Ezekiel 39:16-26

16 That is how they will make the land 'clean' again." ' " Also a town called Gog's Armies will be located there.

17 The LORD and King said to me, "Son of man, speak to every kind of bird. Call out to all of the wild animals. Tell them, 'Gather together. Come from everywhere. Gather around the sacrifice I am preparing for you. It is the great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat human bodies and drink human blood.

18 " 'You will eat the bodies of mighty men. You will drink the blood of the princes of the earth. You will eat their bodies and drink their blood as if they were rams and lambs, goats and bulls. You will enjoy it as if you were eating the fattest animals from Bashan.

19 " 'So I am preparing a sacrifice for you. You will eat fat until you are completely full. You will drink blood until you are drunk.

20 At my table you will eat horses, riders, mighty men and soldiers until you are full,' announces the LORD and King.

21 " 'I will show all of the nations my glory. They will see how I punish them when I use my powerful hand against them.

22 From that time on, the people of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God.

23 " 'The nations will know that the people of Israel were taken away as prisoners because they sinned against me. They were not faithful to me. So I turned my face away from them. I handed them over to their enemies. All of them were killed with swords.

24 I punished them because they were "unclean." They did many things that were wrong. So I turned my face away from them.' "

25 The LORD and King says, "I will now bring the people of Jacob back home again. I will show my tender love for all of the people of Israel. I will make sure that my name is kept holy.

26 "My people will forget the shameful things they have done. They will not remember all of the ways they were unfaithful to me. They used to live in safety in their land. At that time no one made them afraid.

Ezekiel 39:16-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 39

This chapter is a continuation of the prophecy of the destruction of Gog, which is both repeated, and more largely described, Eze 39:1-8, then follows an account of the burning of his weapons of war, which will last seven years in burning, during which time there will be no need of the use of wood, Eze 39:9,10, and of the burial of him, and many of his army; the place where, and the time that will be taken up in doing this, even seven months, are observed, Eze 39:11-16, and every feathered fowl and beast of the field are called upon to feed on the flesh of those that are left unburied, Eze 39:17-20 and by all this the glory of the Lord will be seen, known, and acknowledged, both by the Heathens, and by the house of Israel, Eze 39:21,22, and the former will also be informed that the present captivity of the Jews has been for their sins and transgressions, Eze 39:23,24, and the chapter is concluded with a promise of their return from captivity, when they shall know the Lord, and their interest in him; who will after this no more hide his face from them, but pour out his Spirit upon them, under whose influence they shall ever continue, Eze 39:25-29.