Ezekiel 38
DortThis thirty eight chapter containeth a prophesie concerning the great preparation of Gog, and his marching up against Israel, together with his terrible overthrow by the mighty hand of God.
1. Furthermore, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:
2. Child of man, set thy face against Gog, [see of this phrase above chapter 6 on verse 2] the land of Magog; [Or Gog of the land of Magog, or (of) the land of Magog. By this Gog may be understood first and partly the kings of Syria and Afia the less, especially that famous Tyrant Antiochus] Epiphanes, who in the time of the Machabees cruelly tyrannized over the people of The Jews and used all kind of nations in his armies: the more, because the fierce Sythians (descended from Magog) or Tartarians, &c not long before the time of these prophesies (Euseb. In Chron.) when Nebuchadnezzar was besieged elsewhere, (see Jeremiah 49 on verse 35.) were entred into Syria and into the land of Juda, and gave the name into the Scythopolis; that is, the city of the Scythians, (Plin. Lib5. Chapter 18.) and unto the Idolatrous city of Hierapolis the name of Magog, (plin.lib 5 chapter 23.) after their forefathers and native country, (Gen. 10 on verse 2) and besides that the name of the King Gog, or Gyg, that is, Gyges, agreeing with Gog, as well known there: and that this Antochus was in cruelty very like unto these his foreign predecessours. Secondly, and principally, by Gog and Magog must be urther understood all the enemies of the church of the new Testament, and especially Antichrist with all his adherents, who excelleth them all in in Scythian cruetly, and bloudy persecutions of the church. Compare Revelation 20:8, &c. some understand especially the Turk] the chiefly prince of Mesech and Tubal: [others, prince (and) head, or prince of the head, or of the heads of, c. it is as much soveraignity, Monarchy, great cham. See of these twain Mesech and Tubal, Genesis 10 on verse 2 and above chapter 27.13 and prophesie against him, [forasmuch as God in the former chapter hath made very great both corporal and especially spiritual promises unto the church of the old Testament, but especially unto the church of the new Testament; to the end thereof that the Jews after their deliverance from Babel, and the Christians after the coming of Christ, might not thereupon frame to themselves imaginations of perpetual rest and peace on earth, nor be daunted nor discouraged I times of trial and trouble, he hath foretold in these two chapters (this and the next) the fore combates, enmity and war that should betide the Jewish church before the coming of Christ, and the universal church after the coming of Christ, especially in the latter times: with most glorious promises of his faithful assistance care and providence in all this, and at last a blessed ad joyful issue]
3. And say, thus saith the Lord LORD: behold I (will be) upon thee, [see above chapter 13 on verse 8] O Gog, thou chief prince of Mesech and Tubal.
4. And I ill turn thee about, [Wind and turn thee as a horse is turned about with a bridle, and fishes with hooks and angles] and put hooks in thy chaws: [See above chapter 29 on verse 4] and I will bring thee forth together with all thine army, [by my secret providence I will be sure to meet with thee, that I may get glory upon thee. Compare below verse 16.17] horses and horsemen which are all very well armed and appointed, [Heb. clothed ones, or arrayed ones of perfection. That is, exceeding well armed, and well provided of all things] a great congregation (with) buckler and shield, all of them handle swords.
5. Persians, Ethiopians, and Puteans with them: all of them (bear) shield and helmet. 27 .14.] (on) the sides of the north, and all his hands: many nations with thee.
6. Gomer, [See Genesis 10 on verse 2. All is bands, the house of Togarma, [see Gen. 10 on verse 3. And above chapter.
7. Be prepared, and make thy self ready, and thy whole congregation that are gathered unto thee: [that is a derision of Gogs great preparation for war] and be thou a guard unto them: [be as their centinel, wait upon them, do thy endeavour to go couragiously before them, and to protect them. It’s spoken in an ironical way.
8. After many daies thou shalt be visited, [that is, be punished. See Genesis 21 on verse 1] in the last of years [at the time that is foretold by my prophets, after the deliverance from Babel, and especially after the coming of the Messiah] thou shalt come into the land, that is brought back again from the sword, that is gathered out of many nations upon the mountains of Israel, which have ever been ever a desolation: [that is, whose inhabitants shall be brought back, c. that is, be delivered out of Babel. So in the sequel. And especially all believers that shall be spiritually redeemed by the Messiah in the time of the new Testament, and shall dwell with spiritual confidence in the church of God (typified by the mountains of Israel) and shall be saved out of many persecutions] when the same (land) [that is, the inhabitants of the aforesaid land] shall be brought forth out of many nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. [That is, the inhabitants shall dwell without suspicion and in peace in their own land. Compare verse 11.]
9. Then shalt thou march up, thou shalt come on like a tempestuous desolation, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land: thou, all bands, and many nations with thee.
10. Thus saith the Lord LORD, it shall also come to pass in that day that counsels [Heb. words, things: but the Hebrew word is also elsewhere taken for counsel. See 1 Kings 1:7 with the Annotat.] shall arise in thine heart, and thou shalt think an evil thought,
11. And shalt say; [with thy self, that is, think and purpose] I will march up to (that) village-land, [wherein are no walled, fenced cities, as followeth, where men live peaceably and quickly without any evil suspicion, as verse 8] I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely all without a wall, and have no bars nor doors:
12. To prey a prey, and to spoil a spoil: to turn thine hand [That is, to extend thy power. So 2 Sam 8.3. see there] against the wast places that are (now) inhabited, and against a people that is gathered out of the heathen, that hast gotten [Heb. properly is making] cattel and substance, dwelling in the midst [or upon the height. Heb. the navel. See Judges 9:37.] of the land.
13. Sheba and Dedan, [see of both Genesis 10 on verse 7. Also above chapter 27.15, 20, 22] and the merchants of Tharsis, [as above chapter 27.12,25. See Genesis 10 on verse 4] and all the young lions thereof [meaning the hard and greedy merchants and traders that long after the prey like young lions they shall accompany thee and follow thee, to participate of the prey of Israel, as followeth] shall say unto thee; comest thou a prey? Hast thou gathered thy company, assembled thine assembly to spoil a spoil, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattel and goats to prey a great prey?
14. Theredore prophesy, O child of man and say unto Gog, thus saith the Lord LORD; in that day when my people Israel dwelleth safely shalt thou not perceive? [That is, have experience of my wrath and punishment? By comparing of verse 16 and 18. As if the LORD should say, assuredly thou shalt: thou shalt know and find what is to disturb my quiet and still people.]
15. Thou shalt then come out of thy place, [Or and shalt not come of thy place, [Or and shat thou not come? C by way of interrogation, as in the end of the former verse, so in the sequel] of the sides of the north, thou and many nations with thee: they shall all ride upon horses, a great assembly, and a mighty army.
16. And thou shalt march up against my people Israel, as a cloud to cover land: in the last of dates it shall come to pass, then will I bring them against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be hallowed up on thee [as above chapter 28.22 below verse 23 and chapter 39.2.17, c.] before their eyes.
17. Thus saith the Lord LORD, art thou be (of) whom I have spoken in former days by the ministry [Heb. hand] of my servants the prophets of Israel, [as in special by Ezekiel here, Daniel 8 and 11 and many others before in the old Testament: as was also done in conformity to them by the Apostles Paul and John in the New Testament, &c. Se Revelations 10.7.] which prophesied in those daies whose yeares, [others, which prophesied in the day of those years] that I would bring thee against them? [Israel my people, art thou, c. that is, thou art surely the same therefore thou shalt do so, and it shall at last be so with thee, as I have decreed and prophesied by my servants under divers names and titles given to the enemies of my church]
18. But it shall come to pass in that day, when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord LORD, that my wrath shall come up in my nose. [Or face, countenance. It’s spoken of God after the manner of men, to express his jealousie and anger]
19. For I have spoken [Heb. I will speak] in my jealousie, [over and for my people, and against their enemies] in the fire of my wrath: if there shall not be in oaths. See above chapters 34.8.]
20. So that the fishes of the sea and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all the creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the man that are upon the earth, [Heb. face of the earth] shall tremble at my face: that is, dreadful presence, or wrath, (see Psalms 21 on verse 10) which I will by my judgements manifest upon these enemies, whereby all creatures (in a manner) shall be astonished and afraid it’s a figurative kind of speech] and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places [or stairs, ascent, high towers] shall fall down, and all walls shall fall down to the ground. [Heb. wall shall, c in the singular number]
21. For I will call for the sword upon him [hat is, I will send war, murder and desolation upon Gog. See Jerem. 25 on verse 9.] Upon all my mountains, [or for, c. that is, for the good of, or for the sake of my mountain; that is, of my church] saith the Lord LORD: the sword of every one [of the enemies] shall be against his brethren. [This hath respect to the enmity and wars that have risen between the king of Syria, whereby they destroyed and devoured one another: in like manner have the ministers of Antichrist often done, for the deliverance and rest of the church of God. Compare further the histories Judges 7:22. 2 Chron. 20.23.
22. And I will plead with them by pesulence, and by blood: that is, slaughter and murder] and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many nations, that shall be with him, an overwhelming showre and great hail-stones, fire and brimstone. [See Psalms 11:6 and above 13.11 with the Annotat.]
23. Thus will I magnify and hallow my self and (wil) be known before the eies o many heathen: and they shall know that I am the LORD. [that is, I will manifest that I am the God of Israel, the onely true, almighty, faithful, and righteous God, who indeed chastise and correct my people for their sins, but do not forsake them, but at last deliver them, and vanquish and subdue all their enemies, and cause myself to be extolled as such an one. Compare above verse 16 and Revelation 15:3,4.