Ezekiel 38

1 And the word [message from God, divine utterance] of the LORD [Yehovah] came [existed, came into being] to me, saying [to speak, to declare, to command], word study 2 “Son [descendant, human] of man [Adam], set [appoint, place] your face [presence, towards] against [toward, in opposition to] Gog [a northern nation, mountain] of the land [country, territory] of Magog [a barbarous northern region], the chief [head] prince [leader, ruler] of Meshech [a people group] and Tubal [a region in Asia Minor]. Prophesy [speak under divine influence, foretell] against [upon, concerning] him word study 3 and declare that this is what the Lord [Adonay, a title of reverence] GOD [Yehovah] says: Behold [look, take notice], I am against you, O Gog [a northern nation, a leader], chief [high-ranking] prince [leader, ruler] of Meshech [a people group] and Tubal [a region in Asia Minor]. word study 4 I will turn you around [completely reverse your direction], put hooks [like a nose ring or a controlling device] in your jaws, and bring you out with all your army [entire military force]—your horses [chariot horses or cavalry], your horsemen [cavalry soldiers or warriors] in full armor [complete military equipment], and a great company [large multitude or assembly] armed with shields [protective devices or bucklers] and bucklers [small shields or defensive weapons], all brandishing their swords [wielding cutting instruments or weapons of war]. word study 5 Persia [ancient country from India to Egypt], Cush [Ethiopia, the region south of Egypt], and Put [northern Africa, Libya] will accompany them, all [everything, every single one] with shields [protection, defensive armor] and helmets [protective head covering], word study 6 as well as Gomer [a nation of complete unity] with all [every single one] its troops, and Beth-togarmah [the house of Togarmah, a distant northern region] from the far [uttermost parts of the] north with all [every single one] its troops—the many [numerous, a multitude of] nations [peoples, ethnic groups] with [in close association, accompanying] you. word study 7 Get ready [be prepared, make yourself ready]; prepare yourself [yea, prepare for thyself], you [as commander] and all your company [multitude, assembly] gathered around you [assembled unto thee]; you will be [and be thou] their guard [custody, safeguard, to keep and watch over them]. word study 8 After a long time [many days, a prolonged period] you will be summoned [visited, reckoned with]. In the latter years [the end of the years, the final period] you will enter a land [country, territory] that has recovered [been brought back, restored] from war [the sword, conflict], whose people were gathered [collected, assembled] from many nations [peoples, Gentiles] to the mountains [hills, high places] of Israel [the chosen people, God’s nation], which had long been desolate [laid waste, destroyed]. They had been brought out [delivered, rescued] from the nations [Gentiles, heathen], and all now dwell [live, reside] securely [in safety, without fear]. word study 9 You [as a leader, thou] and all [every single one] your troops [bands, armies], and many [a multitude of] peoples [nations, Gentiles] with you will go up [ascend, come], advancing [moving forward] like [in the manner of] a thunderstorm [a tempest, storm]; you will be [exist, come to be] like [similar to] a cloud [a dense collection of water vapor] covering [to hide, conceal] the land [earth, territory]. word study 10 This is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] says: On that day [at the same time, in the future], thoughts [things, matters] will arise [come up, ascend] in your mind [heart, innermost being], and you will devise [think, plan, contrive] an evil [bad, wicked] plan [plot, device, scheme]. word study 11 You will say [to yourself, in your heart], ‘I will go up [ascend, rise] against a land [territory, region] of unwalled [open, unprotected] villages [small towns, rural areas]; I will come against a tranquil [peaceful, quiet] people who dwell [live, reside] securely [in safety, without fear], all of them living [residing, inhabiting] without walls [fortifications, defenses] or bars [gates, bolts] or gates [doors, entrances]— word study 12 in order to seize [take by force, plunder] the spoil [plunder, booty] and carry off [to violently take] the plunder [spoils of war], to turn [return, direct] a hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] against the desolate places [waste, laid waste] now inhabited [dwelling, living] and against a people [nation, community] gathered [brought together, assembled] from the nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrews], who have acquired [gotten, obtained] livestock [cattle, domestic animals] and possessions [acquisitions, wealth] and who live [dwell, reside] at the center [middle, highest part] of the land [earth, territory].’ word study 13 Sheba [a region in southern Arabia] and Dedan [a low-lying area] and the merchants [traders, travelers] of Tarshish [a place on the Mediterranean] with all [everything, the whole] its villages [settlements] will ask, ‘Have you come [approached, arrived] to capture [take, seize] the plunder [spoil, booty]? Have you assembled [gathered, brought together] your hordes [armies, multitudes] to carry away [take, plunder] loot [prey, spoil], to make off [take away, seize] with silver [wealth, treasure] and gold [precious metal], to take [capture, seize] cattle [livestock, animals] and goods [possessions, acquisitions], to seize [take, plunder] great [abundant, large] spoil [plunder, booty]?’ word study 14 Therefore prophesy, son [a descendant] of man [humanity, Adam’s lineage], and tell Gog [a northern nation] that this is what the Lord [Adonay, a title of reverence] GOD [Yehovah] says: On that day [a specific time, a prophetic era] when My people [Amaw, a nation, a community] Israel [the descendants of Jacob, the chosen ones] are dwelling [sitting, remaining] securely [in safety, without fear, with confidence in God’s protection], will you not take notice [be aware, have knowledge] of this [the fact, the reality, the prophetic event]? word study 15 And you [as a leader, thou] will come from your [assigned, designated] place out of the far [uttermost, distant] north—you and many [numerous, great] peoples [nations, tribes] with you, all riding [mounted upon] horses—a mighty [powerful, strong] horde [assembly, company], a huge [great, massive] army [force, military might]. word study 16 You will advance [march, come up] against My people [nation, Amaw] Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, God’s chosen] like a cloud [a massive gathering of vapor] covering the land [the earth, a country, or territory]. It will happen in the latter days [the end times, the future], O Gog [a northern nation, a leader], that I will bring you against My land [the promised land, the holy ground], so that the nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrews] may know [ascertain, learn, perceive] Me when I show Myself holy [set apart, consecrated, sanctified] in you before their eyes [in their sight, visibly]. word study 17 This is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] says: Are you the one [he, the prophesied enemy] of whom I have spoken [declared, prophesied] in former days [old time, days of old] through My servants [attendants, messengers], the prophets [spokesmen, seers] of Israel [the chosen people, descendants of Jacob], who in those times [days, years] prophesied [spoke under divine inspiration, foretold] for years [many years, a long time] that I would bring [cause to come, lead] you against them [upon, against the people of Israel]? word study 18 Now on that day [at the same time, in that moment] when Gog [a northern nation] comes against [attacks, invades] the land [earth, soil, territory] of Israel [God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob], declares [says, utters] the Lord [Adonay, God’s title of reverence] GOD [Yehovah], My wrath [intense anger, rage, fury] will flare up [arise, come up, ascend]. word study 19 In My [intense, passionate] zeal [jealousy, fervent devotion] and fiery [blazing, all-consuming] rage [fury, wrath] I proclaim [declare, speak forth] that on that day [at that specific time, in the future] there will be a great [powerful, massive] earthquake [shaking, quaking] in the land [earth, soil] of Israel [God’s chosen people, the descendants of Jacob]. word study 20 The fish [including all sea creatures] of the sea, the birds [flying creatures] of the air, the beasts [wild animals] of the field, every creature [living thing] that crawls [moves slowly] upon the ground, and all mankind [human beings] on the face [presence] of the earth will tremble [shake with fear] at My presence [before Me]. The mountains [hills, elevated areas] will be thrown down [overthrown, destroyed], the cliffs [steep places, rocky areas] will collapse [fall down], and every wall [barrier, fence] will fall [come down] to the ground [the earth, the land]. word study 21 And I will summon [call for, send] a sword [cutting instrument, weapon of war] against Gog on all My mountains [hills], declares the Lord [Adonay, Master] GOD [Yehovah], and every man’s [individual, person] sword will be against his brother [relative, close one, fellow]. word study 22 I will execute judgment [with vengeance, to vindicate] upon him with plague [pestilence, disease] and bloodshed [murder, violence]. I will pour out torrents [an overflowing shower, abundant rain] of rain, hailstones [large pearls from God, ice-drops], fire [burning, flame], and sulfur [brimstone, a flammable substance] on him and on his troops [bands, armies] and on the many [numerous, abundant] nations with him. word study 23 I will magnify [demonstrate my true power] and sanctify [set myself apart as holy] Myself, and will reveal [make myself known] Myself in the sight [before the eyes] of many [a large multitude of] nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples]. Then they will know [clearly understand, ascertain by seeing] that I am [exist as] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study