Ezekiel38
World English Bible · Public Domain
1Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
2“Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
3and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Behold, I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.
4I will turn you around, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, with all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them handling swords;
5Persia, Cush, and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet;
6Gomer, and all his hordes; the house of Togarmah in the uttermost parts of the north, and all his hordes—even many peoples with you.
7“‘“Be prepared, yes, prepare yourself, you, and all your companies who are assembled to you, and be a guard to them.
8After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, on the mountains of Israel, which have been a continual waste; but it is brought out of the peoples and they will dwell securely, all of them.
9You will ascend. You will come like a storm. You will be like a cloud to cover the land, you and all your hordes, and many peoples with you.”
10“‘The Lord Yahweh says: “It will happen in that day that things will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil plan.
11You will say, ‘I will go up to the land of unwalled villages. I will go to those who are at rest, who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12to take the plunder and to take prey; to turn your hand against the waste places that are inhabited, and against the people who are gathered out of the nations, who have gotten livestock and goods, who dwell in the middle of the earth.’
13Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all its young lions, will ask you, ‘Have you come to take the plunder? Have you assembled your company to take the prey, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’”’
14“Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and tell Gog, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “In that day when my people Israel dwells securely, will you not know it?
15You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you, and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army.
16You will come up against my people Israel as a cloud to cover the land. It will happen in the latter days that I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me when I am sanctified in you, Gog, before their eyes.”
17“‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Are you he of whom I spoke in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days for years that I would bring you against them?
18It will happen in that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord Yahweh, “that my wrath will come up into my nostrils.
19For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath I have spoken. Surely in that day there will be a great shaking in the land of Israel,
20so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, all creeping things who creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the surface of the earth will shake at my presence. Then the mountains will be thrown down, the steep places will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground.
21I will call for a sword against him to all my mountains,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Every man’s sword will be against his brother.
22I will enter into judgment with him with pestilence and with blood. I will rain on him, on his hordes, and on the many peoples who are with him, torrential rains with great hailstones, fire, and sulfur.
23I will magnify myself and sanctify myself, and I will make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.”’
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 38.
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.
Key Words
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אָדָם: ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
שׂוּם: to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
גּוֹג: Gog, the name of an Israelite, also of some nothern nation
אֶרֶץ: the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
מָגוֹג: Magog, a son of Japheth; also a barbarous northern region
רֹאשׁ: the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)
Cross References
Ezekiel 38John's Apocalypse adopts 'Gog and Magog' from here as the ultimate global anti-Christian confederacy.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identical metaphor of Yahweh putting hooks into a proud, out-of-control monarch's jaws to turn him back.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Ezekiel's own parallel imagery of hooks in jaws, used of Pharaoh, showing God's sovereign restraint.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Genesis Table of Nations names Japheth's sons: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The direct sequel to this prophecy, repeating the identical threat against Gog and Magog.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Historical precedent of God causing invaders to turn their swords against their own brothers.
Supported by Matthew Poole
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
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
Pharaoh's identical evil logic, assuming God's people are trapped and vulnerable, prompting his pursuit.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Describes a wealthy, secure nation dwelling without gates or bars, parallel to Israel's state.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prophetic parallel of God overthrowing thrones and making every man fall by his brother's sword.
Supported by Matthew Poole
God's jealousy and holy anger on behalf of his restored, sanctuary-dwelling people.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The historical archetype of fire and brimstone rained from heaven as divine judgment.
Supported by Matthew Poole
God's ultimate purpose in both restoration and judgment: to vindicate and sanctify His great name.
Supported by Matthew Henry