Jeremiah asks to make the theological point irrefutable: the sword cannot cease because Yahweh Himself has commissioned it. By framing this as a question rather than a declaration, he forces the audience to acknowledge the logical impossibility of resisting divine decree and underscores God’s absolute sovereignty over judgment.

The text provides no recorded verbal response. The rhetorical question stands as the climax of the oracle, with the prophet’s own answer embedded in the statement that follows: the Lord has given the sword its charge against Ashkelon and the seashore. The silence underscores the finality of divine decree.

Jeremiah’s question carries devastating finality: the sword cannot rest because Yahweh has commanded it. The Hebrew verb shaqat means to be quiet, settled, or at peace, the sword personified as a restless agent unable to cease until its mission is complete. By asking ‘how can it?’ rather than declaring ‘it cannot,’ Jeremiah engages his audience’s reason, forcing them to confront the logical impossibility. The word ‘charge’ translates tsavah, denoting authoritative commissioning. This is not random violence but divinely directed judgment. Ashkelon, a principal Philistine city, and the seashore represent the full coastal region under sentence. The question’s rhetorical power lies in its inevitability, divine decrees cannot be reversed by human desire or negotiation. Theologically, this affirms God’s sovereignty over all nations and His use of pagan armies as instruments of righteous judgment, a theme echoing throughout Jeremiah’s prophecies.