Ezekiel 38:7-13

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 38:7

Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself ,.... All warlike stores and provisions: this is ironically said; and suggests that he would do so, and yet all would be in vain, and to no purpose: thou and all thy company, that are assembled unto thee ; or all thine armies, as the Targum, gathered out of his dominions, and made up of his auxiliaries and allies; let them all be furnished with arms, and everything proper for the expedition designed: and be thou a guard unto them ; the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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, &c.; 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 38:9

Thou shall ascend and come like a storm ,.... That comes suddenly, looks black and terrible, and causes darkness and horror; makes a great noise, and is very threatening of danger; signifying, that the Turks will come into the land of Judea suddenly to surprise it, and with great wrath and fury, and threaten them with utter destruction; so the king of the north is said to come like a whirlwind, which many interpret of the Turk also, Daniel 11:40 , thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 38:10

Thus saith the Lord, it shall also come to pass ,.... Who is the Lord God omniscient, and knows the thoughts of men's hearts afar off; which, though they are contingent and voluntary, yet certain to the foreknowledge of God; who knows them before they are conceived, and can foretell what they will be, and which come to pass accordingly: it is now above two thousand years ago since this was said, and as yet is not fulfilled, but certainly will be: that at the same time shall things come... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 38:11

And thou shall say ,.... What came into his mind, and what he thought of; this he shall say to his privy counsellors and ministers of state; or to the generals and officers of his army; or to his confederates and allies, and even to them all, to have their opinion and approbation of it; and to encourage them to join him, and go with him: I will go up to the land of unwalled villages ; a land which has nothing but villages in it, and those no walls about them to protect them: this he said... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 38:12

To take a spoil, and to take a prey ,.... These are the words of Gog continued; suggesting that he should have no occasion to fight; should have nothing else to do but to seize upon the goods and plunder the substance of these people: to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited : such as were before desolate, and had lain long so, but now peopled and cultivated; these he would attack and demolish, and make a spoil and prey of: and upon the people that are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 38:13

Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish ,.... These are not any of the people that shall come along with Gog on his expedition; but some neighbouring nations bordering on Judea, who will address him in the following manner, as he passes through them, or by them. Sheba and Dedan design the Arabians inhabiting that part of Arabia which lay near to Judea, even Arabia Petraea and Felix; and the merchants of Tarshish are the Tyrians and Zidonians that traded by sea, as Tarshish sometimes... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 38:8

In the latter years thou shalt come - This was fulfilled about four hundred years after. - Martin. The expedition of Cambyses against Egypt was about twelve years after the return of the Jews from Babylon. - Calmet. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 38:9

Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm - It is observable that Antiochus is thus spoken of by Daniel, Daniel 11:40 ; : The king of the north - Antiochus, shall come against him (the king of the south is the king of Egypt) like a whirlwind. read more

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