Gomer, and all his bands Or all his army, as the Targum. Gomer was the eldest son of Japheth, ( Genesis 10:2 ) , from whom descended the people called by the Greeks Galatians, or Galio-Grecians, as Josephus
FOOTNOTES:
F9 says, who before were from him called Gomarians: others think that Phrygia, and the inhabitants of it, are meant; but, whether one or the other, they were both people of the lesser Asia, which is now in the hands of the Turks: the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands; Togarmah was one of the sons of Gomer, ( Genesis 10:3 ) whose posterity, according to the Greeks, as Josephus F11 says, were the Phrygians; but others rather think the Cappadocians descended from him; and that Togarmah designs their country, which also is a part of the Turkish dominions; (See Gill on Ezekiel 27:14). Several moderns, as Calmet F12 observes, believe that the children of Togarmah peopled Turcomania in Tartary, and Scythia, and which he approves of; and the Turks are mentioned by Ben Gorion F13 as one of the ten families of Togarmah. The Targum renders it here the province of Germany; as it is also interpreted in the Talmud F14, but wrongly: and many people with thee; from other places and nations, besides those named; especially out of the lesser Asia, as Pamphylia, Cilicia, and other places; and perhaps from Tartary, and elsewhere, F9 Antiqu. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 1. F11 lbid. F12 Dictionary in the word "Togarmah". F13 Heb. Hist. l. 1. c. 1. p. 3. F14 T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 10. 1.
4
And I will turn thee about, and I will put a bit in thy jaws: and I will bring thee forth, and all thy army, horses and horsemen all clothed with coats of mail, a great multitude, armed with spears and shields and swords.
5
The Persians, Ethiopians, and Libyans with them, all with shields and helmets.
6
Gomer, and all his bands, the house of Thogorma, the northern parts and all his strength, and many peoples with thee.
7
Prepare and make thyself ready, and all thy multitude that is assembled about thee, and be thou commander over them.
8
After many days thou shalt be visited: at the end of years thou shalt come to the land that is returned from the sword, and is gathered out of many nations, to the mountains of Israel which have been continually waste: but it hath been brought forth out of the nations, and they shall all of them dwell securely in it.