Ezekiel 38:17

17 haec dicit Dominus Deus tu ergo ille es de quo locutus sum in diebus antiquis in manu servorum meorum prophetarum Israhel qui prophetaverunt in diebus illorum temporum ut adducerem te super eos

Ezekiel 38:17 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 38:17

Thus saith the Lord God
Putting the question that follows: art thou he of whom I have spoken of old time by my servants the
prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I
will bring thee against them?
certainly thou art he: but who were the prophets that prophesied of Gog before Ezekiel, since he is the first that makes mention of him? to this it may be replied, that though he is not mentioned by name, yet he might be prophesied of under other names, as by Isaiah under the name of Leviathan, ( Isaiah 27:1 ) and by Micah under the name of the Assyrian, ( Micah 5:5 ) . The Jews F18 say that Eldad and Medad prophesied of him, which Jarchi, Kimchi, and Abendana remark; who all observe, agreeably to the Talmudists in the place referred to, that these two are the prophets meant; and therefore it is directed to be read not "shanim", years, but "shenaim", two; namely, those two prophets prophesied one prophecy at one time, or together; but this is not to be depended upon: it should be observed, that this must be considered as spoken at the time of the accomplishment of this prophecy, and so may have respect to the Prophet Ezekiel himself, or to Joel, ( Joel 3:1 Joel 3:2 ) , and to Zechariah, ( Zechariah 14:1 Zechariah 14:2 ) , and even to the book of the Revelation, ( Revelation 16:14 Revelation 16:16 ) ( 19:19 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F18 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 17. 1. & Gloss. in ib.

Ezekiel 38:17 In-Context

15 et venies de loco tuo a lateribus aquilonis tu et populi multi tecum ascensores equorum universi coetus magnus et exercitus vehemens
16 et ascendes super populum meum Israhel quasi nubes ut operias terram in novissimis diebus eris et adducam te super terram meam ut sciant gentes me cum sanctificatus fuero in te in oculis eorum o Gog
17 haec dicit Dominus Deus tu ergo ille es de quo locutus sum in diebus antiquis in manu servorum meorum prophetarum Israhel qui prophetaverunt in diebus illorum temporum ut adducerem te super eos
18 et erit in die illa in die adventus Gog super terram Israhel ait Dominus Deus ascendet indignatio mea in furore meo
19 et in zelo meo in igne irae meae locutus sum quia in die illa erit commotio magna super terram Israhel
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.