Jeremiah, 47
5. Baldness has befallen Gaza, Ashkelon has been reduced to silence. You who remain in the valley, how long will you gash yourselves?
5. Baldness has befallen Gaza, Ashkelon has been reduced to silence. You who remain in the valley, how long will you gash yourselves?
In Chapter 47 of Jeremiah, we find a prophecy about the destruction of Gaza. The coastal city would be attacked by the Babylonians and its inhabitants would be killed or taken as prisoners. Below are five verses related to the topics covered in this chapter:
Isaiah 14:29: "Not happy, O full, the whole staff that fell to you, because from the root of the snake a basilisk will be broken, and its fruit will be a burning two -edge serpent." This verse relates to Jeremiah's prophecy about Gaza, as it mentions the Philistines, people who inhabited the region where the city was, and talks about the emergence of a serpent that would bring destruction.
Amos 1:6-7: "Thus saith the Lord, By three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not remove the punishment, because they have taken captive an entire people to give them the Edom. So I will fire to the walls of Gaza, and this will consume your palaces. " This verse makes a direct reference to the city of Gaza and talks about the punishment that would be sent by God because of his sins.
Sophonies 2:4-5: "Because Gaza will be helpless, and ascalom will be as a desert; asdode will be expelled at noon, and echrom will be disarmed. Woe to the inhabitants of the coast, the people of the quarrels! The word of the Lord is against You, O Canaan, Land of the Philistines, and I will destroy you until there is no more inhabitant. " This verse is another prophecy that mentions Gaza and other nearby cities that would be destroyed by the Babylonians.
Ezekiel 25:15-17: "Thus saith the Lord God, for the Philistines proceeded, avenging with contempt and hatred of ancient enmity, with the intention of destroying Judah, so the Lord God says: Behold, I extend My hand over the Philistines, and extirporate the queritites, and make the rest of the coast of the sea perish. And I will perform in them great revenge, with furious punishments; and they will know that I am the Lord, when I have exercised my revenge on them. " This verse talks about God's wrath against the Philistines, who opposed the people of Judah, and announces the destruction of the coast of the sea, which includes Gaza.
Jeremiah 25:20: "And to all kings of the land of the Philistines, ascalom, the Gaza, the ecrom, and what remains of asdode." This verse is part of a prophecy about the destruction of several cities, including Gaza. It is an indication that the city had already been mentioned earlier as the target of divine judgment.
“Procuremos servir ao Senhor com todo o coração e com toda a vontade. Ele nos dará sempre mais do que merecemos.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina
