The Meaning of Jeremiah 47:4 Explained

Jeremiah 47:4

KJV: 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.

YLT: Because of the day that hath come to spoil all the Philistines, To cut off to Tyre and to Zidon every helping remnant. For Jehovah is spoiling the Philistines, The remnant of the isle of Caphtor.

Darby: because of the day that cometh to lay waste all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remaineth; for Jehovah will lay waste the Philistines, the remnant of the island of Caphtor.

ASV: because of the day that cometh to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remaineth: for Jehovah will destroy the Philistines, the remnant of the isle of Caphtor.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 47:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The day would come when the Lord would use this enemy to destroy all the Philistines who had originally fled to Canaan from the islands of the northeastern Mediterranean, particularly Crete (Caphtor; cf. Deuteronomy 2:23; Amos 9:7). This is not a reference to the eschatological day of the Lord. Yahweh would cut off Tyre and Sidon, north of the Philistine coast in Phoenicia, from all their allies. Perhaps Tyre and Sidon were allies of the Philistines at this time, and therefore fell under their judgment.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 47

1  The destruction of the Philistines

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 47:4 mean?

because of the day that comes to plunder - all the Philistines to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every who remains helper for shall plunder Yahweh the remnant of the country of Caphtor
עַל־ הַיּ֗וֹם הַבָּא֙ לִשְׁד֣וֹד אֶת־ כָּל־ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים לְהַכְרִ֤ית לְצֹר֙ וּלְצִיד֔וֹן כֹּ֖ל שָׂרִ֣יד עֹזֵ֑ר כִּֽי־ שֹׁדֵ֤ד יְהוָה֙ שְׁאֵרִ֖ית אִ֥י כַפְתּֽוֹר

עַל־  because 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַיּ֗וֹם  of  the  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַבָּא֙  that  comes 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לִשְׁד֣וֹד  to  plunder 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁדַד  
Sense: to deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin, destroy, spoil.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
לְהַכְרִ֤ית  to  cut  off 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
לְצֹר֙  from  Tyre 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צֹור 
Sense: the Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast.
וּלְצִיד֔וֹן  and  Sidon 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִידֹון  
Sense: ancient Phoenician city, on Mediterranean coast north of Tyre.
כֹּ֖ל  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
שָׂרִ֣יד  who  remains 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂרִיד  
Sense: survivor, remnant, that which is left.
עֹזֵ֑ר  helper 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָזַר  
Sense: to help, succour, support.
שֹׁדֵ֤ד  shall  plunder 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁדַד  
Sense: to deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin, destroy, spoil.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
שְׁאֵרִ֖ית  the  remnant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שְׁאֵרִית  
Sense: rest, residue, remainder, remnant.
אִ֥י  of  the  country 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִי  
Sense: coast, island, shore, region.
כַפְתּֽוֹר  of  Caphtor 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: כַּפְתֹּור  
Sense: the original home of the Philistines, perhaps on the southwest coast of Asia Minor, maybe in Egypt or close by, or more probably on the island of Crete.