Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog ,.... As he had been ordered to do before, and must still continue to do it: behold, I am against thee, O Gog ; which is repeated for the confirmation of it, and to inject terror into him; for terrible it is to have God against any: the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal ; See Gill on Ezekiel 38:2 , the Septuagint version adds "Ros" here as there. read more
The chief prime of Meshech and Tubal ; or, prince of Rosh , Meshech , and Tubal ( see on Ezekiel 38:2 ). read more
In the first main division Ezekiel repeats the substance of what has already been advanced concerning the defeat of Gog (verses 1-8), after which he strives to represent its completeness (verses 9-20), by setting forth read more
The terrible doom of rebels. We may regard it as certain that this prophecy has in view the final conflict between good and evil in this world. Already , in the preceding prophecies, Ezekiel has been portraying the prosperous times of Messiah ' s reign; and now he has a vision of an age still more remote, when shall come the final clash of arms between God and a rebel world. We may take it that Satan, or Apollyon, will be the real leader in this final onset. All the forces of... read more
The present chapter describes the defeat of Evil and the triumph of God and His people. As the prophet predicted the advance of Evil under the figure of the invasion of an actual army; so he declares the overthrow of Evil by the figure of a host routed and slain, and the consequent purification of a land, partially overrun and disturbed. Some forgetting that this is a figure, have searched history to find out some campaign in the land of Israel, some overthrow of invaders, on which to fix this... read more
Ezekiel 39:1-2. Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy Continue to prophesy; against Gog That all these things concerning him may be remembered. The chief prince of Meshech, &c. See note on Ezekiel 38:2. And I will turn thee back See ibid. Ezekiel 39:4. I will lead thee and turn thee wheresoever I please: thou shalt not proceed any further than I shall permit thee, but shalt be driven back. And leave but a sixth part of thee Or, as others render it, I will strike thee with six... read more
Destruction of the armies of Gog (39:1-29)Ezekiel repeats that God was the one who drew out the forces of Gog, his purpose being to destroy them (39:1-3). Their dead soldiers lie unburied in the fields, and their cities are in ashes (4-6). The terrible massacre helps people to see how frightening is the power of God when he acts in holy anger against evil (7-8).So great were the armies of Gog in size, that their weapons provide firewood for the people of Israel for the next seven years (9-10).... read more
Therefore, &c. See the Structure, p. 1161 read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 39:1-7
This prophecy begins as that before (Ezek. 38:3-4; I am against thee, and I will turn thee back); for there is need of line upon line, both for the conviction of Israel's enemies and the comfort of Israel's friends. Here, as there, it is foretold that God will bring this enemy from the north parts, as formerly the Chaldeans were fetched from the north, Jer. 1:14 (Omne malum ab aquilone?Every evil comes from the north), and, long after, the Roman empire was overrun by the northern nations, that... read more