Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Jeremiah 47:6

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Jeremiah 47:6. O thou sword of the Lord — This is a most grand prosopopoeia-a dialogue between the sword of the Lord and the prophet. Nothing can be imagined more sublime.

Put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still. — Shed no more blood, destroy no more lives, erase no more cities, desolate no more countries. Rest:-hast thou not been long enough at this work of judgment? O be still:-let wars and desolations cease for ever.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

A message concerning Philistia (47:1-7)

The prophet sees that Babylon will conquer Philistia also, overrunning the land as a river overflows its banks and floods the fields (47:1-2). When Babylon’s horses and chariots sweep down, the Philistines flee in panic, each selfishly concerned only with saving himself. No one cares about the plight of others. Any possible help from Tyre and Sidon is cut off, and the cities of Philistia mourn their destruction (3-5).
Jeremiah imagines the Philistines crying out to God, asking him to stop the Babylonian slaughter. The prophet then answers on God’s behalf, pointing out that God’s judgment must continue till it is complete (6-7).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“O thou sword of Jehovah, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard: rest, and be still. How canst thou be quiet, seeing Jehovah hath given thee a charge? Against Ashkelon, and against the seashore, there hath he appointed it.”

“Jeremiah’s reference to the sword of Jehovah is one of his most awesome figures. The sword of the Lord symbolizes righteous judgment. That judgment which is now falling upon Judah is also coming upon other countries. The Philistines also must drink of the cup of the wrath of God.”Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), p 187.

There are two addresses in these verses to the personified Sword of Jehovah: (1) The Philistines cry out for the sword to rest, and be still. (2) The prophet answers, “How canst thou, seeing Jehovah hath given thee a charge?”

“There hath he appointed it” Jehovah hath appointed his sword to bring terrible vengeance upon wicked peoples. And what is God’s sword?

(1)    It is his supernatural power, like that “flaming sword” turning in all directions that prevented Adam’s race from re-entering the Garden of Paradise.

(2)    It is also the literal sword, and all kinds of armament that belonged to many wicked nations, whom God used to punish others, they themselves, in turn, receiving their own punishment. The king of Assyria is called “God’s razor” (Isaiah 7:20); and the armies of pagan Rome were referred to as God’s armies in the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 22:7)

Terrible indeed as God’s judgments surely were, Adam’s race has not yet mastered the lesson that the infinitely Holy God can not and will not tolerate wickedness. It should be remembered that in the instance of the Great Deluge, all mankind perished at one time! and that once more, at the conclusion of this dispensation of God’s grace, there will be a second and final destruction of all flesh from the face of the earth, only the redeemed being spared.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

Here Jeremiah turns to address the sword of God; and it is a happy apostrophe. It is very striking and forcible, when the Prophet at one time addresses the land of the Philistines, and at another, the sword of God; and he had no other object but to confirm his prophecy, of which otherwise, the Jews might have doubted.

He then says, Ho! sword of Jehovah! Though he puts here the preposition ל, lamed, which designates the dative case; yet it is often redundant. There is, in the meantime, no doubt but that he intimates that the slaughter of which he speaks would be, as it were, by God’s sword, or by a sword hired by him. Thus he shews that the Chaldeans would do the work of God in destroying the land of the Philistines.

How long, he says, ere thou restest! Hide thyself in thy sheath, rest and be still Here the Prophet assumes the character of another, as though he wished to soothe with blandishments the sword of God, and mitigate its fury. “O sword,” he says, “spare them, leave off to rage against the Philistines.” The Prophet, it is certain, had no such feeling; but, as we have said elsewhere, it was a common thing with the Prophets to assume different characters while endeavor-ing more fully to confirm their doctrine. It is the same, then, as though he represented here the Philistines; and the Prophets speak also often in the person of those on whom they denounce the vengeance of God. It is here as though he had said, “The Philistines will humbly ask pardon of God’s sword, but it will be without advantage or profit; for when they seek to mitigate the wrath of God, the answer will be, How can it rest?” Here the Prophet, as it were, reproves himself, “I act foolishly in wishing to repress the sword of God; for how canst thou rest?” It could not be; and why? because God hath commanded it against Ashkelon He now changes the person, but without any injury to the sense. God, then, hath commanded it, therefore the whole world would intercede in vain; in vain also will the Philistines deprecate it; for it will not be in their power to mitigate God’s wrath, when it shall burn against them and against Ashkelon.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 47

In chapter 47 he takes now his prophecies against the Philistines. And the city of Gaza was already taken by the Pharaoh.

The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines before that Pharaoh smote Gaza ( Jeremiah 47:1 ).

Now, Pharaoh ultimately smote Gaza, one of the large Philistine cities.

Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood ( Jeremiah 47:2 ),

So the waters out of the north would be Babylon.

and they shall overflow the land ( Jeremiah 47:2 ),

The overflowing flood is a type. The word flood is used in typology as the armies. They will 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. 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; 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 ( Jeremiah 47:2-4 ).

Caphtor is the island of Cyprus from which, or is it Crete where the Philistines originally came from.

Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon [another Philistine city] is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself? O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere you be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still. How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the seashore? there hath he appointed it ( Jeremiah 47:5-7 ).

And so the destruction that was to come upon the Philistines. And, of course, the Philistines were utterly destroyed. The modern Palestinian is not at all related to the Philistines. But the word Palestine does come from this word Philistine.

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Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Jeremiah called on the Lord to sheath His sword, to stop the slaying. The prophet did not relish the prospect of such a slaughter.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

O thou sword of the Lord,.... For though it was the sword of the Chaldeans, yet being appointed and sent by the Lord, and having a commission from him, and being ordered and directed in his providence to do his will, it is called his sword:

how long [will it be] ere thou be quiet? and cease from destroying men; wilt thou not cease till thou hast no more to destroy?

put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still; and make no more havoc among the people: these are either the words of the Philistines, entreating a stop might be put to the ravages of the sword, and that the war might cease, and the desolations of it; or rather of the prophet, commiserating their state as a man, though they had been the avowed enemies of his people; to which the following words of him are an answer, either to the Philistines, showing why their request could not be granted, or as correcting himself.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      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,Jeremiah 47:2; Jeremiah 47:2. Waters sometimes signify multitudes of people and nations (Revelation 17:15), sometimes great and threatening calamities (Psalms 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, Jeremiah 47:3; Jeremiah 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,Jeremiah 47:4; Jeremiah 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 (Genesis 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,Jeremiah 47:5; Jeremiah 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 (Jeremiah 47:5; Jeremiah 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 (Jeremiah 47:6; Jeremiah 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 (Jeremiah 47:7; Jeremiah 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.