And he gathered them together
Or rather "they gathered them together", as the Syriac version
renders it; for though the verb is singular, a noun plural goes
before it, as in ( Revelation
16:14 ) and the same spirits that are there said to go forth,
to gather the kings gether, these will gather them together; will
persuade the Papal, Pagan, and Mahometan powers, the remains of
them in the several parts of the world, to join together, and
make one effort for the reviving of their declining, and almost
ruined interests: for which purpose they will be brought
together,
into a place called in the Hebrew tongue
Armageddon;
which may be the same with Har-megiddo, the mountain of Megiddo;
for the Hebrew word (rh)
is read "Ar" by the Greeks; so the city Argarize is interpreted
the mountain of the most High F4: and this refers either to
the slaying of Josiah in the valley of Megiddo, which occasioned
such mourning, that it became proverbial for any great sorrow;
see ( 2
Chronicles 35:22 2
Chronicles 35:25 ) ( Zechariah
12:11 ) where it is called the valley of Megiddon; or rather
to the slaughter of Sisera's army at the waters of Megiddo, by
Barak, ( Judges 5:19 )
suggesting that the same would be the fate of these united
powers. Some derive the word from (Nwhdg) and (amrx) , which signify "the destruction of their
troops", or "armies"; and so designs not any place, that has been
or is, but which will be so called from the issue of this battle;
and since it is an Hebrew name that will be given it, it may lead
us to conclude it will be somewhere in Judea, and very likely no
other than the valley of Jehoshaphat, where all nations will be
gathered; and which is called the valley of decision, where will
be the day of the Lord, and multitudes will be slain, ( Joel 3:2 Joel 3:13 Joel 3:14 ) though the
name will suit any place where there will be a defeat of these
enemies; but this vial only brings them together; the utter
destruction of them is reserved for the next.