Ezekiel 38:12

12 that thou ravish spoils, and assail prey; that thou bring in thine hand on them that were forsaken, and afterward restored, and on the people which is gathered of heathen men, that began to wield, and to be inhabiter of the navel of [the] earth. (in order to rob spoils, and to assail prey; and that thou bring in thy hand upon those who were forsaken, and afterward restored, and upon the people who be gathered back from the heathen, who began to possess their things again, and to be the inhabitants at the centre of the world.)

Ezekiel 38:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 38:12

To take a spoil, and to take a prey
These are the words of Gog continued; suggesting that he should have no occasion to fight; should have nothing else to do but to seize upon the goods and plunder the substance of these people: to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited:
such as were before desolate, and had lain long so, but now peopled and cultivated; these he would attack and demolish, and make a spoil and prey of: and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations;
a description of the Jews, as before; ( Ezekiel 38:8 ) which have gotten cattle and goods;
so that it should seem that Gog or the Turks will not immediately attack the Jews upon their possession of the land of Judea; but some time after, when they have settled in it, and have acquired much wealth and riches in cattle and goods, and then think to have a fine booty of them: that dwell in the midst of the land;
or, "the navel of the land" ^F16; which may design Jerusalem, situated in the midst of the land of Israel, and so called the navel of it, as that is in the midst of the body; as Enna is said by Cicero to be the navel of Sicily: or, as Kimchi thinks, the land of Israel itself is meant; which is in the midst of the world, and so the navel of it; though the former seems best.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F16 (Urah rwbj le) (epi ton omfalon thv ghv) , Sept.; "in [vel] super umbilico terrae", Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Starckius.

Ezekiel 38:12 In-Context

10 The Lord God saith these things, In that day (On that day), words shall ascend [up]on thine heart, and thou shalt think the worst thought;

11 and shalt say, I shall go up to the land without wall(s), I shall come to them that rest, and dwell securely; all these dwell without wall(s), bars, [or locks,] and gates be not to them; (and thou shalt say, I shall go up to the land without walls, I shall come to those who rest, and live in security; yea, all those who live without walls, and bars, or locks, and gates be not to them;)

12 that thou ravish spoils, and assail prey; that thou bring in thine hand on them that were forsaken, and afterward restored, and on the people which is gathered of heathen men, that began to wield, and to be inhabiter of the navel of [the] earth. (in order to rob spoils, and to assail prey; and that thou bring in thy hand upon those who were forsaken, and afterward restored, and upon the people who be gathered back from the heathen, who began to possess their things again, and to be the inhabitants at the centre of the world.)

13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, and all the lions thereof, shall say to thee, Whether thou comest to take spoils? Lo! to ravish prey thou hast gathered thy multitude (Lo! thou hast gathered thy multitude to rob prey), that thou take away gold and silver, and do away purtenance of household and cattle, and that thou ravish preys without number.

14 Therefore prophesy thou, son of man; and thou shalt say to Gog, The Lord God saith these things, Whether not in that day, when my people Israel shall dwell trustily, thou shalt know; (And so prophesy thou, son of man; and thou shalt say to Gog, The Lord God saith these things, On that day, when my people Israel shall live in trust, thou shalt know about it;)