Ezekiel 38
Ezekiel 38 is part of “Watchman and Restoration Promises” (33–39) in the outline of Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 38 summary
This chapter, and that which follows it, are concerning Gog and Magog, a powerful enemy to the people of Israel, that should make a formidable descent upon them, and put them into a consternation, but their army should be routed and their design defeated; and this prophecy, it is most probable, had its accomplishment some time after the return of the people of Israel out of their captivity, whether in the struggles they had with the kings of Syria, especially Antiochus Epiphanes, or perhaps in some other way not recorded, we cannot tell. If the sacred history of the Old Testament had reached as far as the prophecy, we should have been better…
Read the full introduction
This chapter, and that which follows it, are concerning Gog and Magog, a powerful enemy to the people of Israel, that should make a formidable descent upon them, and put them into a consternation, but their army should be routed and their design defeated; and this prophecy, it is most probable, had its accomplishment some time after the return of the people of Israel out of their captivity, whether in the struggles they had with the kings of Syria, especially Antiochus Epiphanes, or perhaps in some other way not recorded, we cannot tell. If the sacred history of the Old Testament had reached as far as the prophecy, we should have been better able to understand these chapters, but, for want of that key, we are locked out of the meaning of them. God had by the prophet assured his people of happy times after their return to their own land; but lest they should mistake the promises which related to the kingdom of the Messiah and the spiritual privileges of that the kingdom of the Messiah and the spiritual privileges of that kingdom, as if from them they might promise themselves an uninterrupted temporal prosperity, he here tells them, as Christ told his disciples to prevent the like mistake, that in the world they shall have tribulation, but they may be of good cheer, for they shall be victorious at last. This prophecy here of Gog and Magog is without doubt alluded to in that prophecy which relates to the latter days, and which seems to be yet unfulfilled (Rev 20:8), that Gog and Magog shall be gathered to battle against the camp of the saints, as the Old Testament prophecies of the destruction of Babylon are alluded to, Rev. 18. But, in both, the Old Testament prophecies had their accomplishment in the Jewish church as the New Testament prophecies shall have when the time comes in the Christian church. In this chapter we have intermixed, I. The attempt that Gog and Magog should make upon the land of Israel, the vast army they should bring into the field, and their vast preparations (Eze 38:4-7), their project and design in it (Eze 38:8-13), God's hand in it (Eze 38:4). II. The great terror that this should strike upon the land of Israel (Eze 38:15, Eze 38:16, Eze 38:18-20). III. The divine restraint that these enemies should be under, and the divine protection that Israel should be under (Eze 38:2-4 and Eze 38:14). IV. The defeat that should be given to those enemies by the immediate hand of God (Eze 38:21-23), which we shall hear more of in the next chapter.
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Ezekiel 38 (GNV)
Geneva Bible 1599 (public domain)
Prophecy Against Gog
1And the worde of the Lord came vnto mee, saying, 2Sonne of man, set thy face against Gog, and against the lande of Magog, the chiefe prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophecie against him, 3And say, Thus sayth the Lord God, Behold, I come against thee, O Gog the chiefe prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4And I wil destroy thee, and put hookes in thy chawes, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine host both horses, and horsemen, all clothed with al sorts of armour, eue a great multitude with bucklers, and shieldes, all handling swords. 5They of Paras, of Cush, and Phut with the, euen all they that beare shielde and helmet. 6Gomer and all his bands, and the house of Togarmah of the North quarters, and al his bands, and much people with thee. 7Prepare thy selfe, and make thee ready, both thou, and al thy multitude, that are assembled vnto thee, and be thou their sauegard. 8After many dayes thou shalt bee visited: for in the latter yeres thou shalt come into the land, that hath bene destroyed with the sworde, and is gathered out of many people vpon the mountaines of Israel, which haue long lien waste: yet they haue bene brought out of the people, and they shall dwell all safe. 9Thou shalt ascende and come vp like a tempest, and shalt be like a cloude to couer the land, both thou, and all thy bandes, and many people with thee. 10Thus saith the Lord God, Euen at ye same time shall many things come into thy minde, and thou shalt thinke euil thoughts. 11And thou shalt say, I wil go vp to the land that hath no walled towres: I will goe to them that are at rest, and dwell in safetie, which dwell all without walles, and haue neither barres nor gates, 12Thinking to spoyle the pray, and to take a bootie, to turne thine hande vpon the desolate places that are nowe inhabited, and vpon the people, that are gathered out of the nations which haue gotten cattell and goods, and dwell in the middes of the land. 13Sheba and Dedan, and the marchantes of Tarshish with all the lions thereof shall say vnto thee, Art thou come to spoyle the praye? hast thou gathered thy multitude to take a booty? to cary away siluer and golde, to take away cattell and goods, and to spoyle a great pray? 14Therefore, sonne of man, prophecie, and saye vnto Gog, Thus sayeth the Lord God, In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safe, shalt thou not knowe it? 15And come from thy place out of the North partes, thou and much people with thee? all shall ride vpon horses, euen a great multitude and a mightie armie. 16And thou shalt come vp against my people of Israel, as a cloude to couer the land: thou shalt be in the latter dayes, and I will bring thee vpon my lande, that the heathen may knowe mee, when I shalbe sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. 17Thus saith the Lord God, Art not thou he, of whom I haue spoken in olde time, by ye hand of my seruants the Prophets of Israel which prophecied in those dayes and yeeres, that I woulde bring thee vpon them? 18At the same time also whe Gog shall come against the land of Israel, sayth the Lord God, my wrath shall arise in mine anger. 19For in mine indignation and in the fire of my wrath haue I spoken it: surely at that time there shalbe a great shaking in the land of Israel, 20So that the fishes of the sea, and the foules of the heauen, and the beasts of the field and al that moue and creepe vpon the earth, and al ye men that are vpon the earth, shall tremble at my presence, and the mountaines shalbe ouerthrowen, and the staires shall fall, and euery wall shall fall to the ground. 21For I will call for a sworde against him throughout all my mountaines, saith the Lord God: euery mans sword shalbe against his brother. 22And I will pleade against him with pestilence, and with blood, and I will cause to raine vpon him and vpon his bands, and vpon the great people, that are with him, a sore raine, and hailestones, fire, and brimstone. 23Thus will I be magnified, and sanctified, and knowen in the eyes of many nations, and they shall knowe, that I am the Lord.