John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 47:5

"Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is brought to nought, the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?" — Jeremiah 47:5 (ASV)

The Prophet returns again to what is figurative, that he might more fully illustrate his prophecy and more powerfully move the Jews. Now by baldness he points out a sign of mourning, for they even used to tear their faces with their nails and pull out their hair.

He then says that baldness, or the loss of hair, had come upon Gaza; because the inhabitants of the valley and of the whole land, according to what was usually done in despair, would pull out their own hair. It is added, Destroyed is Ashkelon. This city, we know, had a great name in the land of the Philistines and was near Gaza, as it appears from many parts of Scripture.

He mentions the remnants of their valley, or depth, for the word is עמק, omek. And though it means a valley, the Prophet, no doubt, alludes to the situation of that region, because they were hidden, as it were, in a safe place. They thought themselves secure, like those hidden in caverns to which access is not easy. And then Tyre and Sidon, as well as Gaza, were cities on the seaside.

Since they lived in these deep and hidden places, they thought themselves far away from every danger and trouble. The Prophet derides this confidence and says that the remnants of their valley should perish, as though he had said that there would be no place so deep and hidden where God’s vengeance would not penetrate.

Finally, he addresses the whole country: How long wilt thou tear thyself?

By tearing he means, no doubt, mourning or lamentation; for, as it has been said, they would tear their faces with their nails in the greatest grief.

The meaning is that there would be no end to their calamities, because the Palestines would mourn perpetually. For otherwise, even those who are most grievously afflicted do not mourn perpetually, for time alleviates grief and sorrow.

The Prophet then shows that God’s vengeance would be so dreadful that evils would be heaped on evils, and thus the cause of mourning would be renewed daily for the Palestines.

He adds afterwards—