Jeremiah 47 7

Jeremiah 47:7 kjv

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.

Jeremiah 47:7 nkjv

How can it be quiet, Seeing the LORD has given it a charge Against Ashkelon and against the seashore? There He has appointed it."

Jeremiah 47:7 niv

But how can it rest when the LORD has commanded it, when he has ordered it to attack Ashkelon and the coast?"

Jeremiah 47:7 esv

How can it be quiet when the LORD has given it a charge? Against Ashkelon and against the seashore he has appointed it."

Jeremiah 47:7 nlt

"But how can it be still
when the LORD has sent it on a mission?
For the city of Ashkelon
and the people living along the sea
must be destroyed."

Jeremiah 47 verses

Jeremiah 47 7 meaning

Jeremiah 47:7 expresses a rhetorical question that powerfully affirms the divine, irresistible nature of the judgment decreed by the Lord against Ashkelon and the Philistine coastal plain. The verse indicates that the instrument of judgment—often understood as the "sword of the Lord" from the preceding verse, personified or literal—cannot cease its destructive work because it has been expressly commanded and appointed by YHWH himself to fulfill this task. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty over nations and the unalterable character of His divine will, demonstrating that the calamity facing the Philistines is not random chance but a precise, purposeful execution of His decree.

Jeremiah 47 7 Context

Jeremiah 47 is an oracle against Philistia, situated within a larger section of prophecies against foreign nations (chapters 46-51). This specific chapter prophesies the destruction of the Philistines by an invading force "from the north" (v. 2), likely referring to the Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar, which devastated the region around 605 BCE. The verse immediately precedes our focal point (v. 6) features the vivid imagery of the "sword of the Lord," implying a divine instrument of judgment, crying out and unwilling to rest. Verse 7 acts as the divine justification and explanation for this unrelenting destruction: it cannot rest because God himself has commanded and appointed it for its task. The Philistines, known for their long-standing enmity against Israel, their idolatry (worshipping gods like Dagon), and their pride, are now facing the inescapable wrath of YHWH, whose sovereignty extends even over nations unaware of or hostile to Him. This passage underscores that God's plan is not confined to His covenant people but encompasses the entire world, executing justice according to His perfect will.

Jeremiah 47 7 Word analysis

• How can it rest? (אֵיךְ יָנוּחַ - ʿêḵ yānûaḥ):
  • אֵיךְ (ʿêḵ): "How." A rhetorical interrogative, implying impossibility or incomprehension from a human perspective, emphasizing the unyielding nature of the situation.
  • יָנוּחַ (yānûaḥ): "It can rest," or "it will find peace/quiet." Derived from the root נוּח (nuakh), meaning to settle down, cease, or find repose. Here, it denotes cessation from violent activity. The question highlights the inexorable momentum of divine judgment once unleashed.
• seeing the Lord:
  • Directly connects the impetus of the action to YHWH, the covenant God of Israel. This is not a random calamity but a divinely authored event. It establishes the ultimate authority and source behind the destruction.
• hath given it a charge:
  • צִוָּה (tzivvâ): "Has commanded," "charged," or "commissioned." From the root צוה (tzavah), a strong verb implying a direct, authoritative instruction or ordinance. This is an unequivocal divine mandate.
• against Ashkelon:
  • אַשְׁקְלוֹן (ʾashqelôn): A significant Philistine city, one of the five major Philistine cities (the Pentapolis). It was a prominent coastal city, symbolizing the strength and resilience of the Philistine nation. Its mention specifies the target, ensuring the audience knows the precise extent of the prophecy.
• and against the sea coast:
  • וְאֶל־חוֹף הַיָּם (vᵉʾel-ḥôf hayyâm): "And to the coast of the sea." Broadens the scope beyond Ashkelon to the entire Philistine territory bordering the Mediterranean. It implies widespread and thorough devastation, not confined to a single urban center.
• there hath he appointed it?:
  • שָׁם יֶעָדָהּ (šâm yeʿādhāh): "There he has appointed it" or "there he has summoned it."
  • שָׁם (šâm): "There." Locative adverb, reinforcing the specific destination of the charge.
  • יֶעָדָהּ (yeʿādhāh): "He appointed it," "he designated it," or "he met it by appointment." From the root יעד (yaʿad), meaning to fix, appoint, or designate. It signifies a predetermined, unchangeable purpose or destiny. This action is fixed in God's divine counsel.

Words-group analysis:

• "How can it rest, seeing the Lord hath given it a charge": This powerful rhetorical pairing foregrounds divine authority. It asks: "How can this instrument of destruction stop, when the sovereign God of the universe Himself has issued an imperative command for it to act?" It underlines the impossibility of the instrument resisting God's will. The 'sword' (implied from v.6) has no will of its own; it is compelled by the Divine Commander.
• "against Ashkelon, and against the sea coast": This specifies the targeted extent of the divine judgment. It demonstrates God's precision and comprehensive justice. The focus on a key city and the wider region suggests total and unavoidable calamity for the Philistines. The divine "charge" is not vague but geographically precise.
• "there hath he appointed it?": This final clause reiterates and reinforces the previous assertion, adding a layer of irreversibility and divine foundation. The word yaʿad (appointed/designated) suggests an outcome that has been pre-ordained and settled. It moves beyond a mere "command" to an established, immutable destiny. It means that the destructive power has a designated, inevitable rendezvous with its target, predetermined by God Himself.

Jeremiah 47 7 Bonus section

• The "Sword of the Lord": While literal armies (Babylonians/Egyptians) are the physical instruments, the prophecy presents them as extensions of "the sword of the Lord." This theological framing attributes ultimate causality to God, preventing the interpretation that it's merely a political or human conflict. This concept echoes the use of Assyria as God's "rod of anger" (Isa 10:5).
• Polemics against Idolatry: The Philistines worshipped various deities like Dagon and Baal-zebub. This prophecy, like many against other nations, implicitly challenges the efficacy and power of these foreign gods. If Ashkelon falls despite its people appealing to their deities, it signifies the supremacy of YHWH, who can orchestrate such events with perfect control. The divine 'charge' overrides any human or supposed divine counter-power.
• Implication for God's people: While this is an oracle against a foreign nation, it serves as a powerful reminder to Israel (and later, the church) of God's universal sovereignty. If God so thoroughly controls the destiny of their enemies, how much more precise is His oversight of His covenant people? It underlines both His power to protect and His ability to discipline.

Jeremiah 47 7 Commentary

Jeremiah 47:7 encapsulates the awesome, irresistible will of God concerning the nations. The rhetorical question, "How can it rest?", refers to the "sword of the Lord" (v.6), metaphorically representing the impending judgment through foreign armies. This "sword" is portrayed as an active agent, but its movements are not self-willed; they are divinely compelled. The verse emphasizes that the very force bringing devastation cannot cease its mission because YHWH Himself has both "given it a charge" (צוה, a direct, authoritative command) and "appointed it" (יעד, established or designated its purpose and destination). This dual emphasis on command and appointment leaves no room for doubt about the divine origin and inevitability of the calamity. The target, "Ashkelon, and against the sea coast," ensures that the audience understands the specific and widespread nature of the judgment against the Philistines. This verse ultimately declares God's absolute sovereignty over the course of human history and the destiny of nations, ensuring that His declared will always comes to pass. It is a powerful statement of divine justice and an object lesson in the futility of resisting the Creator.