And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.
Ver. 8. And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod] These other four Satrapies of the Philistines (Gath is not mentioned, because happily time had now triumphed over it, so that it lived by fame only) were the worse likely, and fared the worse for Gaza's ill neighbourhood; like as Hamath did for Damascus, Zechariah 9:2 .
And I will turn mine hand] Not in mercy, as Zechariah 13:7, but for further mischief; I will have a double blow at Ekron, where Beelzebub the Grandiabolo is worshipped, Iterabo plagam: and when I have done with the rest I will begin again with Ekron; Acheronta movebo.
And the remnant of the Philistines] This is dreadful, but due to them, and just upon them for their savage dealing with Israel, Amos 1:6. This was fulfilled by Hezekiah conquering all that country, 2 Kings 18:8. See Josephus, lib. ix. 13.