8 After many H7227 days H3117 thou shalt be visited: H6485 in the latter H319 years H8141 thou shalt come H935 into the land H776 that is brought back H7725 from the sword, H2719 and is gathered H6908 out of many H7227 people, H5971 against the mountains H2022 of Israel, H3478 which have been always H8548 waste: H2723 but it is brought forth H3318 out of the nations, H5971 and they shall dwell H3427 safely H983 all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend H5927 and come H935 like a storm, H7722 thou shalt be like a cloud H6051 to cover H3680 the land, H776 thou, and all thy bands, H102 and many H7227 people H5971 with thee.
10 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 It shall also come to pass, that at the same time H3117 shall things H1697 come H5927 into thy mind, H3824 and thou shalt think H2803 an evil H7451 thought: H4284
11 And thou shalt say, H559 I will go up H5927 to the land H776 of unwalled villages; H6519 I will go H935 to them that are at rest, H8252 that dwell H3427 safely, H983 all of them dwelling H3427 without walls, H2346 and having neither bars H1280 nor gates, H1817
12 To take H7997 a spoil, H7998 and to take H962 a prey; H957 to turn H7725 thine hand H3027 upon the desolate places H2723 that are now inhabited, H3427 and upon the people H5971 that are gathered H622 out of the nations, H1471 which have gotten H6213 cattle H4735 and goods, H7075 that dwell H3427 in the midst H2872 of the land. H776
13 Sheba, H7614 and Dedan, H1719 and the merchants H5503 of Tarshish, H8659 with all the young lions H3715 thereof, shall say H559 unto thee, Art thou come H935 to take H7997 a spoil? H7998 hast thou gathered H6950 thy company H6951 to take H962 a prey? H957 to carry away H5375 silver H3701 and gold, H2091 to take away H3947 cattle H4735 and goods, H7075 to take H7997 a great H1419 spoil? H7998
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ezekiel 38
Commentary on Ezekiel 38 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 38
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,
Eze 38:1-13
The critical expositors have enough to do here to enquire out Gog and Magog. We cannot pretend either to add to their observations or to determine their controversies. Gog seems to be the king and Magog the kingdom; so that Gog and Magog are like Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Some think they find them afar off, in Scythia, Tartary, and Russia. Others think they find them nearer the land of Israel, in Syria, and Asia the Less. Ezekiel is appointed to prophesy against Gog, and to tell him that God is against him, v. 2, 3. Note, God does not only see those that are now the enemies of his church and set himself against them, but he foresees those that will be so and lets them know by his word that he is against them too, and yet is pleased to make use of them to serve his own purposes, for the glory of his own name; surely their wrath shall praise him, and the remainder thereof he will restrain, Ps. 76:10. Let us observe here,
Eze 38:14-23
This latter part of the chapter is a repetition of the former; the dream is doubled, for the thing is certain and to be very carefully regarded.