FocusShepherding, cleansing, and renewed life
Connection to the wholeThe messages turn toward restoration while preserving individual responsibility and the LORD's judgment against hostile powers.
interpretation Ezekiel 38:2
KJVSon of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
Read it in context
A Prophecy against Gog
Start reading at Ezekiel 38:1 (Ezekiel 38:1 to Ezekiel 38:23).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
The messages turn toward restoration while preserving individual responsibility and the LORD's judgment against hostile powers.
- 38:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
- 38:2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
- 38:3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
- 38:4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
- 38:5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
- 38:6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.
- 38:7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
- 38:8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
- 38:9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.
- 38:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
- 38:11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
- 38:12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
- 38:13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?
- 38:14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?
- 38:15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:
- 38:16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.
- 38:17 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?
- 38:18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face.
- 38:19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
- 38:20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
- 38:21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.
- 38:22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
- 38:23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Who
- Who wrote the book? Ezekiel son of Buzi, a priest and prophet among the exiles, is the named prophetic voice and traditional author. Biblical references: Ezekiel 1:1; Ezekiel 1:3. stated in the text
- Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Ezekiel 38:1–39:29): Gog and the gathered hostile nations are addressed within the prophecy; Israel and the nations are described as witnesses to the LORD's judgment. stated in the text
- Who was the book written to? The house of Israel, with Ezekiel speaking especially among the Judean exiles in Babylonia. Some visions concern people in Jerusalem or other nations rather than people physically present with him. Biblical references: Ezekiel 3:11; Ezekiel 8:1; Ezekiel 24:21. stated in the text
What
- What is the topic of this reading unit? A Prophecy against Gog. Read Ezekiel 38:1 through Ezekiel 38:23 as a connected unit. interpretation
- How does it contribute to the book? The messages turn toward restoration while preserving individual responsibility and the LORD's judgment against hostile powers. interpretation
When
- When are the events or message set? The book repeatedly dates visions by years of captivity. Events pictured in a vision, the time of receiving it, and the time of later fulfillment should be distinguished. book background
Where
- What is the book’s geographic setting? Ezekiel is among the exiles by the river Chebar. Visions carry him to other scenes, including Jerusalem; visionary location is not automatically ordinary physical travel. book background
- Where does the context start? This passage sits in A Prophecy against Gog (Ezekiel 38:1 to Ezekiel 38:23). Start reading at Ezekiel 38:1. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
- How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? The shepherd promise can be read alongside Jesus' teaching about the good shepherd. The connection should retain Ezekiel's concern for the scattered flock and the failure of Israel's shepherds. See Ezekiel 34:11, Ezekiel 34:23, John 10:11. interpretation
- How should this book guide our response? Take warnings about personal responsibility and corrupt leadership seriously. When interpreting symbolic acts or visions, begin with the explanations supplied within the book. interpretation
Cited: Ezekiel 38:1, Ezekiel 38:23, Ezekiel 34:11, Ezekiel 34:23, John 10:11
Who wrote it, and how we know
Ezekiel the prophet
Named in Scripture
What Scripture saysThe book is written in the first person by Ezekiel the priest.
Ezekiel 1:1Ezekiel 1:3
Early traditionTradition names Ezekiel.
What is debatedSome scholars propose later editing.
Related passages
- Son Ezek 2:1 Ezek 39:1
- set Ezek 6:2 Ezek 20:46 Ezek 25:2 Ezek 35:2-3
- Gog Rev 20:8-9
- Magog Gen 10:2 1 Chr 1:5
- Meshech Ezek 27:13 Ezek 32:26 Isa 66:19
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Ezekiel 38
Ezekiel locates his ministry among the exiles and dates many visions by years of captivity. Symbolic acts and visions require attention to their stated explanations; a modern identification is not supplied merely by the presence of a symbol. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Ezekiel 1:1 Ezekiel 1:2 Ezekiel 1:3
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Ezekiel
Ezekiel locates his ministry among the exiles and dates many visions by years of captivity. Symbolic acts and visions require attention to their stated explanations; a modern identification is not supplied merely by the presence of a symbol.
Ezekiel 1:1 Ezekiel 1:2 Ezekiel 1:3
The vision and commission
Ezekiel 1:1–3:27FocusGlory, the scroll, and responsibility
Connection to the wholeThe opening vision and commission establish Ezekiel's task among the exiles and his responsibility to speak the LORD's words.
interpretation Judgment on Jerusalem
Ezekiel 4:1–24:27FocusSigns, visions, and covenant unfaithfulness
Connection to the wholeA sustained sequence of signs and messages exposes Jerusalem's sin and announces the coming disaster.
interpretation Oracles against the nations
Ezekiel 25:1–32:32FocusThe surrounding powers judged
Connection to the wholeThe messages address neighboring peoples and powerful kingdoms, showing that judgment is not confined to Jerusalem.
interpretation FocusShepherding, cleansing, and renewed life
Connection to the wholeThe messages turn toward restoration while preserving individual responsibility and the LORD's judgment against hostile powers.
interpretation The vision of temple and land
Ezekiel 40:1–48:35FocusOrdered worship and the LORD's presence
Connection to the wholeThe final vision describes the temple, worship, life-giving waters, and the land. Its interpretation should be distinguished from what the vision itself depicts.
interpretation Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.