Ezekiel 38
38
A Prophecy Against Gog
1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, turn toward#tn Heb “set your face against.” Gog,#sn 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,#sn One of the sons of Japheth according to Gen 10:2; 1 Chr 1:5. the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.#tn 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. sn Meshech and Tubal were two nations in Cappadocia of Asia Minor. They were also sons of Japheth (Gen 10:2; 1 Chr 1:5). Prophesy against him 3 and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look,#tn 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 ‘h!nn#n' ?l?K>,’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8. I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4 I 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,#sn The Hebrew text mentions two different types of shields here. all of them armed with swords. 5 Persia,#tn 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#sn That is, Lydia. are with them, all of them with shields and helmets. 6 They are joined by#tn 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.#sn 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.#tn The second person singular verbal and pronominal forms in the Hebrew text indicate that Gog is addressed here. 8 After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come to a land restored from the ravages of war,#tn Heb “from the sword.” with many peoples gathered on the mountains of Israel that had long been in ruins. Its people#tn Heb “it.” were brought out from the peoples, and all of them will be living securely. 9 You will advance;#tn 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,#tn Heb “words will go up upon your heart.” and you will devise an evil plan. 11 You will say, “I will invade#tn Heb “go up against.” a land of unwalled towns; I will advance against#tn Heb “come (to).” those living quietly in security – all of them living without walls and barred gates – 12 to loot and plunder, to attack#tn 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#tn The Hebrew term occurs elsewhere only in Judg 9:37. Perhaps it means “high point, top.” of the earth.” 13 Sheba and Dedan and the traders of Tarshish with all its young warriors#tn 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#tn The Hebrew text is framed as a rhetorical question: “will you not take notice?” 15 and 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. 16 You will advance#tn 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#tn 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#tn Heb “by the hand of my servants.” the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days#tn 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? 18 On that day, when Gog invades#tn Heb “goes up against.” the land of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord, my rage will mount up in my anger. 19 In my zeal, in the fire of my fury,#sn The phrase “in the fire of my fury” occurs in Ezek 21:31; 22:21, 31. I declare that on that day there will be a great earthquake#tn Or “shaking.” in the land of Israel. 20 The 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#tn Or “tremble.” at my presence. The mountains will topple, the cliffs#tn The term occurs only here and in Song of Songs 2:14. will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground. 21 I will call for a sword to attack#tn Heb “against.” Gog#tn Heb “him”; the referent (Gog, cf. v. 18) has been specified in the translation for clarity. on all my mountains, declares the sovereign Lord; every man’s sword will be against his brother. 22 I 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. 23 I will exalt and magnify myself; I will reveal myself before many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’
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Ezekiel 38
38
A Prophecy against Gog
1And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, set your face against Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.#38:2 Or of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal Prophesy against him 3and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.#38:3 Or Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal 4I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws, and bring you out with all your army — your horses, your horsemen in full armor, and a great company armed with shields and bucklers, all brandishing their swords. 5Persia, Cush,#38:5 That is, the upper Nile region and Put will accompany them, all with shields and helmets, 6as well as Gomer with all its troops, and Beth-togarmah from the far north with all its troops— the many nations with you.
7Get ready; prepare yourself, you and all your company gathered around you; you will be their guard. 8After a long time you will be summoned. In the latter years you will enter a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and all now dwell securely. 9You and all your troops, and many peoples with you will go up, advancing like a thunderstorm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.
10This is what the Lord GOD says: On that day, thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will devise an evil plan. 11You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will come against a quiet people who dwell securely, all of them living without walls or bars or gates— 12in order to seize the spoil and carry off the plunder, to turn a hand against the desolate places now inhabited and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and possessions and who live at the center of the land.’
13Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its villages#38:13 Or young lions will ask, ‘Have you come to capture the plunder? Have you assembled your hordes to carry away loot, to make off with silver and gold, to take cattle and goods, to seize great spoil?’
14Therefore prophesy, son of man, and tell Gog that this is what the Lord GOD says: On that day when My people Israel are dwelling securely, will you not take notice of this?#38:14 LXX will you not rouse yourself? 15And you will come from your place out of the far north— you and many peoples with you, all riding horses— a mighty horde, a huge army. 16You will advance against My people Israel like a cloud covering the land. It will happen in the latter days, O Gog, that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I show Myself holy in you before their eyes.
17This is what the Lord GOD says: Are you the one of whom I have spoken in former days through My servants, the prophets of Israel, who in those times prophesied for years that I would bring you against them? 18Now on that day when Gog comes against the land of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, My wrath will flare up.
19In My zeal and fiery rage I proclaim that on that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. 20The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that crawls upon the ground, and all mankind on the face of the earth will tremble at My presence. The mountains will be thrown down, the cliffs will collapse, and every wall will fall to the ground.
21And I will summon a sword against Gog on all My mountains, declares the Lord GOD, and every man’s sword will be against his brother. 22I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed. I will pour out torrents of rain, hailstones, fire, and sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. 23I will magnify and sanctify Myself, and I will reveal Myself in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.[’’]
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