Ezekiel 38:17

17 "Thus says the Lord Yahweh, '[Are] you he of whom I spoke in former days by the hand of my servants the prophets of Israel [who] were prophesying in those days for years [that I would] bring you against them?

Ezekiel 38:17 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 38:17

Thus saith the Lord God
Putting the question that follows: art thou he of whom I have spoken of old time by my servants the
prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I
will bring thee against them?
certainly thou art he: but who were the prophets that prophesied of Gog before Ezekiel, since he is the first that makes mention of him? to this it may be replied, that though he is not mentioned by name, yet he might be prophesied of under other names, as by Isaiah under the name of Leviathan, ( Isaiah 27:1 ) and by Micah under the name of the Assyrian, ( Micah 5:5 ) . The Jews F18 say that Eldad and Medad prophesied of him, which Jarchi, Kimchi, and Abendana remark; who all observe, agreeably to the Talmudists in the place referred to, that these two are the prophets meant; and therefore it is directed to be read not "shanim", years, but "shenaim", two; namely, those two prophets prophesied one prophecy at one time, or together; but this is not to be depended upon: it should be observed, that this must be considered as spoken at the time of the accomplishment of this prophecy, and so may have respect to the Prophet Ezekiel himself, or to Joel, ( Joel 3:1 Joel 3:2 ) , and to Zechariah, ( Zechariah 14:1 Zechariah 14:2 ) , and even to the book of the Revelation, ( Revelation 16:14 Revelation 16:16 ) ( 19:19 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F18 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 17. 1. & Gloss. in ib.

Ezekiel 38:17 In-Context

15 and [so] you will come from your place, from [the] remote areas of [the] north, you and many people with you, {horsemen} all of them, a great crowd and a vast army,
16 and you will advance against my people Israel like a cloud {covering} the land; it will be in the last days, and I will bring you against my land, so that the nations know me, {when I show myself holy through you} before their eyes, O Gog!" '
17 "Thus says the Lord Yahweh, '[Are] you he of whom I spoke in former days by the hand of my servants the prophets of Israel [who] were prophesying in those days for years [that I would] bring you against them?
18 And [so] then in that day, on the day of the coming of God against the land of Israel,' {declares} the Lord Yahweh, 'my rage will come up in my anger.
19 And in my passion, [in] the fire of my wrath, I spoke [that] {certainly} on that day [a] great earthquake will be on the land of Israel.
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