Ezekiel 38:4-14

4 and I shall lead thee about, and I shall set a bridle in thy cheeks, and I shall lead out thee, and all thine host, horses, and horsemen, all clothed with habergeons, a great multitude of men, taking spear, and shield, and sword. (and I shall lead thee about, and I shall put a bridle upon thy jaw, and I shall lead out thee, and all of thy army, yea, the horses, and the horsemen, all clothed in breastplates, a great multitude of men, taking spears, and shields, and swords.)

5 Persians, Ethiopians, and Libyans with them, all be arrayed with shields and helmets.

6 Gomer, and all the companies of him, the house of Togarmah, the sides of the north, and all the host thereof (and all its army), and many peoples be with thee.

7 Make ready, and array thee, and all thy multitude which is gathered to thee, and be thou into commandment to them (and be thou ready to follow his commands!).

8 After many days thou shalt be visited; in the last of years thou shalt come to the land, that [is] turned again from sword, and was gathered of many peoples, to the hills of Israel, that were desert full oft; this was led out of peoples, and all men dwelled trustily therein. (And after many days thou shalt be called; in the latter years thou shalt enter into the land, that is brought back, or restored, from the sword, whose people were gathered from many peoples, back to the hills of Israel, that were deserted for so long; they were led out from the peoples, and all the people shall live there in trust.)

9 Forsooth thou shalt ascend, and shalt come as a tempest, and as a cloud, for to cover the land, thou, and all thy companies, and many peoples with thee. (And thou shalt ascend, and shalt come like a tempest, and like a cloud, and shalt cover the land, yea, thou, and all thy companies, and many peoples with thee.)

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;)

Ezekiel 38:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 38

This chapter gives an account of an enemy of the Jews, under the name of Gog, that shall invade their land, and disturb their peace, after they are settled in it; who is described by the countries over which he rules; and against whom the prophet is bid to set his face, and prophesy of him, the Lord being against him; and who would cause him to return from Judea unsuccessful, Eze 38:1-4, the number of his confederates, their warlike accoutrements and preparations for the invasion of the land of Israel, are foretold, Eze 38:4-9, his wicked designs and intentions to spoil and plunder the inhabitants of it, Eze 38:10-12, the notice taken of his projects by the merchants of Tarshish and others, Eze 38:13,14, his coming up to invade the land is again observed for the certainty of it; and the place from whence, and the time when he should come, are mentioned, as well as God's design in it, and which had been before predicted by his prophets, Eze 38:14-17, and the chapter is concluded with a denunciation of divine wrath, which shall be terrible to all the inhabitants of the earth, and to all creatures in heaven, earth, and sea; when he and his forces shall be destroyed by the sword, by pestilence, and by dreadful storms and tempests, Eze 38:18-23, of which destruction a fuller account is given in the next chapter.

the preceding prophecy did, as the copulative and shows; which predicts the restoration and conversion of the Jews; the union of their tribes under the King Messiah; and their settlement in their own land: and this respects some disturbance they should meet with upon it, for a short time, by a powerful enemy hereafter described:

\\saying\\; as follows:

29385-Eze38.2