Ezekiel 39

A further prophesy of Gods judgement upon Gog and Magog, verse 1, c. the greatness of this overthrow is lively poutrayed by divers circumstances, 9. God wil make it known that he did punish his people for their sins, 23 but that he will graciously gather them all again, restore them, pour out his spirit upon them, and shew them everlasting favour and mercy, 25.

1. Moreover, thou child of mine, prophesie against Gog, and say; thus saith the Lord LORD; Behold, I (will be) upon thee, O Gog, prince of Mesech and Tubal. [see above chapter 38.2]

2. And I will turn thee about, [As above chapter 38.4.] and smite a sixth book into thee, [Heb. properly, as if one should say, I will fix thee: which is diversely rendred; that which is set down here in the text is taken by comparing it with chapter 30.4. where God said, I will turn thee about, and put hooks into thy checks, or Jaws; whereupon he seemeth here to imply that he would hold him fast as t were with fix hooks, or with a fix-hooked hook, and would carry and lead him about therewith at his will and pleasure so as that he should not escape out of his hands, or skip out of the circle of his providence, but should receive his punishment at the place whither he should be carried as a condemned malefactor: as they were wont among the heathen to malefactors, hale and diag them along to the place of execution, with an hook smitten or driven into their bodies. Some render the words, I will punish thee fix-fold, to wit the fix plagues that are related, chapter 3.22. others, I will leave but a sixth part of thee, or but one part of six, or smite the by sixes; or I will deal so with thee as they were wont to deal with the sixth (with the tenth, twentieth, &c.) man that is taken prisoner in war, that is, to put him to death, &c.] And (will) pul thee up out of the sides of the North: and I will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel.

3. But I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and I will cause thine arrows to f all out of thy right hand. [That is, I will bereave thee of all warlike power and courage, blunt and make void thy weapons, and as it were disarm thee and consequently cause thee to fall before thine enemy.

4. Thou shalt fall [Or lie: as elsewhere] upon the mountains of Israel, thou and al thy hands, and nations that are with thee: I have given thee unto the ravenous birds, [Heb. ravenous bird] to the bird of every wing, [that is, every sort, as below verse 17.] and to the beasts of the field for meat.

5. Thou shalt fall upon the open field: [Heb. face of the field] for I have spoken it, saith the Lord LORD.

6. I will send a fire on Magog, [To wit, the fire of war, plagues and miseries, proceeding from the fire of mine anger, above chapter 38.19. see Amos 4, c.] and among them that dwell safely in the isles: [see Psalms 72 on verse 10.] and they shall know that I am the LORD.

7. And I will make my holy name known [Heb. the name of my holiness. So in the sequel. That is, myself with my power, justice, goodness, glory, c.] In the midst of my people Israel; and will not let my holy name be any more profaned: [see Lev. 18 on verse 21. And above chapter 20.9.] And the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the holy one in Israel.

8. Behold it cometh, and shall be done, [Assuredly without fail, all this shall be accomplished] saith the Lord LORD: this is the day whereof I have spoken.

9. And the inhabitants of the cities of Israel shall go forth, [To gather the prey of them that are slain] and kindle (a fire) [this is here inserted from the sequel] and burn of the weapons, both (of) the shields and bucklers, of the bows and of the arrows, [Heb. shield, bucklers, c. in the singular number] both of the hand staves [or poles] and of the spears: and of the spears: and they shall kindle a fire therewith seven years.

10. So that they shall bring no wood out of the field, neither hew (down any) out of the forests, but set fire on the weapons: [this long burning and setting on fire, as also the following great space of the place of burial for Gog and his company, likewise the long time of burying must be taken as a figurative representations of the greatness and dreadfulness of the overthrow] and they shall spoil those that had spoiled them, and rob those that had robbed them, saith the Lord LORD.

11. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give into Gog there a burial-place in Israel, the valley of passengers towards the east of the sea: [Of this place there is nowhere else mention made in the scripture. Some conceive that the name of this place was give by the passengers that passed through the land, below verse 14,15. Or it may be it was a valley where the ordinary passage was along the sea-cost of kinereth or Genefareth towards Syria, &c. in the north east: or the Dead Sea towards Egypt, Arabia &c. in the south east of Canaan. The reader may herewith compare Joel 2:20.some understand the low grounds in Gilead in the east beyond Jordan, where the merchants frequently travelled through and traded. See Gen.37.25.] And it shall stop (the nose) of the passengers: [their nose and mouth, by reason of the stink and strong smell. Compare Joel 2:20. Others, stop, shut up, (their passage, or their fight) by reason of the multitude of dead men: or, (as some) stop their mouth so that they should no more mock at their passing by] and they shall they bury Gog, and his multitude, and shall call it the valley of Gog’s multitude. [Heb. the Hamon Gog]

12. Now the house of Israel shall bury them, [Heb. shall bury, c. in the plural number] to cleanse the land, [of the dead bodies, which according to the ceremonial law defiled the earth, and therefore they were to be buried. See Deuteronomy 21:23] seven months (long).

13. Yea the people of the land shall bury (them) [Heb. shall bury, in the plural number] and it shall be to them a name: [that is, glory and honour. Compare above chapter 34.29. And the Annotat. There] in the day when I shall be glorified, [or shall have glorified my self; to wit, by my judgement upon these enemies of my church] saith the Lord LORD.

14. And they shall sever out men go continually through the land, (and) buriers of the dead with the passengers (to bury) those that remain upon the earth, to cleanse it: [they shall sever out, c. for they were unclean by the law that had any thing to do with the dead, Numbers 19:11.c. others, that with the passengers bury that remain upon the earth: meaning that they would also make use of the way-faring men for that purpose, if occasion should serve. Heb. men of steadfastness, or continuance, c. that is, such as go continually round about in the land, to give order for the burying of al those that here or there might be left, after the common of general burying of seven months, as followeth] at the end of the seventh months they shall make search.

15. And these passengers shall pass through the land, and (when any one) seeth a mans bone, [Heb and he seeth ,c . that is, (in such a connexion of words) when anyone, or one of them seeth, c, others, and the passengers that pass through the land, when any one of them, c. then shall he, &c.] then shall he set up[Heb. build] by it [To the end that buries of the dead seeing the same, might bury the said bone. As followeth] til the buriers of the dead shall have buried it in the valley of Gogs multitude.

16. Thus shall also the name of the city [That lay in or near that valley where the buriers, as long as that time lasted, meet together] be Hamona: [that is, multitude as above verse 11. Others, the city (Jerusalem) shall (have) a name from the multitude, to wit, of those slain men] thus shal they cleanse the land.

17. Thou child of man, thus saith the Lord LORD; say unto the fowls of every wing, [That s, every sort, as above verse 4.] and to all the beasts of the field, assemble your selves and come, gather your selves from round about to my slay-offering [See Isaiah 34:6. Jerem. 46.10. Zephaniah 1:7,8. With the Annotat. And of the Hebrew word, Gen. 31 on verse 54. Or slay-mea, slay-feast, from Rev. 10.17. And here below verse 20.] That I have slain for you, a great slay-offering, upon the mountains of Israel: and eat flesh and drink blood. [This serveth to represent this great overthrow. Compare above verse 9 and likewise Isaiah 18:6. Jerem. 12.9. c]

18. Yea shall eat the flesh of the champions, and drink the blood of the prince of the earth: of rams, of lambs and goats, (and) bullocks, [that is, the choisest of all ranks and qualities of men, that have fought against the people of God. Compare Isaiah 34:6.] Which are all fatted (beasts) [or fatlings] of Basan. [that is, like unto the well-fed beasts of Basan. Compare Psalms 22:13. With the Annotat.]

19. And ye shall eat fat unto satiety, and drink blood unto drunkenness, of my slay-offering which I have slain for you.

20. And ye shall be satisfied at my table with (riding) horses and charets (horses), [also mules, asses, c. Compare the Annotat. On 2 Sam. 8.4.] With champions and all souldiers, [that is, all manner of souldiers, or all these, or many valiant men of war. Heb. champion-man of war] saith the Lord LORD.

21. And I will set mine honour [that is, make it plainly appear. Heb. properly give. But the Hebrew word is thus diversely used according to the nature and quality of things. See further on verse 23.] among the heathen: and all the heathen shall see my judgement that I have done, and my hand that I have laid upon them. By slaying them, to wit, the enemies, see Genesis 33 on verse 22. Or my plagues, which I have inflicted upon them. See Job 13 on verse 21]

22. And those of the house of Israel shall know [Heb. the house of Israel shall know: the verb in the plural number] that I the LORD am their God, from that day and forward.

23. And the heathen shall know, that those of the house of Israel were carried away captive for their iniquity, [Which among the heathen shall tend to mine honour and glory, in regard I have manifested my holiness and justice by the just punishment of my people, as afterwards my truth and faithfulness by their gracious deliverance] because they had transgressed against me, and I hid my face from them. [See Deut. 13. On verse 17.] And delivered them unto the hand of their adversaries, so that they are fallen by the sword. [To wit, a great multitude of them, in all the countries of the land, of all ranks and qualities of men]

24. According to their uncleanness, and according to their transgressions have I dealt with them: and I have hid my face before them.

25. Therefore saith the Lord LORD; Now [That is, soon. See Hos. 10 on verse 3.] Will I bring back the captives [Heb. captivity] of Jacob, and will have mercy upon the whole house of Israel: and I will be jealous for my holy name. [Heb. the name of my holiness]

26. When they shall have born their shame and all their transgression, [That is, the punishment thereof. Compare Levit. 5 on verse 1, c] whereby they have transgressed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and (there) was none to make them afraid. When there were in prosperity, and enjoyed all things according to their hearts desire, when they ought to have been thankful towards me]

27. When I shall have brought them again from the nations, and shall have gathered them out of the lands of their enemies, and I shall be hallowed in them before the eyes of many heathen: [As above chapter 38.16]

28. Then shall they know that I the LORD am their God, seeing, I have caused them to be carried away captive among the heathen, but (i) have gathered them (again) into their (own) land, and have left none of them any more there. [I have not left or forgotten, and neglected so much as one of those that are mine, of mine elect people, but have faithfully shewed my salvation unto all in general, and to every one in particular]

29. Neither will I hide my face any more from them: when I shall have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, [Or for, because I shall have poured out my spirit, c. see joel 2.28. Acts 2:17, whence it appeareth that this and other like promises of grace have respect to the universal church of Jesus Christ. As the punishments of the enemies of the old and new Testament are intermixt and mingled one among another in the prophetical writings: so are also the promises made unto both churches. And as the enemies of the old and new Testament make up one body, so do also believers and the churches of both Testaments make up one body, and pertain unto one fold, (notwithstanding in the diversity of administration, &c.) whereof the head and the shepherd is the LORD Jesus Christ, the true Messiah. See Job 10:16. Romans 4:16,17,23,24. Ephesians 2:12, 13, 19, c.]