The Sword That Won't Be Sheathed.

אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיָ֧ה דְבַר־יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא אֶל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים בְּטֶ֛רֶם יַכֶּ֥ה פַרְעֹ֖ה אֶת־עַזָּֽה׃ ס

The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh struck down Gaza.

כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה הִנֵּה־מַ֜יִם עֹלִ֤ים מִצָּפוֹן֙ וְהָיוּ֙ לְנַ֣חַל שׁוֹטֵ֔ף וְיִשְׁטְפוּ֙ אֶ֣רֶץ וּמְלוֹאָ֔הּ עִ֖יר וְיֹ֣שְׁבֵי בָ֑הּ וְזָֽעֲקוּ֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם וְהֵילִ֕ל כֹּ֖ל יוֹשֵׁ֥ב הָאָֽרֶץ׃

[2] “Thus says the Lord : Behold, waters are rising out of the north, and shall become an overflowing torrent; they shall overflow the land and all that fills it, the city and those who dwell in it. Men shall cry out, and every inhabitant of the land shall wail.

מִקּ֗וֹל שַֽׁעֲטַת֙ פַּרְס֣וֹת אַבִּירָ֔יו מֵרַ֣עַשׁ לְרִכְבּ֔וֹ הֲמ֖וֹן גַּלְגִּלָּ֑יו לֹֽא־הִפְנ֤וּ אָבוֹת֙ אֶל־בָּנִ֔ים מֵֽרִפְי֖וֹן יָדָֽיִם׃

[3] At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his stallions, at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of their wheels, the fathers look not back to their children, so feeble are their hands,

עַל־הַיּ֗וֹם הַבָּא֙ לִשְׁד֣וֹד אֶת־כָּל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים לְהַכְרִ֤ית לְצֹר֙ וּלְצִיד֔וֹן כֹּ֖ל שָׂרִ֣יד עֹזֵ֑ר כִּֽי־שֹׁדֵ֤ד יְהוָה֙ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים שְׁאֵרִ֖ית אִ֥י כַפְתּֽוֹר׃

[4] because of the day that is coming to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remains. For the Lord is destroying the Philistines, the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor.

בָּ֤אָה קָרְחָה֙ אֶל־עַזָּ֔ה נִדְמְתָ֥ה אַשְׁקְל֖וֹן שְׁאֵרִ֣ית עִמְקָ֑ם עַד־מָתַ֖י תִּתְגּוֹדָֽדִי׃ ס

[5] Baldness has come upon Gaza; Ashkelon has perished. O remnant of their valley, how long will you gash yourselves?

ה֗וֹי חֶ֚רֶב לַֽיהוָ֔ה עַד־אָ֖נָה לֹ֣א תִשְׁקֹ֑טִי הֵאָֽסְפִי֙ אַל־תַּעְרֵ֔ךְ הֵרָגְעִ֖י וָדֹֽמִּי׃

[6] Ah, sword of the Lord ! How long till you are quiet? Put yourself into your scabbard; rest and be still!

אֵ֣יךְ תִּשְׁקֹ֔טִי וַֽיהוָ֖ה צִוָּה־לָ֑הּ אֶֽל־אַשְׁקְל֛וֹן וְאֶל־ח֥וֹף הַיָּ֖ם שָׁ֥ם יְעָדָֽהּ׃ ס

[7] How can it be quiet when the Lord has given it a charge? Against Ashkelon and against the seashore he has appointed it.”