities, chapter XLI.