1Therefore, thou sonH1121 of manH120, prophesyH5012 against GogH1463, and sayH559, Thus saithH559 the LordH136 GODH3069; Behold, I am against thee, O GogH1463, the chiefH7218 princeH5387 of MeshechH4902 and TubalH8422: 2And I will turn thee backH7725, and leave but the sixth partH8338 of thee, and will cause thee to come upH5927 from the northH6828 partsH3411, and will bringH935 thee upon the mountainsH2022 of IsraelH3478: 3And I will smiteH5221 thy bowH7198 out of thy leftH8040 handH3027, and will cause thine arrowsH2671 to fallH5307 out of thy rightH3225 handH3027. 4Thou shalt fallH5307 upon the mountainsH2022 of IsraelH3478, thou, and all thy bandsH102, and the peopleH5971 that is with thee: I will giveH5414 thee unto the ravenousH5861 birdsH6833 of every sortH3671, and to the beastsH2416 of the fieldH7704 to be devouredH402. 5Thou shalt fallH5307 upon the openH6440 fieldH7704: for I have spokenH1696 it, saithH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069. 6And I will sendH7971 a fireH784 on MagogH4031, and among them that dwellH3427 carelesslyH983 in the islesH339: and they shall knowH3045 that I am the LORDH3068. 7So will I make my holyH6944 nameH8034 knownH3045 in the midstH8432 of my peopleH5971 IsraelH3478; and I will not let them polluteH2490 my holyH6944 nameH8034 any more: and the heathenH1471 shall knowH3045 that I am the LORDH3068, the Holy OneH6918 in IsraelH3478. 8Behold, it is comeH935, and it is doneH1961, saithH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069; this is the dayH3117 whereof I have spokenH1696 . 9And they that dwellH3427 in the citiesH5892 of IsraelH3478 shall go forthH3318, and shall setH1197 on fireH784 and burnH5400 the weaponsH5402, both the shieldsH4043 and the bucklersH6793, the bowsH7198 and the arrowsH2671, and the handstavesH3027 H4731, and the spearsH7420, and they shall burnH1197 them with fireH784 sevenH7651 yearsH8141: 10So that they shall takeH5375 no woodH6086 out of the fieldH7704, neither cut downH2404 any out of the forestsH3293; for they shall burnH1197 the weaponsH5402 with fireH784: and they shall spoilH7997 those that spoiledH7997 them, and robH962 those that robbedH962 them, saithH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069. 11And it shall come to pass in that dayH3117, that I will giveH5414 unto GogH1463 a placeH4725 there of gravesH6913 in IsraelH3478, the valleyH1516 of the passengersH5674 on the eastH6926 of the seaH3220: and it shall stopH2629 the noses of the passengersH5674 : and there shall they buryH6912 GogH1463 and all his multitudeH1995: and they shall callH7121 it The valleyH1516 of HamongogH1996. 12And sevenH7651 monthsH2320 shall the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 be buryingH6912 of them, that they may cleanseH2891 the landH776. 13Yea, all the peopleH5971 of the landH776 shall buryH6912 them; and it shall be to them a renownH8034 the dayH3117 that I shall be glorifiedH3513, saithH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069. 14And they shall sever outH914 menH582 of continual employmentH8548, passing throughH5674 the landH776 to buryH6912 with the passengersH5674 those that remainH3498 upon the faceH6440 of the earthH776, to cleanseH2891 it: after the endH7097 of sevenH7651 monthsH2320 shall they searchH2713 . 15And the passengersH5674 that pass throughH5674 the landH776, when any seethH7200 a man'sH120 boneH6106, then shall he set upH1129 a signH6725 byH681 it, till the buriersH6912 have buriedH6912 it in the valleyH1516 of HamongogH1996. 16And also the nameH8034 of the cityH5892 shall be HamonahH1997. Thus shall they cleanseH2891 the landH776. 17And, thou sonH1121 of manH120, thus saithH559 the LordH136 GODH3069; SpeakH559 unto every featheredH3671 fowlH6833, and to every beastH2416 of the fieldH7704, AssembleH6908 yourselves, and comeH935 ; gatherH622 yourselves on every sideH5439 to my sacrificeH2077 that I do sacrificeH2076 for you, even a greatH1419 sacrificeH2077 upon the mountainsH2022 of IsraelH3478, that ye may eatH398 fleshH1320, and drinkH8354 bloodH1818. 18Ye shall eatH398 the fleshH1320 of the mightyH1368, and drinkH8354 the bloodH1818 of the princesH5387 of the earthH776, of ramsH352, of lambsH3733, and of goatsH6260, of bullocksH6499, all of them fatlingsH4806 of BashanH1316. 19And ye shall eatH398 fatH2459 till ye be fullH7654, and drinkH8354 bloodH1818 till ye be drunkenH7943, of my sacrificeH2077 which I have sacrificedH2076 for you. 20Thus ye shall be filledH7646 at my tableH7979 with horsesH5483 and chariotsH7393, with mighty menH1368, and with all menH376 of warH4421, saithH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069. 21And I will setH5414 my gloryH3519 among the heathenH1471, and all the heathenH1471 shall seeH7200 my judgmentH4941 that I have executedH6213, and my handH3027 that I have laidH7760 upon them. 22So the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 shall knowH3045 that I am the LORDH3068 their GodH430 from that dayH3117 and forwardH1973. 23And the heathenH1471 shall knowH3045 that the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 went into captivityH1540 for their iniquityH5771: because they trespassedH4603 against me, therefore hidH5641 I my faceH6440 from them, and gaveH5414 them into the handH3027 of their enemiesH6862: so fellH5307 they all by the swordH2719. 24According to their uncleannessH2932 and according to their transgressionsH6588 have I doneH6213 unto them, and hidH5641 my faceH6440 from them. 25Therefore thus saithH559 the LordH136 GODH3069; Now will I bring againH7725 the captivityH7622 H7622 of JacobH3290, and have mercyH7355 upon the whole houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, and will be jealousH7065 for my holyH6944 nameH8034; 26After that they have borneH5375 their shameH3639, and all their trespassesH4604 whereby they have trespassedH4603 against me, when they dweltH3427 safelyH983 in their landH127, and none made them afraidH2729 . 27When I have brought them againH7725 from the peopleH5971, and gatheredH6908 them out of their enemies'H341 landsH776, and am sanctifiedH6942 in them in the sightH5869 of manyH7227 nationsH1471; 28Then shall they knowH3045 that I am the LORDH3068 their GodH430, which caused them to be led into captivityH1540 among the heathenH1471: but I have gatheredH3664 them unto their own landH127, and have leftH3498 none of them any more there. 29Neither will I hideH5641 my faceH6440 any more from them: for I have poured outH8210 my spiritH7307 upon the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, saithH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 CONTINUATION OF THE PROPHECY AGAINST GOG. (Eze. 39:1-29)
Repeated from
Ezek 38:3, to impress the prophecy more on the mind.
2 leave but the sixth part of thee--Margin, "strike thee with six plagues" (namely, pestilence, blood, overflowing rain, hailstones, fire, brimstone,
Ezek 38:22); or, "draw thee back with an hook of six teeth" (
Ezek 38:4), the six teeth being those six plagues. Rather, "lead thee about" [LUDOVICUS DE DIEU and Septuagint]. As Antiochus was led (to his ruin) to leave Egypt for an expedition against Palestine, so shall the last great enemy of God be.
north parts--from the extreme north [FAIRBAIRN].
3 bow--in which the Scythians were most expert.
4 (Compare
Ezek 39:17-
Ezek 39:20).
upon the mountains of Israel--The scene of Israel's preservation shall be that of the ungodly foe's destruction.
6 carelessly--in self-confident security.
the isles--Those dwelling in maritime regions, who had helped Gog with fleets and troops, shall be visited with the fire of God's wrath in their own lands.
7 not let them pollute my holy name--by their sins bringing down judgments which made the heathen think that I was unable or unwilling to save My people.
8 it is come . . . it is done--The prediction of the salvation of My people, and the ruin of their enemy, is come to pass--is done: expressing that the event foretold is as certain as if it were already accomplished.
9 The burning of the foe's weapons implies that nothing belonging to them should be left to pollute the land. The seven years (seven being the sacred number) spent on this work, implies the completeness of the cleansing, and the people's zeal for purity. How different from the ancient Israelites, who left not merely the arms, but the heathen themselves, to remain among them [FAIRBAIRN], (
Judg 1:27-
Judg 1:28;
Judg 2:2-
Judg 2:3;
Ps 106:34-
Ps 106:36). The desolation by Antiochus began in the one hundred and forty-first year of the Seleucidć. From this date to 148, a period of six years and four months ("2300 days,"
Dan 8:14), when the temple-worship was restored (1 Maccabees 4:52), God vouchsafed many triumphs to His people; from this time to the death of Antiochus, early in 149, a period of seven months, the Jews had rest from Antiochus, and purified their land, and on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month celebrated the Encćnia, or feast of dedication (
John 10:22) and purification of the temple. The whole period, in round numbers, was seven years. Mattathias was the patriotic Jewish leader, and his third son, Judas, the military commander under whom the Syrian generals were defeated. He retook Jerusalem and purified the temple. Simon and Jonathan, his brothers, succeeded him: the independence of the Jews was secured, and the crown vested in the Asmonean family, in which it continued till Herod the Great.
11 place . . . of graves--Gog found only a grave where he had expected the spoils of conquest.
valley--So vast were to be the masses that nothing but a deep valley would suffice for their corpses.
the passengers on the east of the sea--those travelling on the high road, east of the Dead Sea, from Syria to Petra and Egypt. The publicity of the road would cause many to observe God's judgments, as the stench (as English Version translates) or the multitude of graves (as HENDERSON translates, "it shall stop the passengers") would arrest the attention of passers-by. Their grave would be close to that of their ancient prototypes, Sodom and Gomorrah in the Dead Sea, both alike being signal instances of God's judgments.
13 I . . . glorified--in destroying the foe (
Ezek 28:22).
14 with the passengers--The men employed continually in the burying were to be helped by those happening to pass by; all were to combine.
after the end of seven months shall they search--to see if the work was complete [MUNSTER].
15 First "all the people of the land" engaged in the burying for seven months; then special men were employed, at the end of the seven months, to search for any still left unburied. The passers-by helped them by setting up a mark near any such bones, in order to keep others from being defiled by casually touching them, and that the buriers might come and remove them. Denoting the minute care to put away every relic of heathen pollution from the Holy Land.
16 A city in the neighborhood was to receive the name Hamonah, "multitude," to commemorate the overthrow of the multitudes of the foe [HENDERSON]. The multitude of the slain shall give a name to the city of Jerusalem after the land shall have been cleansed [GROTIUS]. Jerusalem shall be famed as the conqueror of multitudes.
17 (
Rev 19:17).
sacrifice--Anciently worshippers feasted on the sacrifices. The birds and beasts of prey are invited to the sacrificial feast provided by God (compare
Isa 18:6;
Isa 34:6;
Zeph 1:7;
Mark 9:49). Here this sacrifice holds only a subordinate place in the picture, and so is put last. Not only shall their bones lie long unburied, but they shall be stripped of the flesh by beasts and birds of prey.
18 rams . . . lambs . . . goats--By these various animal victims used in sacrifices are meant various ranks of men, princes, generals, and soldiers (compare
Isa 34:6).
fatlings of Bashan--ungodly men of might (
Ps 22:12). Bashan, beyond Jordan, was famed for its fat cattle. Fat implies prosperity which often makes men refractory towards God (
Deut 32:14-
Deut 32:15).
20 my table--the field of battle on the mountains of Israel (
Ezek 38:8,
Ezek 38:20).
chariots--that is, charioteers.
22 So the house of Israel shall know . . . Lord--by My interposition for them. So, too, the heathen shall be led to fear the name of the Lord (
Ps 102:15).
23 hid I my face-- (
Deut 31:17;
Isa 59:2).
25 bring again the captivity--restore from calamity to prosperity.
the whole house of Israel--so "all Israel" (
Rom 11:26). The restorations of Israel heretofore have been partial; there must be one yet future that is to be universal (
Hos 1:11).
26 After that they have borne their shame--the punishment of their sin: after they have become sensible of their guilt, and ashamed of it (
Ezek 20:43;
Ezek 36:31).
27 sanctified in them--vindicated as holy in My dealings with them.
28 The Jews, having no dominion, settled country, or fixed property to detain them, may return at any time without difficulty (compare
Hos 3:4-
Hos 3:5).
29 poured out my Spirit upon . . . Israel--the sure forerunner of their conversion (
Joel 2:28;
Zech 12:10). The pouring out of His Spirit is a pledge that He will hide His face no more (
2Cor 1:22;
Eph 1:14;
Phil 1:6).
The arrangements as to the land and the temple are, in many particulars, different from those subsisting before the captivity. There are things in it so improbable physically as to preclude a purely literal interpretation. The general truth seems to hold good that, as Israel served the nations for his rejection of Messiah, so shall they serve him in the person of Messiah, when he shall acknowledge Messiah (
Isa 60:12;
Zech 14:17-
Zech 14:19; compare
Ps 72:11). The ideal temple exhibits, under Old Testament forms (used as being those then familiar to the men whom Ezekiel, a priest himself, and one who delighted in sacrificial images, addresses), not the precise literal outline, but the essential character of the worship of Messiah as it shall be when He shall exercise sway in Jerusalem among His own people, the Jews, and thence to the ends of the earth. The very fact that the whole is a vision (
Ezek 40:2), not an oral face-to-face communication such as that granted to Moses (
Num 12:6-
Num 12:8), implies that the directions are not to be understood so precisely literally as those given to the Jewish lawgiver. The description involves things which, taken literally, almost involve natural impossibilities. The square of the temple, in
Ezek 42:20, is six times as large as the circuit of the wall enclosing the old temple, and larger than all the earthly Jerusalem. Ezekiel gives three and a half miles and one hundred forty yards to his temple square. The boundaries of the ancient city were about two and a half miles. Again, the city in Ezekiel has an area between three or four thousand square miles, including the holy ground set apart for the prince, priests, and Levites. This is nearly as large as the whole of Judea west of the Jordan. As Zion lay in the center of the ideal city, the one-half of the sacred portion extended to nearly thirty miles south of Jerusalem, that is, covered nearly the whole southern territory, which reached only to the Dead Sea (
Ezek 47:19), and yet five tribes were to have their inheritance on that side of Jerusalem, beyond the sacred portion (
Ezek 48:23-
Ezek 48:28). Where was land to be found for them there? A breadth of but four or five miles apiece would be left. As the boundaries of the land are given the same as under Moses, these incongruities cannot be explained away by supposing physical changes about to be effected in the land such as will meet the difficulties of the purely literal interpretation. The distribution of the land is in equal portions among the twelve tribes, without respect to their relative numbers, and the parallel sections running from east to west. There is a difficulty also in the supposed separate existence of the twelve tribes, such separate tribeships no longer existing, and it being hard to imagine how they could be restored as distinct tribes, mingled as they now are. So the stream that issued from the east threshold of the temple and flowed into the Dead Sea, in the rapidity of its increase and the quality of its waters, is unlike anything ever known in Judea or elsewhere in the world. Lastly, the catholicity of the Christian dispensation, and the spirituality of its worship, seem incompatible with a return to the local narrowness and "beggarly elements" of the Jewish ritual and carnal ordinances, disannulled "because of the unprofitableness thereof" [FAIRBAIRN], (
Gal 4:3,
Gal 4:9;
Gal 5:1;
Heb 9:10;
Heb 10:18). "A temple with sacrifices now would be a denial of the all-sufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ. He who sacrificed before confessed the Messiah. He who should sacrifice now would solemnly deny Him" [DOUGLAS]. These difficulties, however, may be all seeming, not real. Faith accepts God's Word as it is, waits for the event, sure that it will clear up all such difficulties. Perhaps, as some think, the beau ideal of a sacred commonwealth is given according to the then existing pattern of temple services, which would be the imagery most familiar to the prophet and his hearers at the time. The minute particularizing of details is in accordance with Ezekiel's style, even in describing purely ideal scenes. The old temple embodied in visible forms and rites spiritual truths affecting the people even when absent from it. So this ideal temple is made in the absence of the outward temple to serve by description the same purpose of symbolical instruction as the old literal temple did by forms and acts. As in the beginning God promised to be a "sanctuary" (
Ezek 11:16) to the captives at the Chebar, so now at the close is promised a complete restoration and realization of the theocratic worship and polity under Messiah in its noblest ideal (compare
Jer 31:38-
Jer 31:40). In
Rev 21:22 "no temple" is seen, as in the perfection of the new dispensation the accidents of place and form are no longer needed to realize to Christians what Ezekiel imparts to Jewish minds by the imagery familiar to them. In Ezekiel's temple holiness stretches over the entire temple, so that in this there is no longer a distinction between the different parts, as in the old temple: parts left undeterminate in the latter obtain now a divine sanction, so that all arbitrariness is excluded. So that it is be a perfect manifestation of the love of God to His covenant-people (Eze. 40:1-43:12); and from it, as from a new center of religious life, there gushes forth the fulness of blessings to them, and so to all people (Eze. 47:1-23) [FAIRBAIRN and HAVERNICK]. The temple built at the return from Babylon can only very partially have realized the model here given. The law is seemingly opposed to the gospel (
Matt 5:21-
Matt 5:22,
Matt 5:27-
Matt 5:28,
Matt 5:33-
Matt 5:34). It is not really so (compare
Matt 5:17-
Matt 5:18;
Rom 3:31;
Gal 3:21-
Gal 3:22). It is true Christ's sacrifice superseded the law sacrifices (
Heb 10:12-
Heb 10:18). Israel's province may hereafter be to show the essential identity, even in the minute details of the temple sacrifices, between the law and gospel (
Rom 10:8). The ideal of the theocratic temple will then first be realized.