Ezekiel 38:20

20 The fish in the sea, the birds of the air and the wild animals will tremble with fear because of what I will do. So will every creature that moves along the ground. And so will all of the people on earth. The mountains will come crashing down. The cliffs will break into pieces. Every wall will fall to the ground.

Ezekiel 38:20 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 38:20

So that the fishes of the sea shall shake at my presence
From whence it appears that this great shaking shall not be on account of the army of Gog, and the devastations that it shall make; but on account of the powerful presence of God, which will be manifest in the destruction of his army: and what is here said of the shaking of the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beast of the field, and all
creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are
upon the earth,
must be understood figuratively and hyperbolically, as Kimchi observes, and in allusion to earthquakes, which both shake and terrify all kind of creatures; the blow given to Gog will be so terrible, that all nature will seem to be thrown into a convulsion and agitation by it; see ( Jeremiah 4:24 Jeremiah 4:25 ) : and the mountains shall be thrown down;
as they are sometimes by earthquakes; and as the mount of Olives will at this time cleave asunder; and perhaps other mountains will, as Kimchi observes, see ( Zechariah 14:2-4 ) ( Isaiah 2:12-15 ) ( 30:25 ) : and the steep places shall fall;
the Targum renders the word "towers"; and so the Syriac version, and Piscator: the word signifies stairs or steps ^F20, such as in a ladder; and is translated "stairs", ( Song of Solomon 2:14 ) it seems to me to design such mounts as are raised by besiegers of a city, by means of which they may be able to scale the walls of it, which Jarchi suggests; though he says he had heard it said that these, are rocks bending over and hanging, and appear as if they were falling; which agrees with our version; and it may be observed, in some of those precipices, there are like stairs or steps to go up them: and every wall shall fall to the ground:
this shows that the words are not to be taken literally, but figuratively; only to express how sensibly the power of God should be felt and perceived by all creatures, and in all parts of the land; since now the Jews will dwell in a land of unwalled villages, and in cities without walls, bars, and gates; see ( Ezekiel 38:11 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 (twgrdmh) "gradus", Munster, Pagninus, Montanus.

Ezekiel 38:20 In-Context

18 Here is what will happen in days to come. You will attack the land of Israel. That will stir up my hot anger," announces the LORD and King.

19 " ' "At that time my burning anger will blaze out at you. There will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.

20 The fish in the sea, the birds of the air and the wild animals will tremble with fear because of what I will do. So will every creature that moves along the ground. And so will all of the people on earth. The mountains will come crashing down. The cliffs will break into pieces. Every wall will fall to the ground.

21 " ' "I will punish you on all of my mountains," announces the LORD and King. "Your men will use their swords against one another.

22 I will judge you. I will send a plague against you. A lot of blood will be spilled. I will send heavy rain, hailstones and burning sulfur down to the earth. They will fall on you and your troops. They will also come down on the many nations that are helping you.