And the word of the Lord came unto me ,.... At the same time as 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: read more
Son of man, set thy face against Gog ,.... Of the phrase, "setting the face towards", or "against"; see Gill on Ezekiel 6:2 , Ezekiel 21:2 , Ezekiel 25:2 but who this Gog is the prophet is bid boldly to face, and intrepidly declare the wrath of God against, interpreters are divided about. Calmet F13 Dictionary in the words "Gog" and "Magog". thinks that Cambyses and his army are meant by Gog and Magog, which to mention is enough; and it is the opinion of St. Ambrose F14 "De... read more
And say, thus saith the Lord God, behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Which is repeated for the confirmation of it, that so it would certainly be; that the Lord, the mighty God, and King of kings, would in his providence frown upon him, and appear against him; and his titles are repeated also, to show that all his greatness, grandeur, and power, would not protect him from the vengeance of God. read more
And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws ,.... Or, I will put hooks in thy jaws, and with them turn thee back; or rather, "turn thee about" F6 שובבתיך "circumducam te", Piscator; "circumagam te", Grotius. ; and lead thee where and as I please; for this is not to be understood of God's putting hooks into his jaws, and leading him back from his enterprise of invading the land of Judea; as he put a hook in the nose and a bridle in the lips of the king of Assyria, and... read more
Persia, Ethiopia, and Lybia with them ,.... These are the confederates or auxiliaries of the Turks, which shall join with them in this expedition. Persia is a neighbouring kingdom to the Turks, and may fall into their hands before this comes to pass; and is in a fair way for it at this time, through the internal divisions in it; however, it will be confederate with them. Ethiopia or Cush does not design the country of the Abyssines in the dominions of the Great Mogul, but Arabia Chusea,... read more
Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog - This is allowed to be the most difficult prophecy in the Old Testament. It is difficult to us, because we know not the king nor people intended by it: but I am satisfied they were well known by these names in the time that the prophet wrote. I have already remarked in the introduction to this book that there are but two opinions on this subject that appear to be at all probable: That which makes Gog Cambyses, king of Persia; and, ... read more
I will turn thee back - Thy enterprise shall fail. read more
Persia - That a part of this country was tributary to Antiochus, see 1 Maccabees 3:31. Ethiopia, and Libya - That these were auxiliaries of Antiochus is evident from Daniel 11:43 ; : "The Libyans and Ethiopians shall be at his steps." read more
The word of the Lord came unto me . Although this oracle is unaccompanied by any note of time, it was obviously delivered before the twenty-fifth year of the Captivity ( Ezekiel 40:1 ), and most likely in immediate succession to the preceding prophecy, with which also it has a close relation in respect of purport, being designed to show that against restored and united Israel, i.e. against the Church of God of the future, the strongest combinations of hostile force would not prevail, but... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 38:1-13
The critical expositors have enough to do here to enquire out Gog and Magog. We cannot pretend either to add to their observations or to determine their controversies. Gog seems to be the king and Magog the kingdom; so that Gog and Magog are like Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Some think they find them afar off, in Scythia, Tartary, and Russia. Others think they find them nearer the land of Israel, in Syria, and Asia the Less. Ezekiel is appointed to prophesy against Gog, and to tell him that God... read more