Bible Strands
Jeremiah 47:4
For the day has come to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every remaining ally. Indeed, the LORD is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jeremiah pronounces this oracle to Judah during the approach of an invading army whose chariots and cavalry have already triggered panic. The moment captures the immediate prelude to divine judgment against the Philistine coastal cities.
The words — הַיּוֹם (hayyôm) means the appointed day, and לְהַכְרִית (ləhakhrîṯ) literally means to cut off or exterminate. These terms establish the coming military strike as a finalized divine execution rather than a contingent historical event.
The thread — The oracle identifies the Philistines as descendants of Caphtor, paralleling Deuteronomy 2:23 where Caphtorites displace the Avvim and Isaiah 20:6 where coastal populations mourn their former security. This geographic marker ties the judgment to earlier cycles of divine displacement and national accountability.
Why it lands — The text states that the LORD actively initiates the destruction of the Philistines and their Tyrian and Sidonian allies. It requires readers to treat historical conquest as a direct instrument of sovereign will rather than a product of human strategy.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Amos 9:7 “Are you not like the Cushites to Me, O children of Israel?” declares the LORD. “Did I not bring Israel up from the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Arameans from Kir?
- Deuteronomy 2:23 And the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, were destroyed by the Caphtorites, who came out of Caphtor and settled in their place.)
- Isaiah 20:6 And on that day the dwellers of this coastland will say, ‘See what has happened to our source of hope, those to whom we fled for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?’”
- Psalms 37:13 but the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming.
- Jeremiah 46:10 For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance against His foes. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, until it is quenched with their blood. For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.
- Ezekiel 7:5 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Disaster! An unprecedented disaster—behold, it is coming!
- Ezekiel 7:12 The time has come; the day has arrived. Let the buyer not rejoice and the seller not mourn, for wrath is upon the whole multitude.
- Ezekiel 21:25 And you, O profane and wicked prince of Israel, the day has come for your final punishment.’
- Ezekiel 21:29 while they offer false visions for you and lying divinations about you—to be placed on the necks of the wicked who are slain, whose day has come, the time of their final punishment.
- Hosea 9:7 The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have arrived—let Israel know it. The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and hostility.