14 Therefore, son H1121 of man, H120 prophesy H5012 and say H559 unto Gog, H1463 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 In that day H3117 when my people H5971 of Israel H3478 dwelleth H3427 safely, H983 shalt thou not know H3045 it?
After many H7227 days H3117 thou shalt be visited: H6485 in the latter H319 years H8141 thou shalt come H935 into the land H776 that is brought back H7725 from the sword, H2719 and is gathered H6908 out of many H7227 people, H5971 against the mountains H2022 of Israel, H3478 which have been always H8548 waste: H2723 but it is brought forth H3318 out of the nations, H5971 and they shall dwell H3427 safely H983 all of them.
In his days H3117 Judah H3063 shall be saved, H3467 and Israel H3478 shall dwell H7931 safely: H983 and this is his name H8034 whereby he shall be called, H7121 THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. H3072
For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 After H310 the glory H3519 hath he sent H7971 me unto the nations H1471 which spoiled H7997 you: for he that toucheth H5060 you toucheth H5060 the apple H892 of his eye. H5869
And in that day H3117 seven H7651 women H802 shall take hold H2388 of one H259 man, H376 saying, H559 We will eat H398 our own bread, H3899 and wear H3847 our own apparel: H8071 only let us be called H7121 by thy name, H8034 to take away H622 our reproach. H2781 In that day H3117 shall the branch H6780 of the LORD H3068 be beautiful H6643 and glorious, H3519 and the fruit H6529 of the earth H776 shall be excellent H1347 and comely for H8597 them that are escaped H6413 of Israel. H3478
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ezekiel 38
Commentary on Ezekiel 38 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 38
This chapter, and that which follows it, are concerning Gog and Magog, a powerful enemy to the people of Israel, that should make a formidable descent upon them, and put them into a consternation, but their army should be routed and their design defeated; and this prophecy, it is most probable, had its accomplishment some time after the return of the people of Israel out of their captivity, whether in the struggles they had with the kings of Syria, especially Antiochus Epiphanes, or perhaps in some other way not recorded, we cannot tell. If the sacred history of the Old Testament had reached as far as the prophecy, we should have been better able to understand these chapters, but, for want of that key, we are locked out of the meaning of them. God had by the prophet assured his people of happy times after their return to their own land; but lest they should mistake the promises which related to the kingdom of the Messiah and the spiritual privileges of that the kingdom of the Messiah and the spiritual privileges of that kingdom, as if from them they might promise themselves an uninterrupted temporal prosperity, he here tells them, as Christ told his disciples to prevent the like mistake, that in the world they shall have tribulation, but they may be of good cheer, for they shall be victorious at last. This prophecy here of Gog and Magog is without doubt alluded to in that prophecy which relates to the latter days, and which seems to be yet unfulfilled (Rev. 20:8), that Gog and Magog shall be gathered to battle against the camp of the saints, as the Old-Testament prophecies of the destruction of Babylon are alluded to, Rev. 18. But, in both, the Old-Testament prophecies had their accomplishment in the Jewish church as the New-Testament prophecies shall have when the time comes in the Christian church. In this chapter we have intermixed,
Eze 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 is against him, v. 2, 3. Note, God does not only see those that are now the enemies of his church and set himself against them, but he foresees those that will be so and lets them know by his word that he is against them too, and yet is pleased to make use of them to serve his own purposes, for the glory of his own name; surely their wrath shall praise him, and the remainder thereof he will restrain, Ps. 76:10. Let us observe here,
Eze 38:14-23
This latter part of the chapter is a repetition of the former; the dream is doubled, for the thing is certain and to be very carefully regarded.