Ezekiel 38
A Prophecy Against Gog
1The word of the Lord came to me: 2“Son of man, turn toward ▼▼ Heb “set your face against.”
Gog, ▼▼ This may refer to a Lydian king in western Asia Minor in the seventh century b.c. Apart from Ezek 38–39, the only other biblical reference to this king/nation is in Rev 20:8. For a study of the names appearing in this verse, see E. Yamauchi, Foes From the Northern Frontier, 19–27.
of the land of Magog, ▼ the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. ▼▼ Heb “the prince, the chief of Meshech and Tubal.” Some translate “the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal,” but it is more likely that the Hebrew noun in question is a common noun in apposition to “prince,” rather than a proper name. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:434–35. As Block demonstrates, attempts by some popular writers to identify these proper names with later geographical sites in Russia are anachronistic. See as well E. Yamauchi, Foes From the Northern Frontier, 19–27.
▼ Prophesy against him 3and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, ▼▼ Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201–2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘hinnenî êlêkâ,’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.
I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and bring you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them fully armed, a great company with shields of different types, ▼▼ The Hebrew text mentions two different types of shields here.
all of them armed with swords. 5Persia, ▼▼ D. I. Block prefers to see the Hebrew word as referring here to a western ally of Egypt or as an alternative spelling for Pathros, that is, Upper Egypt. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:439–40.
Ethiopia, and Put ▼▼ That is, Lydia.
are with them, all of them with shields and helmets. 6They are joined by ▼▼ The words “they are joined by” are added in the translation for purposes of English style.
Gomer with all its troops, and by Beth Togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops – many peoples are with you. ▼▼ The seven-nation coalition represents the north (Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, Beth-Togarmah), the south/west (Ethiopia, Put) and the east (Persia). The use of the sevenfold list suggests completeness. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:441.
7 “‘Be ready and stay ready, you and all your companies assembled around you, and be a guard for them. ▼
▼ The second person singular verbal and pronominal forms in the Hebrew text indicate that Gog is addressed here.
8After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come to a land restored from the ravages of war, ▼▼ Heb “from the sword.”
with many peoples gathered on the mountains of Israel that had long been in ruins. Its people ▼▼ Heb “it.”
were brought out from the peoples, and all of them will be living securely. 9You will advance; ▼▼ Heb “go up.”
you will come like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the earth, you, all your troops, and the many other peoples with you. 10 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind, ▼
▼ Heb “words will go up upon your heart.”
and you will devise an evil plan. 11You will say, “I will invade ▼▼ Heb “go up against.”
a land of unwalled towns; I will advance against ▼▼ Heb “come (to).”
those living quietly in security – all of them living without walls and barred gates – 12to loot and plunder, to attack ▼▼ Heb “to turn your hand against.”
the inhabited ruins and the people gathered from the nations, who are acquiring cattle and goods, who live at the center ▼ of the earth.” 13Sheba and Dedan and the traders of Tarshish with all its young warriors ▼▼ Heb “young lions.”
will say to you, “Have you come to loot? Have you assembled your armies to plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to haul away a great amount of spoils?”’ 14 “Therefore, prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On that day when my people Israel are living securely, you will take notice ▼
▼ The Hebrew text is framed as a rhetorical question: “will you not take notice?”
15and come from your place, from the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a vast army. 16You will advance ▼▼ Heb “come up.”
against my people Israel like a cloud covering the earth. In the latter days I will bring you against my land so that the nations may acknowledge me, when before their eyes I magnify myself ▼▼ Or “reveal my holiness.”
through you, O Gog. 17 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days by my servants ▼
▼ Heb “by the hand of my servants.”
the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days ▼▼ The Hebrew text adds “years” here, but this is probably a scribal gloss on the preceding phrase. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:201.
that I would bring you against them? 18On that day, when Gog invades ▼▼ Heb “goes up against.”
the land of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord, my rage will mount up in my anger. 19In my zeal, in the fire of my fury, ▼ I declare that on that day there will be a great earthquake ▼▼ Or “shaking.”
in the land of Israel. 20The fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the wild beasts, all the things that creep on the ground, and all people who live on the face of the earth will shake ▼▼ Or “tremble.”
at my presence. The mountains will topple, the cliffs ▼▼ The term occurs only here and in Song of Songs 2:14.
will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground. 21I will call for a sword to attack ▼▼ Heb “against.”
Gog ▼ on all my mountains, declares the sovereign Lord; every man’s sword will be against his brother. 22I will judge him with plague and bloodshed. I will rain down on him, his troops and the many peoples who are with him a torrential downpour, hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23I will exalt and magnify myself; I will reveal myself before many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’ Ezekiel 39
1“As for you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal! 2I will turn you around and drag you along; ▼▼ The Hebrew root occurs only here in the OT. An apparent cognate in the Ethiopic language means “walk along.” For a discussion of the research on this verb, see D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:460.
I will lead you up from the remotest parts of the north and bring you against the mountains of Israel. 3I will knock your bow out of your left hand and make your arrows fall from your right hand. 4You will fall dead on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the people who are with you. I give you as food to every kind of bird and every wild beast. 5You will fall dead in the open field; for I have spoken, declares the sovereign Lord. 6I will send fire on Magog and those who live securely in the coastlands; then they will know that I am the Lord. 7 “‘I will make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. ▼
▼ The basic sense of the word “holy” is “set apart from that which is commonplace, special, unique.” The Lord’s holiness is first and foremost his transcendent sovereignty as the ruler of the world. He is “set apart” from the world over which he rules. At the same time his holiness encompasses his moral authority, which derives from his royal position. As king he has the right to dictate to his subjects how they are to live; indeed his very own character sets the standard for proper behavior. This expression is a common title for the Lord in the book of Isaiah.
8Realize that it is coming and it will be done, declares the sovereign Lord. It is the day I have spoken about. 9 “‘Then those who live in the cities of Israel will go out and use the weapons for kindling ▼
▼ Heb “burn and kindle the weapons.”
– the shields, ▼▼ Two different types of shields are specified in the Hebrew text.
bows and arrows, war clubs and spears – they will burn them for seven years. 10They will not need to take ▼▼ Heb “they will not carry.”
wood from the field or cut down trees from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons. They will take the loot from those who looted them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them, ▼▼ Heb “loot their looters and plunder their plunderers.”
declares the sovereign Lord. 11 “‘On that day I will assign Gog a grave in Israel. It will be the valley of those who travel east of the sea; it will block the way of the travelers. There they will bury Gog and all his horde; they will call it the valley of Hamon-Gog. ▼
▼ The name means “horde of Gog.”
12For seven months Israel ▼▼ Heb “the house of Israel.”
will bury them, in order to cleanse the land. 13All the people of the land will bury them, and it will be a memorial ▼▼ Heb “name.”
for them on the day I magnify myself, declares the sovereign Lord. 14They will designate men to scout continually ▼▼ Heb “men of perpetuity.”
through the land, burying those who remain on the surface of the ground, ▼ in order to cleanse it. They will search for seven full months. 15When the scouts survey ▼▼ Heb “as the scouts scout.”
the land and see a human bone, they will place a sign by it, until those assigned to burial duty have buried it ▼▼ That is, the aforementioned bone.
in the valley of Hamon-Gog. 16(A city by the name of Hamonah ▼▼ This name appears to be a feminine form of the word “horde,” used in the name Hamon-Gog.
will also be there.) They will cleanse the land.’ 17 “As for you, son of man, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Tell every kind of bird and every wild beast: ‘Assemble and come! Gather from all around to my slaughter ▼
▼ Or “sacrifice” (so also in the rest of this verse).
which I am going to make for you, a great slaughter on the mountains of Israel! You will eat flesh and drink blood. 18You will eat the flesh of warriors ▼▼ See Rev 19:17–18.
and drink the blood of the princes of the earth – the rams, lambs, goats, and bulls, all of them fattened animals of Bashan. 19You will eat fat until you are full, and drink blood until you are drunk, ▼ at my slaughter ▼▼ Or “sacrifice” (so also in the rest of this verse).
which I have made for you. 20You will fill up at my table with horses and charioteers, ▼▼ Heb “chariots.”
with warriors and all the soldiers,’ declares the sovereign Lord. 21 “I will display my majesty ▼
▼ Or “my glory.”
among the nations. All the nations will witness the judgment I have executed, and the power I have exhibited ▼▼ Heb “my hand which I have placed.”
among them. 22Then the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God, from that day forward. 23The nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile due to their iniquity, ▼ for they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies; all of them died by the sword. 24According to their uncleanness and rebellion I have dealt with them, and I hid my face from them. 25 “Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Now I will restore ▼
▼ Heb “cause to return.”
the fortunes of Jacob, and I will have mercy on the entire house of Israel. I will be zealous for my holy name. 26They will bear their shame for all their unfaithful acts against me, when they live securely on their land with no one to make them afraid. 27When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will magnify myself among them in the sight of many nations. 28Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them into exile among the nations, and then gathered them into their own land. I will not leave any of them in exile ▼▼ Heb “there,” referring to the foreign nations to which they were exiled. The translation makes the referent clear.
any longer. 29I will no longer hide my face from them, when I pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, ▼ declares the sovereign Lord.”
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