Ezekiel 38:11

11 You'll say, "I'm going to invade a country without defenses, attack an unsuspecting, carefree people going about their business - no gates to their cities, no locks on their doors.

Ezekiel 38:11 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 38:11

And thou shall say
What came into his mind, and what he thought of; this he shall say to his privy counsellors and ministers of state; or to the generals and officers of his army; or to his confederates and allies, and even to them all, to have their opinion and approbation of it; and to encourage them to join him, and go with him: I will go up to the land of unwalled villages;
a land which has nothing but villages in it, and those no walls about them to protect them: this he said by way of contempt; and the Septuagint and Arabic versions render it "the abject land"; and to observe how easily he could conquer it, there being nothing in his way to hinder him, or give him trouble: I will go to them that are at rest, and dwell safely:
as the Jews will do in the latter day, when they shall own and acknowledge the Messiah, ( Jeremiah 23:5 Jeremiah 23:6 ) , and dwell in their own land, where they will be quiet and peaceable, and think and do no harm to any, nor mistrust their neighbours doing any harm to them; but shall live in the utmost tranquillity and security; and which Gog or the Turks will take the advantage of; and from hence promise themselves an easy conquest of them: all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates;
no walls to their cities; no gates to walls; nor bars to gates; but without either; being under the protection of God, and putting their trust in him, who is a wall of fire round about his people; and is better to them, than gates with bars.

Ezekiel 38:11 In-Context

9 You'll rise like a thunderstorm and roll in like clouds and cover the land, you and the massed troops with you.

10 "'Message of God, the Master: At that time you'll start thinking things over and cook up an evil plot.

11 You'll say, "I'm going to invade a country without defenses, attack an unsuspecting, carefree people going about their business - no gates to their cities, no locks on their doors.

12 And I'm going to plunder the place, march right in and clean them out, this rebuilt country risen from the ashes, these returned exiles and their booming economy centered down at the navel of the earth."

13 "'Sheba and Dedan and Tarshish, traders all out to make a fast buck, will say, "So! You've opened a new market for plunder! You've brought in your troops to get rich quick!"'