Jeremiah 47:3

3 At the sound of the stomping hooves of his stallions,^[a] the rumbling of his chariots, and the clatter of their wheels,^[b] fathers will not turn back for their sons, because they will be utterly helpless^[c]

Jeremiah 47:3 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 47:3

At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong
[horses]
The noise of the cavalry of Nebuchadnezzar's army, as they came marching on towards the country of the Philistines; who, being mounted on strong prancing horses, made a great noise as they came along, and were heard at a distance: at the rushing of his chariots, [and at] the rumbling, of his wheels;
the rattling and clatter the chariot wheels made; in which rode the chief officers and generals, with other mighty men: chariots were much used in war in those times: the fathers shall not look back to [their] children for feebleness of
hands;
they should be so frightened at the approach of the enemy, and flee with much precipitancy to provide for their own safety, that they should not think of their children, or stay to deliver and save them, the most near and dear unto them; being so terrified as not to be able to lift up their hands to defend themselves, and protect their children. The Targum is,

``the fathers shall not look back to have mercy on [their] children;''

in their fright should forget their natural affection to them, and not so much as look back with an eye of pity and compassion on them; so intent upon their own deliverance and safety.

Jeremiah 47:3 In-Context

1 [This is] the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet about the Philistines before Pharaoh defeated Gaza.

2 This is what the Lord says: Look, waters are rising from the north and becoming an overflowing wadi. They will overflow the land and everything in it, the cities and their inhabitants. The people will cry out, and every inhabitant of the land will wail.

3 At the sound of the stomping hooves of his stallions, the rumbling of his chariots, and the clatter of their wheels, fathers will not turn back for their sons, because they will be utterly helpless

4 on account of the day that is coming 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 of the islands of Caphtor.

5 Baldness is coming to Gaza. Ashkelon will become silent, a remnant of their valley. How long will you gash yourself?

Footnotes

• [a]. Jr 8:16; 50:11; Jdg 5:22
• [b]. Nah 3:2-3
• [c]. Lit because of laziness of hands