The Meaning of Jeremiah 47:7 Explained

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.

YLT: How shall it be quiet, And Jehovah hath given a charge to it, Against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? There hath He appointed it!'

Darby: How shouldest thou be quiet? For Jehovah hath given it a charge: against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore, there hath he appointed it.

ASV: How canst thou be quiet, seeing Jehovah hath given thee a charge? Against Ashkelon, and against the sea-shore, there hath he appointed it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 47:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Then Jeremiah remembered that the Lord"s sword (the invader from the north) had to continue to slay the Philistines until it had finished the job He had given it to do. Nebuchadnezzar may have fulfilled this prophecy in604 B.C. when he destroyed Ashkelon. [1] It was the sacking of Ashkelon at this time that moved the people in Jerusalem to fast during Jehoiakim"s reign, which led to the reading, followed by the burning, of Jeremiah"s scroll (cf. ch36).
"A Babylonian prism, now in Istanbul, mentions the presence-presumably with little choice in the matter-of the kings of Tyre and Sidon (cf. Jeremiah 47:4), of Gaza (5) and of Ashdod, at the court of Nebuchadrezzar; while a prison list now in Berlin records the rations for the king of Ashkelon (5), among other noted prisoners (including Jehoiachin of Judah)." [2]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 47

1  The destruction of the Philistines

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 47:7 mean?

How can it be quiet Yahweh Seeing has given a charge it Against Ashkelon and against seashore the there He has appointed it -
אֵ֣יךְ תִּשְׁקֹ֔טִי וַֽיהוָ֖ה צִוָּה־ לָ֑הּ אֶֽל־ אַשְׁקְל֛וֹן וְאֶל־ ؟ ח֥וֹף הַיָּ֖ם שָׁ֥ם יְעָדָֽהּ ס

אֵ֣יךְ  How 
Parse: Interjection
Root: אֵיךְ 
Sense: how? interj.
תִּשְׁקֹ֔טִי  can  it  be  quiet 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: שָׁקַט  
Sense: to be quiet, be tranquil, be at peace, be quiet, rest, lie still, be undisturbed.
וַֽיהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צִוָּה־  Seeing  has  given  a  charge 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
אֶֽל־  Against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אַשְׁקְל֛וֹן  Ashkelon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשְׁקְלֹון  
Sense: a maritime city of the Philistines, southwest of Jerusalem.
וְאֶל־  and  against 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
؟ ח֥וֹף  seashore 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֹוף  
Sense: seashore, coast, shore.
יְעָדָֽהּ  He  has  appointed  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יָעַד  
Sense: to fix, appoint, assemble, meet, set, betroth.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation