1Jahvovo slovo se mi ozvalo takto: 2Lidský synu, obrať se ke Gogovi v zemi Magog, k velkoknížeti Mešeku a Tubalu, a prorokuj proti němu. 3Řekneš: Takto mluví Pán Jahve. Prohlašuji, že jsem proti tobě, Gogu, velkokníže Mešeku a Tubalu. 4Obrátím tě čelem vzad, vložím ti do čelistí háky a vyvedu tě s celým tvým vojskem: s koňmi a jezdci, kteří jsou vesměs dokonale vystrojení, s početným oddílem, v němž všichni nosí štíty a pavézy a umějí zacházet s mečem. 5Jsou s nimi Persie, Kuš, a Put, vesměs se štítem a přílbou. 6Gomer a všechny jeho oddíly, Bet-Togarma na nejzazším severu a všechny jeho oddíly, nespočetné národy jsou s tebou. 7Buď připraven, dobře se přichystej, ty i všechny tvé oddíly a také ti, kdo se kolem tebe seskupili, a dej se do mých služeb. 8Po mnoha dnech dostaneš příkazy. Po mnoha letech přijdeš na zemi, jejíž obyvatelé unikli meči a byli shromážděni mezi spoustou národů na Izraelových horách, jež byly dlouhý čas v troskách. Od chvíle, kdy byli odděleni od ostatních národů, bydlí všichni v bezpečí. 9Vyrazíš, poženeš se jako bouře, budeš jako mrak, který přikryje zemi, ty, všechny tvé oddíly a četné národy s tebou. 10Takto mluví Pán Jahve: Toho dne se ti v srdci zrodí myšlenky a pojmeš zlé úmysly. 11Řekneš: „Vyrazím proti bezbranné zemi, potáhnu proti poklidným lidem, kteří bydlí v bezpečí. Oni bydlí všichni ve městech bez hradeb, nemají závory ani dveře.“ 12Půjdeš plenit a kořistit, pozdvihneš ruku proti obydleným troskám a proti lidu shromážděnému zprostřed národů, který se zabývá chovem dobytka a obchodem a bydlí na pupku země. 13Šeba, Dedan, kupci z Taršíše a všichni jeho mladí lvi ti řeknou: „To jsi přišel plenit? To jsi shromáždil své oddíly, abys kořistil? Aby sis vzal zlato a stříbro, aby ses zmocnil stád a zboží, aby sis odnesl ohromnou kořist?“ 14Proto prorokuj, lidský synu. Řekneš Gogovi: Takto mluví Pán Jahve. Nevydáš se snad na cestu v den, kdy můj lid Izrael bude bydlet v bezpečí? 15Odejdeš ze svého sídla na nejzazším severu, ty a s tebou četné národy, jež všechny pojedou na koních, ohromný pluk, nespočetné vojsko. 16Vytáhneš proti mému lidu Izraeli, budeš jako mrak, jenž přikrývá zemi. Bude to na konci dní - tehdy tě přivedu proti své zemi, aby mě národy poznaly, až před jejich očima zjevím svou svatost na tobě, Gogu. 17Takto mluví Pán Jahve: Právě o tobě jsem mluvil v dávné době prostřednictvím svých služebníků, izraelských proroků, kteří tenkrát prorokovali a ohlašovali, že proti nim přijdeš. 18Tehdy, v den, kdy Gog potáhne proti Izraelovu území - výrok Pána Jahva -, vzkypí má zlost. Ve svém hněvu, 19ve své žárlivosti, ve svém planoucím rozlícení říkám: v ten den, přísahám, bude na Izraelově území velké pozdvižení. 20Tehdy se přede mnou budou chvět mořské ryby a nebeští ptáci, divoká zvířata, všichni plazi, kteří lezou po zemi, a všichni lidé, kteří jsou na povrchu země. Hory se zhroutí, skalní stěny spadnou na zem, všechny hradby se skácejí. 21Povolám proti němu veškerý meč, výrok Pána Jahva, a oni obrátí meč jeden proti druhému. 22Potrestám ho morem a krví, budu dštít na něho, na jeho oddíly i na četné národy, které jsou s ním, přívaly deště, kroupy, oheň a síru. 23Zjevím svou velikost a svou svatost, ukáži se před očima četných národů, a ony poznají, že já jsem Jahve.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 THE ASSAULT OF GOG, AND GOD'S JUDGMENT ON HIM. (Eze. 38:1-23)
Gog--the prince of the land of Magog. The title was probably a common one of the kings of the country, as "Pharaoh" in Egypt. Chakan was the name given by the Northern Asiatics to their king, and is still a title of the Turkish sultan: "Gog" may be a contraction of this. In Ezekiel's time a horde of northern Asiatics, termed by the Greeks "Scythians," and probably including the Moschi and Tibareni, near the Caucasus, here ("Meshech . . . Tubal") undertook an expedition against Egypt [HERODOTUS, 1.103-106]. These names might be adopted by Ezekiel from the historical fact familiar to men at the time, as ideal titles for the great last anti-Christian confederacy.
Magog-- (
Gen 10:2;
1Chr 1:5). The name of a land belonging to Japheth's posterity. Maha, in Sanskrit, means "land." Gog is the ideal political head of the region. In
Rev 20:8, Gog and Magog are two peoples.
the chief prince--rather, "prince of Rosh," or "Rhos" [Septuagint]. The Scythian Tauri in the Crimea were so called. The Araxes also was called "Rhos." The modern Russians may have hence assumed their name, as Moscow and Tobolsk from Meshech and Tubal, though their proper ancient name was Slavi, or Wends. HENGSTENBERG supports English Version, as "Rosh" is not found in the Bible. "Magog was Gog's original kingdom, though he acquired also Meshech and Tubal, so as to be called their chief prince."
3 His high-sounding titles are repeated to imply the haughty self-confidence of the invader as if invincible.
4 turn thee back--as a refractory wild beast, which thinks to take its own way, but is bent by a superior power to turn on a course which must end in its destruction. Satan shall be, by overruling Providence, permitted to deceive them to their ruin (
Rev 20:7-
Rev 20:8).
hooks into thy jaws-- (
Ezek 29:4;
2Kgs 19:28).
5 Persia . . . Libya--expressly specified by APPIAN as supplying the ranks of Antiochus' army.
6 Gomer--the Celtic Cimmerians of Crim-Tartary.
Togarmah--the Armenians of the Caucasus, south of Iberia.
7 Irony. Prepare thee and all thine with all needful accoutrements for war--that ye may perish together.
be . . . a guard unto them--that is, if thou canst.
8 thou shall be visited--in wrath, by God (
Isa 29:6). Probably there is allusion to
Isa 24:21-
Isa 24:22, "The host of the high ones . . . shall be gathered . . . as prisoners . . . in me pit . . . and after many days shall they be visited." I therefore prefer English Version to GROTIUS rendering, "Thou shalt get the command" of the expedition. The "after many days" is defined by "in the latter years," that is, in the times just before the coming of Messiah, namely, under Antiochus, before His first coming; under Antichrist, before His second coming.
the mountains of Israel . . . always waste--that is, waste during the long period of the captivity, the earnest of the much longer period of Judea's present desolation (to which the language "always waste" more fully applies). This marks the impious atrocity of the act, to assail God's people, who had only begun to recover from their protracted calamities.
but it is brought . . . and they shall dwell--rather, "And they (the Israelites) were brought . . . dwelt safely" [FAIRBAIRN]. English Version means, "Against Israel, which has been waste, but which (that is, whose people) is now (at the time of the invasion) brought forth out of the nations where they were dispersed, and shall be found by the invader dwelling securely, so as to seem an easy prey to him."
9 cloud to cover the land--with the multitude of thy forces.
10 an evil thought--as to attacking God's people in their defenseless state.
11 dwell safely--that is, securely, without fear of danger (compare
Esth 9:19). Antiochus, the type of Antichrist, took Jerusalem without a blow.
12 midst of the land--literally, "the navel" of the land (
Judg 9:37, Margin). So, in
Ezek 5:5, Israel is said to be set "in the midst of the nations"; not physically, but morally, a central position for being a blessing to the world: so (as the favored or "beloved city,"
Rev 20:9) an object of envy. GROTIUS translates, "In the height of the land" (so
Ezek 38:8), "the mountains of Israel," Israel being morally elevated above the rest of the world.
13 Sheba, &c.--These mercantile peoples, though not taking an active part against the cause of God, are well pleased to see others do it. Worldliness makes them ready to deal in the ill-gotten spoil of the invaders of God's people. Gain is before godliness with them (1 Maccabees 3:41).
young lions--daring princes and leaders.
14 shalt thou not know it?--to thy cost, being visited with punishment, while Israel dwells safely.
16 I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me--So in
Exod 9:16, God tells Pharaoh, "For this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee My power; and that My name may be declared throughout all the earth."
17 thou he of whom I have spoken in old time--Gog, &c. are here identified with the enemies spoken of in other prophecies (
Num 24:17-
Num 24:24;
Isa 27:1; compare
Isa 26:20-
Isa 26:21;
Jer 30:23-
Jer 30:24;
Joel 3:1;
Mic 5:5-
Mic 5:6;
Isa 14:12-
Isa 14:14;
Isa 59:19). God is represented as addressing Gog at the time of his assault; therefore, the "old time" is the time long prior, when Ezekiel uttered these prophecies; so, he also, as well as Daniel (Dan. 11:1-45) and Zechariah (Zec. 14:1-21) are included among "the prophets of Israel" here.
many years--ago.
18 fury shall come up in my face--literally, "nose"; in Hebrew, the idiomatic expression for anger, as men in anger breathe strongly through the nostrils. Anthropopathy: God stooping to human modes of thought (
Ps 18:8).
19 great shaking--an earthquake: physical agitations after accompanying social and moral revolutions. Foretold also in
Joel 3:16; (compare
Hag 2:6-
Hag 2:7;
Matt 24:7,
Matt 24:29;
Rev 16:18).
20 fishes--disturbed by the fleets which I will bring.
fowls, &c.--frightened at the sight of so many men: an ideal picture.
mountains--that is, the fortresses on the mountains.
steep places--literally, "stairs" (
Song 2:14); steep terraces for vines on the sides of hills, to prevent the earth being washed down by the rains.
every wall--of towns.
21 every man's sword . . . against his brother--I will destroy them partly by My people's sword, partly by their swords being turned against one another (compare
2Chr 20:23).
22 plead--a forensic term; because God in His inflictions acts on the principles of His own immutable justice, not by arbitrary impulse (
Isa 66:16;
Jer 25:31).
blood . . . hailstones, fire-- (
Rev 8:7;
Rev 16:21). The imagery is taken from the destruction of Sodom and the plagues of Egypt (compare
Ps 11:6). Antiochus died by "pestilence" (2 Maccabees 9:5).