1.6 KiB
sword of Yahweh! How long will it be until you become silent? Go back to your scabbard! Stop and be silent.
The Philistines speak to the sword of Yahweh as if it were a person who could hear them. Alternate translation: "Yahweh, you who are holding your sword! When will you stop striking us with your sword? Stop your sword and put it back in its scabbard!" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification)
sword of Yahweh
Yahweh punishing the Philistines by sending the army from the north is spoken of as if Yahweh were striking them with a sword. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
How long will it be until you become silent?
The people of the Philistines use this question to express their deep frustration about the devastation caused by their enemies. This may be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: "Please be silent!" or "Please, Yahweh, stop striking us with your sword!" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)
you become silent
A sword makes a noise as it slashes back and forth. Asking the sword to be silent means to ask it to stop slashing and killing. Alternate translation: "you rest" or "you stop slashing" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom)
scabbard
This is the case used to protect the blade of a sword.
How can it rest ... along the sea
Here Jeremiah is speaking. He continues speaking of the sword of Yahweh as if it were a person who could rest. Yahweh punishing the Philistines by sending the army of the north is spoken of as if Yahweh were striking the people with a sword. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)