Jeremiah 47:3

3 for the noise of boast of armed men, and of warriors of him, and for moving of his carts, and multitude of his wheels. Fathers beheld not sons with aclumsid hands, (for the sound of the boast of his armed men, and of his warriors, and for the moving of his chariots, and the multitude of his wheels. Fathers, with their hands benumbed, shall not take care of their children,)

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 The word of the Lord, that was made to Jeremy, the prophet, against Palestines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza. (The word of the Lord, that was made to the prophet Jeremiah, about the Philistines, before that Pharaoh struck Gaza.)
2 The Lord saith these things, Lo! waters shall ascend from the north, and they shall be as a strand (over)flowing, and they shall cover the land, and the fullness thereof, the city, and the dwellers thereof. Men shall cry, and all the dwellers of the land shall yell, (The Lord saith these things, Lo! the waters shall rise up from the north, and they shall be like an overflowing river, and they shall cover the land, and its fullness, and the city, and its inhabitants. People shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall yell,)
3 for the noise of boast of armed men, and of warriors of him, and for moving of his carts, and multitude of his wheels. Fathers beheld not sons with aclumsid hands, (for the sound of the boast of his armed men, and of his warriors, and for the moving of his chariots, and the multitude of his wheels. Fathers, with their hands benumbed, shall not take care of their children,)
4 for the coming of the day in which all Philistines shall be destroyed; and Tyrus shall be destroyed, and Sidon with all their other helps. For the Lord hath destroyed Palestines, the remnants of the isle of Cappadocia. (for the coming of the day in which all the Philistines shall be destroyed; and Tyre and Sidon shall be destroyed, and all their helpers. Yea, the Lord shall destroy the Philistines, who be the remnant from the island of Caphtor.)
5 Baldness came on Gaza; Ashkelon was still, and the remnants of the valley of them. How long shalt thou fall down, (Baldness came upon Gaza, Ashkelon was silent, along with the remnants of their valley; how long shalt thou fall down?)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.