Jeremiah 47:4

Jer 47:4 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.

Ver. 4. Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines.] God will find a time of vengeance to fall upon the wicked enemies of his people, though he bear long with them. Patientia Dei quo diuturnior, eo minacior. "The wicked practiseth against the just, and guasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him, for he seeth that his day is coming." {Psa 37:12-13}

And to cut off from Tyrus and Sidon.] The inhabitants whereof were the Philistines’ kinsmen and confederates, but could not rescue them or deliver themselves from the Chaldean conqueror.

The remnant of the country of Caphtor.] These Caphtorim were neither the Cappadocians, the Cyprians, nor the Colchians, as sundry make them; but as of the same lineage with the Philistines, {Gen 10:13-14} so their complices and confederates, with whom therefore they were to fare alike.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jer 47:4. To cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper, &c. — The siege of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar was an action famous in the histories of that age, the siege lasting thirteen years. Zidon was partaker of the same fate with Tyre, both in prosperity and adversity: see Isa 23:2; Isa 23:4. And her destruction is joined with that of Tyre by Ezekiel chap. 28. The remnant of the country of Caphtor — Or, the isle of Caphtor; called the remnant of the Philistines, Amo 1:8; and the remnant of the sea-coast, Eze 25:16. The expression denotes either a colony transplanted from Caphtor, or else that small remainder of the Philistines, after they had been almost all destroyed in former times, according to the judgments denounced against them by Amo 1:8, and Isa 14:19, &c., Caphtor, or Caphtorim, were the ancient inhabitants of Palestine: see Deu 2:23. The Caphtorim and Casluhim were two neighbouring nations, and nearly related to each other, being both descended from Misraim the father of the Egyptians: see Gen 10:13-14; which may be the reason why Moses there derives the pedigree of the Philistines from the latter of these two. The ancients generally suppose Caphtor to be the same with Cappadocia. These two nations might go out of Egypt, their native soil, and settle themselves in Cappadocia, where they passed under the general appellation of Caphtorim, and afterward return back to their own native country, and settle in Palestine.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

47:4 The time has come . . . the Lord is destroying: The Lord controlled what would happen, as well as when events would occur. • The Philistines had come into the southeastern coastal areas from the island of Crete between 1200 and 1100 BC. The northern cities, Tyre and Sidon, were colonized at about the same time by distant cousins of the Philistines who mixed with the native Canaanites.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For the Caphtorims, which are also called Cappadocians, had destroyed in old time the Philistines, and dwelt in their land even to Gaza, Deut. 2:23.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

every helper--The Philistines, being neighbors to the Phœnicians of Tyre and Sidon, would naturally make common cause with them in the case of invasion. These cities would have no helper left when the Philistines should be destroyed.

Caphtor--the Caphtorim and Philistines both came from Mizraim (Gen 10:13-14). The Philistines are said to have been delivered by God from Caphtor (Amo 9:7). Perhaps before the time of Moses they dwelt near and were subjugated by the Caphtorim (Deu 2:23) and subsequently delivered. "The remnant" means here those still left after the Egyptians had attacked Gaza and Palestine; or rather, those left of the Caphtorim after the Chaldeans had attacked them previous to their attack on the Philistines. Some identify Caphtor with Cappadocia; GESENIUS, with Crete (Eze 25:16, Cherethims); KITTO, Cyprus. Between Palestine and Idumea there was a city Caparorsa; and their close connection with Palestine on the one hand, and Egypt (Mizraim, Gen 10:13-14) on the other hand, makes this locality the most likely.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 4. To spoil all the Philistines] These people, of whom there were five seignories, occupied the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, to the south of the Phoenicians.

Tyrus and Zidon] Places sufficiently remarkable both in the Old and New Testament, and in profane history. They belonged to the Phoenicians; and at this time were depending on the succour of their allies, the Philistines. But their expectation was cut off.

The remnant of the country of Caphtor.] Crete, or Cyprus. Some think it was a district along the coast of the Mediterranean, belonging to the Philistines; others, that the Cappadocians are meant.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Jeremiah shews now more clearly, and without a figure, his meaning, even that destruction would come on the Philistines when their time was completed. And he mentions Tyre and Sidon, neighboring cities, and. formerly under their own jurisdiction. But Tyre in the time of Isaiah had its own king; yet afterwards in the time of Alexander the Great the city was free, as it is well known. These, however, were cities of Palestine, and the people called then Philistines were contiguous to these cities, so that the Prophet rightly includes them as it were in the same bundle. Coming, he says, is the day to destroy all the Philistines, and also to cut off the most opulent cities, even Tyre and Sidon

Sidon was more ancient than Tyre; but the daughter devoured the mother, according to the common proverb. For Tyre in time flourished, and Sidon became almost forsaken. It, however, always retained a name and also some wealth on account of its commodious harbor. But Tyre was an island in the time of Alexander the Great; and was therefore more commodious for ships, as it had many harbors. But the Prophet connects them both together, because they formed then a part of the land of the Philistines. There is no doubt but that the destruction was especially denounced on these cities, that the Jews might know that nothing would be safe throughout the whole land, inasmuch as these cities, the defenses, as it were, of the whole country, were destined to perish.

He farther adds, on account of the day which is coming against all the helping remnants, for Jehovah will destroy, that is, he will destroy the Philistines, who are the remnants (it is indeed another word, but means the same) of the island of Oaphtor He confirms here the same thing in other words, even that God’s hand would be on these cities and the whole land, though external aids might come; and these he calls all the remnants of courage, or auxiliaries. Though they might have many friends alive, ready to bring them help, yet the Lord would demolish them all, as it follows, for Jehovah will destroy the Philistines, the remnants of the island of Caphtor

By the island of Caphtor he no doubt means Palestine; but it is doubtful for what reason the Hebrews called the Cappadocians Caphtorim. As it is hardly credible that they who inhabited this land had come from so far a country, interpreters have supposed that others, and not Cappadocians, are here called Caphtorim. Yet Moses intimates (Deuteronomy 2:23) that those who inhabited the land from Gaza to Jordan, were not natives, that is, were not born in those places, but that they were a wandering people; for he says, that

“The Caphtorim went forth and dwelt there in the place of the natives.”

We may hence conclude that the Caphtorim were foreigners, who, wandering from their own country, sought an habitation elsewhere, and took possession of this land. Whether they were Cappadocians, I leave undecided; nor ought we to toil much on a subject of this kind. But as the Caphtorim had emigrated into Palestine, Jeremiah calls that region the remnants of the island of Caphtor It follows, —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(4) To cut off from Tyrus and Zidon.—The two Phœnician cities are coupled with Philistia. Both, as occupying the sea-board of Palestine, were to suffer from Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion. Psa_83:7 indicates that they were not unfrequently in alliance. In the “helper that remaineth” we have probably a reference to the foreign mercenaries, especially the Philistines, employed by the two great commercial cities. “Caphtor” has been identified with Crete, Cyprus, Caria, Cappadocia, and the delta of the Nile. On the latter view the name is held to be connected with Coptic. Amo_9:7 points to a migration of the people known as Philistines from that region, and there is accordingly a touch of scorn in the way in which Jeremiah speaks of them as the mere “remnant of Caphtor.” In agreement with the first view we find among David’s mercenaries the Cherethim and Pelethim (2Sa_8:18), the two names being probably modifications of Cretans and Philistines. The ethnological table of Gen_10:14 connects both the Philistines and the Caphtorim with Mizraim or Egypt, and is, so far as it goes, in favour of the Egyptian identification.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. The text is difficult, and may be corrupt. As Co. points out, the Hebrew for “that remaineth” is rather a survivor, one who has escaped. Moreover, he remarks that we have no reason from other sources to suppose that, as the v. implies, the Philistines were the chief allies of the Phoenicians (“Tyre and Zidon”). He therefore reads (changing slightly the MT.) “all the remnant of their excellency.” Both Gi. and Co. make the next clause (“for … Philistines”) a gloss. The LXX support this view, and render the last clause of the v. “and the Lord will destroy the remnant of the islands,” omitting “Caphtor.”

every helper that remaineth] in other words the Philistines, the other helpers having been already cut off.

the remnant of the isle of Caphtor] the few of the Philistine nation that still survive after the wars with Egypt and Assyria, from which they had long suffered. Caphtor is spoken of also in Deu_2:23; Amo_9:7, as the original abode of the Philistines. It is probably to be identified with Crete.

isle] For mg. sea coast See on Jer_25:22.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines,.... The time appointed by the Lord for their destruction, which should be universal:

and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth; these were cities in Phoenicia, which bordered on the country of the Philistines, who were their auxiliaries in time of distress; but now, being wasted themselves, could give them no help when Nebuchadnezzar attacked them; as he did Tyre particularly, which he besieged thirteen years, and at last destroyed it, and Zidon with it:

for the Lord will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor; these last are not put by way of apposition, as if they were the same with the Philistines, though they were near of kin to them, coming from Casluhim; who were the posterity of Mizraim, as well as Caphtorim, Gen 10:13; indeed the Philistines are said to be brought from Caphtor, Amo 9:7; being very probably taken captive by them, but rescued from them; and now in confederacy with them, and like to share the same fate as they. The Targum renders it,

"the remnant of the island of the Cappadocians;''

and so the Vulgate Latin version. Some think the Colchi, others that the Cretians, are meant. R. Saadiah by Caphtor understands Damiata, a city in Egypt; which is the same with Pelusium or Sin, the strength of Egypt, Eze 30:15; and it is usual with the Jews (w) to call this place Caphutkia, the same with Caphtor, they say; and, in Arabic, Damiata.

(w) Misn. Cetubot, c. 13. sect. 11. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Because of the day that cometh to spoil - “Because” the day has come “to devastate.”

The Philistines are called Tyre’s remaining (i. e., last) helper, because all besides who could have assisted her have already succumbed to the Chaldaean power. The judgment upon Philistia was in connection with that upon Tyre, and it was fulfilled by expeditions sent out by Nebuchadnezzar under him lieutenants to ravage the country and supply his main army with provisions.

The country of Caphtor - The coastland of Caphtor. The Philistines came from the coast of the Egyptian Delta, and are called “a remnant” because they had been greatly reduced in numbers, partly by the long war of Psammetichus against Ashdod, partly by the capture of Gaza Jer 47:1, and partly by Assyrian invasions.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Tyre. See chap. xlvii. 4., and Ezechiel xxvi., &c. --- Sidon. It had rejoiced at the downfall of its rival, (Isaias xxiii. 4.) and of the Jews, Joel iii. 4., and Ezechiel xxviii. 24. Artax Ochus punished it severely; (Calmet) and its own king, Tenner, betrayed his subjects, who were slain by the Persians, or burnt themselves in the conflagration of the city. (Diodorus, Olym. 177. a. 2.) --- Helpers; Philistines, who came originally from the isle of Caphtor, or Crete. --- Cappadocia was not an island, or near the sea, (Calmet) but at a distance from the Jews. (Sanctius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines; the day which God hath set and appointed for the ruin of the Philistines. Tyre and Zidon were neighbouring to the Philistines, as appears from Gen 10:14,15; Joe 3:4, and so were often called to their help. God threateneth both to destroy them, and also those that helped them. It appeareth, from Gen 10:14, that the Philistines and Caphtorims were related; for their first progenitors, Philistim and Caphtorim, were both the sons of Mizraim the son of Ham, one of the sons of Noah. It appears, from Deu 2:23, that they expelled the Avites, and dwelt in Hazerim to Azzah; whether their country be what was afterwards called Cappadocia or Damiata is not much material for us to know, they were a people confederate with the Philistines, whom God here threateneth to destroy with them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. The destruction is represented as falling upon the Philistines and Phenicians. This suggests an expedition directed against this whole region of country. The Philistines are called the remnant of the country of Caphtor. Caphtor has been, by different authors, identified with Cappadocia, Crete, Cyprus, and the Egyptian Delta. The last of these identifications is the best approved, as it is pretty well settled that the Philistines came from Egypt.

Country — Literally, coast land.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The day that cometh; rather, the day that hath come (i.e. shall have come). It is "the day of the Lord" that is meant, that revolutionary "shaking of all things", (to use Haggai"s expression, Hag_2:21) as to which see further in note on Jer_46:10. To cut off... every helper that remaineth; i.e. every ally on whom they could still reckon. This passage favours the view that the judgment upon the Philistines took place at the same time as that upon Tyre. Nebuchadnezzar"s object was to isolate Tyre and Sidon as completely as possible. The remnant. The Philistines had suffered so much from repeated invasions as to be only a "remnant" of the once powerful nation which oppressed Israel. (see on Jer_25:20) The country of Caphtor. Some would render "the coastland of Caphtor," but the idea of "coast" seems to be a secondary one, derived in certain passages from the context. Properly speaking, it is a poetic synonym for "land," and is generally applied to distant and (accidentally) maritime countries. "Caphtor" was understood by the old versions to be Cappadocia. But as the remains of the Cappadocian language point to a Persian origin of the population which spoke it, and as the Caphtorim originally came from Egypt, it is more plausible to suppose, with Ebers, that Caphtor was a coast district of North Egypt. Crete has also been thought of. (comp. Amo_9:7 Gen_10:14 Deu_2:23)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The day - Which God hath set, and appointed for their ruin. Caphtor - Tyre and Sidon were neighbours to the Philistines, and so were often called to their help. The Philistines and Caphtorim were related, for their first progenitors, Philistim and Caphtorim, were both the sons of Mizriam the son of Ham, one of the sons of Noah.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

to cut off from Tyre and Zidon The Philistines were aiding them against their enemies.

the island of Caphtor (Isls in O.F.)

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.