Ezekiel 38:8

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.)

Ezekiel 38:8 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 38:8

After many days thou shalt be visited
After the Ottoman empire has stood a long time, as it has already; when the many days will be ended that Israel should be without a king and a prince ( Hosea 3:4 ) , then shall Gog or the Turk be visited of God, not in a way of grace, but vengeance; he shall be punished for all his iniquities, and his punishment or destruction will be brought about in the following manner: in the latter years thou shall come into the land that is brought back
from the sword;
that is, into the land of Judea, the right owners of which shall now be returned unto it; who have been for many years drove and kept out of it by the sword of their enemies; see ( Jeremiah 31:2 ) and these "latter years" are the same with the "latter days", in which these people shall seek the Lord and the Messiah, and fear him and his goodness, and return to their own land, ( Hosea 3:5 ) ( 1:11 ) , when the Turks, enraged at it, will raise a numerous army, and enter it, in order to repossess it. The description of the Jews, who are most manifestly pointed at, is continued: and is gathered out of many people against the mountains of Israel;
or rather, "to the mountains of Israel" ^F15; for it seems to design the land of Judea, that is, the people of it; who shall be gathered out of the several nations where they are now dispersed, and brought into their own land; described by the mountains of Israel, because a mountainous country, and a very fruitful one; ( Ezekiel 34:13 Ezekiel 34:14 ) , and not the army of Gog gathered out of many nations, as before observed, to march against the people of the Jews; though this seems to be the sense of the Targum,

``in the end of years thou shalt come into the land, against which are turned those that slay with the sword, who are gathered out of many people against the mountains of the land of Israel:''

which have been always waste:
of a longer time than the seventy years' captivity, even ever since the destruction of it by the Romans; and if the time of the carrying captive of the ten tribes by Salmanezer is respected, it is longer still: but it brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely
all of them;
that is, the people of the Jews, the proprietors of the land of Israel, shall now be brought forth out of each the nations where they are scattered, and shall inhabit their own land, and dwell in the utmost security, having nothing to fear from their most potent enemies, even Gog himself; and though he shall come against them in the following manner.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F15 (larvy yrh le) "ad montes Israel", Pagninus, Cocceius, Starckius.

Ezekiel 38:8 In-Context

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;