1And the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 came unto me, sayingH559, 2SonH1121 of manH120, setH7760 thy faceH6440 against GogH1463, the landH776 of MagogH4031, the chiefH7218 princeH5387 of MeshechH4902 and TubalH8422, and prophesyH5012 against him, 3And sayH559, Thus saithH559 the LordH136 GODH3069; Behold, I am against thee, O GogH1463, the chiefH7218 princeH5387 of MeshechH4902 and TubalH8422: 4And I will turn thee backH7725, and putH5414 hooksH2397 into thy jawsH3895, and I will bring thee forthH3318, and all thine armyH2428, horsesH5483 and horsemenH6571, all of them clothedH3847 with all sortsH4358 of armour, even a greatH7227 companyH6951 with bucklersH6793 and shieldsH4043, all of them handlingH8610 swordsH2719: 5PersiaH6539, EthiopiaH3568, and LibyaH6316 with them; all of them with shieldH4043 and helmetH3553: 6GomerH1586, and all his bandsH102; the houseH1004 of TogarmahH8425 of the northH6828 quartersH3411, and all his bandsH102: and manyH7227 peopleH5971 with thee. 7Be thou preparedH3559, and prepareH3559 for thyself, thou, and all thy companyH6951 that are assembledH6950 unto thee, and be thou a guardH4929 unto them. 8After manyH7227 daysH3117 thou shalt be visitedH6485 : in the latterH319 yearsH8141 thou shalt comeH935 into the landH776 that is brought backH7725 from the swordH2719, and is gatheredH6908 out of manyH7227 peopleH5971, against the mountainsH2022 of IsraelH3478, which have been alwaysH8548 wasteH2723: but it is brought forthH3318 out of the nationsH5971, and they shall dwellH3427 safelyH983 all of them. 9Thou shalt ascendH5927 and comeH935 like a stormH7722, thou shalt be like a cloudH6051 to coverH3680 the landH776, thou, and all thy bandsH102, and manyH7227 peopleH5971 with thee. 10Thus saithH559 the LordH136 GODH3069; It shall also come to pass, that at the same timeH3117 shall thingsH1697 comeH5927 into thy mindH3824, and thou shalt thinkH2803 an evilH7451 thoughtH4284: 11And thou shalt sayH559, I will go upH5927 to the landH776 of unwalled villagesH6519; I will goH935 to them that are at restH8252, that dwellH3427 safelyH983, all of them dwellingH3427 without wallsH2346, and having neither barsH1280 nor gatesH1817, 12To takeH7997 a spoilH7998, and to takeH962 a preyH957; to turnH7725 thine handH3027 upon the desolate placesH2723 that are now inhabitedH3427, and upon the peopleH5971 that are gatheredH622 out of the nationsH1471, which have gottenH6213 cattleH4735 and goodsH7075, that dwellH3427 in the midstH2872 of the landH776. 13ShebaH7614, and DedanH1719, and the merchantsH5503 of TarshishH8659, with all the young lionsH3715 thereof, shall sayH559 unto thee, Art thou comeH935 to takeH7997 a spoilH7998? hast thou gatheredH6950 thy companyH6951 to takeH962 a preyH957? to carry awayH5375 silverH3701 and goldH2091, to take awayH3947 cattleH4735 and goodsH7075, to takeH7997 a greatH1419 spoilH7998? 14Therefore, sonH1121 of manH120, prophesyH5012 and sayH559 unto GogH1463, Thus saithH559 the LordH136 GODH3069; In that dayH3117 when my peopleH5971 of IsraelH3478 dwellethH3427 safelyH983, shalt thou not knowH3045 it? 15And thou shalt comeH935 from thy placeH4725 out of the northH6828 partsH3411, thou, and manyH7227 peopleH5971 with thee, all of them ridingH7392 upon horsesH5483, a greatH1419 companyH6951, and a mightyH7227 armyH2428: 16And thou shalt come upH5927 against my peopleH5971 of IsraelH3478, as a cloudH6051 to coverH3680 the landH776; it shall be in the latterH319 daysH3117, and I will bringH935 thee against my landH776, that the heathenH1471 may knowH3045 me, when I shall be sanctifiedH6942 in thee, O GogH1463, before their eyesH5869. 17Thus saithH559 the LordH136 GODH3069; Art thou he of whom I have spokenH1696 in oldH6931 timeH3117 byH3027 my servantsH5650 the prophetsH5030 of IsraelH3478, which prophesiedH5012 in those daysH3117 many yearsH8141 that I would bringH935 thee against them? 18And it shall come to pass at the same timeH3117 whenH3117 GogH1463 shall comeH935 against the landH127 of IsraelH3478, saithH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069, that my furyH2534 shall come upH5927 in my faceH639. 19For in my jealousyH7068 and in the fireH784 of my wrathH5678 have I spokenH1696, Surely in that dayH3117 there shall be a greatH1419 shakingH7494 in the landH127 of IsraelH3478; 20So that the fishesH1709 of the seaH3220, and the fowlsH5775 of the heavenH8064, and the beastsH2416 of the fieldH7704, and all creeping thingsH7431 that creepH7430 upon the earthH127, and all the menH120 that are upon the faceH6440 of the earthH127, shall shakeH7493 at my presenceH6440, and the mountainsH2022 shall be thrown downH2040, and the steep placesH4095 shall fallH5307, and every wallH2346 shall fallH5307 to the groundH776. 21And I will callH7121 for a swordH2719 against him throughout all my mountainsH2022, saithH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069: every man'sH376 swordH2719 shall be against his brotherH251. 22And I will pleadH8199 against him with pestilenceH1698 and with bloodH1818; and I will rainH4305 upon him, and upon his bandsH102, and upon the manyH7227 peopleH5971 that are with him, an overflowingH7857 rainH1653, and great hailstonesH417 H68, fireH784, and brimstoneH1614. 23Thus will I magnifyH1431 myself, and sanctifyH6942 myself; and I will be knownH3045 in the eyesH5869 of manyH7227 nationsH1471, and they shall knowH3045 that I am the LORDH3068.
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).
