Ezekiel 38KJV
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Ezekiel38

King James Version · Public Domain

1And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

2Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

3And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:

4And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:

5Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:

6Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.

7Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

8After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

9Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.

10Thus saith the Lord God; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:

11And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,

12To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.

13Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

14Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord God; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?

15And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:

16And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.

17Thus saith the Lord God; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?

18And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that my fury shall come up in my face.

19For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;

20So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

21And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every man's sword shall be against his brother.

22And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.

23Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 38.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The army and malice of Gog. (1-13). God's judgments. (14-23).

vv1-13

These events will be in the latter days. It is supposed these enemies will come together to invade the land of Judea, and God will defeat them. God not only sees who are now the enemies of his church, but he foresees who will be so, and lets them know by his word that he is against them; though they join together, the wicked shall not be unpunished.

vv14-23

The enemy should make a formidable descent upon the land of Israel. When Israel dwell safely under the Divine protection, shalt not thou be made to know it by finding that endeavours to destroy them are made in vain? Promises of security are treasured up in the word of God, against the troubles and dangers the church may be brought into in the latter days. In the destruction of sinners, God makes it appear that he is a great and holy God. We should desire and pray daily. Father, glorify thine own name.

Cross References

Ezekiel 38
v2Revelation 20:8allusion

John's Apocalypse adopts 'Gog and Magog' from here as the ultimate global anti-Christian confederacy.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v42 Kings 19:28thematic

Identical metaphor of Yahweh putting hooks into a proud, out-of-control monarch's jaws to turn him back.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v4Ezekiel 29:4thematic

Ezekiel's own parallel imagery of hooks in jaws, used of Pharaoh, showing God's sovereign restraint.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v2Genesis 10:2thematic

Genesis Table of Nations names Japheth's sons: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v2Ezekiel 39:1thematic

The direct sequel to this prophecy, repeating the identical threat against Gog and Magog.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v21Judges 7:22thematic

Historical precedent of God causing invaders to turn their swords against their own brothers.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v2Ezekiel 27:13thematic

Earlier reference listing Meshech and Tubal together as trading partners with ancient Tyre.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

Provides immediate context of Israel gathered and dwelling safely under God's covenant prior to the invasion.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v22Revelation 20:9allusion

The fire and brimstone judgment on Gog's army is echoed in Revelation's final judgment.

Supported by JFB

Genealogical parallel listing Japheth's sons, establishing the geographic origins of Magog, Meshech, and Tubal.

Supported by JFB

v11Exodus 14:3thematic

Pharaoh's identical evil logic, assuming God's people are trapped and vulnerable, prompting his pursuit.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v11Jeremiah 49:31thematic

Describes a wealthy, secure nation dwelling without gates or bars, parallel to Israel's state.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v21Haggai 2:22thematic

Prophetic parallel of God overthrowing thrones and making every man fall by his brother's sword.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v19Ezekiel 39:25thematic

God's jealousy and holy anger on behalf of his restored, sanctuary-dwelling people.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v22Genesis 19:24thematic

The historical archetype of fire and brimstone rained from heaven as divine judgment.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v23Ezekiel 36:23thematic

God's ultimate purpose in both restoration and judgment: to vindicate and sanctify His great name.

Supported by Matthew Henry