Ezekiel 38 commentary

These events will be in the latter days. It is supposed these enemies will come together to invade the land of Judea, and God will defeat them. God not only sees who are now the enemies of his church, but he foresees who will be so, and lets them know by his word that he is against them; though they join together, the wicked shall not be unpunished.

The enemy should make a formidable descent upon the land of Israel. When Israel dwell safely under the Divine protection, shalt not thou be made to know it by finding that endeavours to destroy them are made in vain? Promises of security are treasured up in the word of God, against the troubles and dangers the church may be brought into in the latter days. In the destruction of sinners, God makes it appear that he is a great and holy God. We should desire and pray daily. Father, glorify thine own name.

CHAPTER 38

Eze 38:1-23. The Assault of Gog, and God's Judgment on Him.

The objections to a literal interpretation of the prophecy are--(1) The ideal nature of the name Gog, which is the root of Magog, the only kindred name found in Scripture or history. (2) The nations congregated are selected from places most distant from Israel, and from one another, and therefore most unlikely to act in concert (Persians and Libyans, &c.). (3) The whole spoil of Israel could not have given a handful to a tithe of their number, or maintained the myriads of invaders a single day (Eze 38:12, 13). (4) The wood of their invaders' weapons was to serve for fuel to Israel for seven years! And all Israel were to take seven months in burying the dead! Supposing a million of Israelites to bury each two corpses a day, the aggregate buried in the hundred eighty working days of the seven months would be three hundred sixty millions of corpses! Then the pestilential vapors from such masses of victims before they were all buried! What Israelite could live in such an atmosphere? (5) The scene of the Lord's controversy here is different from that in Is 34:6, Edom, which creates a discrepancy. (But probably a different judgment is alluded to). (6) The gross carnality of the representation of God's dealings with His adversaries is inconsistent with Messianic times. It therefore requires a non-literal interpretation. The prophetical delineations of the divine principles of government are thrown into the familiar forms of Old Testament relations. The final triumph of Messiah's truth over the most distant and barbarous nations is represented as a literal conflict on a gigantic scale, Israel being the battlefield, ending in the complete triumph of Israel's anointed King, the Saviour of the world. It is a prophetical parable [Fairbairn]. However, though the details are not literal, the distinctiveness in this picture, characterizing also parallel descriptions in writers less ideally picturesque than Ezekiel, gives probability to a more definite and generally literal interpretation. The awful desolations caused in Judea by Antiochus Epiphanes, of Syria (1 Maccabees; and Porphyry, quoted by Jerome on Ezekiel), his defilement of Jehovah's temple by sacrificing swine and sprinkling the altar with the broth, and setting up the altar of Jupiter Olympius, seem to be an earnest of the final desolations to be caused by Antichrist in Israel, previous to His overthrow by the Lord Himself, coming to reign (compare Da 8:10-26; 11:21-45; 12:1; Zec 13:9; 14:2, 3). Grotius explains Gog as a name taken from Gyges, king of Lydia; and Magog as Syria, in which was a city called Magog [Pliny, 5.28]. What Ezekiel stated more generally, Re 20:7-9 states more definitely as to the anti-Christian confederacy which is to assail the beloved city.

2. Gog--the prince of the land of Magog. The title was probably a common one of the kings of the country, as "Pharaoh" in Egypt. Chakan was the name given by the Northern Asiatics to their king, and is still a title of the Turkish sultan: "Gog" may be a contraction of this. In Ezekiel's time a horde of northern Asiatics, termed by the Greeks "Scythians," and probably including the Moschi and Tibareni, near the Caucasus, here ("Meshech ... Tubal") undertook an expedition against Egypt [Herodotus, 1.103-106]. These names might be adopted by Ezekiel from the historical fact familiar to men at the time, as ideal titles for the great last anti-Christian confederacy.

Magog--(Ge 10:2; 1Ch 1:5). The name of a land belonging to Japheth's posterity. Maha, in Sanskrit, means "land." Gog is the ideal political head of the region. In Re 20:8, Gog and Magog are two peoples.

the chief prince--rather, "prince of Rosh," or "Rhos" [Septuagint]. The Scythian Tauri in the Crimea were so called. The Araxes also was called "Rhos." The modern Russians may have hence assumed their name, as Moscow and Tobolsk from Meshech and Tubal, though their proper ancient name was Slavi, or Wends. Hengstenberg supports English Version, as "Rosh" is not found in the Bible. "Magog was Gog's original kingdom, though he acquired also Meshech and Tubal, so as to be called their chief prince."

3. His high-sounding titles are repeated to imply the haughty self-confidence of the invader as if invincible.

4. turn thee back--as a refractory wild beast, which thinks to take its own way, but is bent by a superior power to turn on a course which must end in its destruction. Satan shall be, by overruling Providence, permitted to deceive them to their ruin (Re 20:7, 8).

hooks into thy jaws--(Eze 29:4; 2Ki 19:28).

5. Persia ... Libya--expressly specified by Appian as supplying the ranks of Antiochus' army.

6. Gomer--the Celtic Cimmerians of Crim-Tartary.

Togarmah--the Armenians of the Caucasus, south of Iberia.

7. Irony. Prepare thee and all thine with all needful accoutrements for war--that ye may perish together.

be ... a guard unto them--that is, if thou canst.

8. thou shall be visited--in wrath, by God (Is 29:6). Probably there is allusion to Is 24:21, 22, "The host of the high ones ... shall be gathered ... as prisoners ... in the pit ... and after many days shall they be visited." I therefore prefer English Version to Grotius rendering, "Thou shalt get the command" of the expedition. The "after many days" is defined by "in the latter years," that is, in the times just before the coming of Messiah, namely, under Antiochus, before His first coming; under Antichrist, before His second coming.

the mountains of Israel ... always waste--that is, waste during the long period of the captivity, the earnest of the much longer period of Judea's present desolation (to which the language "always waste" more fully applies). This marks the impious atrocity of the act, to assail God's people, who had only begun to recover from their protracted calamities.

but it is brought ... and they shall dwell--rather, "And they (the Israelites) were brought ... dwelt safely" [Fairbairn]. English Version means, "Against Israel, which has been waste, but which (that is, whose people) is now (at the time of the invasion) brought forth out of the nations where they were dispersed, and shall be found by the invader dwelling securely, so as to seem an easy prey to him."

9. cloud to cover the land--with the multitude of thy forces.

10. an evil thought--as to attacking God's people in their defenseless state.

11. dwell safely--that is, securely, without fear of danger (compare Es 9:19). Antiochus, the type of Antichrist, took Jerusalem without a blow.

12. midst of the land--literally, "the navel" of the land (Jud 9:37, Margin). So, in Eze 5:5, Israel is said to be set "in the midst of the nations"; not physically, but morally, a central position for being a blessing to the world: so (as the favored or "beloved city," Re 20:9) an object of envy. Grotius translates, "In the height of the land" (so Eze 38:8), "the mountains of Israel," Israel being morally elevated above the rest of the world.

13. Sheba, &c.--These mercantile peoples, though not taking an active part against the cause of God, are well pleased to see others do it. Worldliness makes them ready to deal in the ill-gotten spoil of the invaders of God's people. Gain is before godliness with them (1 Maccabees 3:41).

young lions--daring princes and leaders.

14. shalt thou not know it?--to thy cost, being visited with punishment, while Israel dwells safely.

16. I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me--So in Ex 9:16, God tells Pharaoh, "For this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee My power; and that My name may be declared throughout all the earth."

17. thou he of whom I have spoken in old time--Gog, &c. are here identified with the enemies spoken of in other prophecies (Nu 24:17-24; Is 27:1; compare Is 26:20, 21; Jr 30:23, 24; Joe 3:1; Mi 5:5, 6; Is 14:12-14; 59:19). God is represented as addressing Gog at the time of his assault; therefore, the "old time" is the time long prior, when Ezekiel uttered these prophecies; so, he also, as well as Daniel (Da 11:1-45) and Zechariah (Zec 14:1-21) are included among "the prophets of Israel" here.

many years--ago.

18. fury shall come up in my face--literally, "nose"; in Hebrew, the idiomatic expression for anger, as men in anger breathe strongly through the nostrils. Anthropopathy: God stooping to human modes of thought (Psa 18:8).

19. great shaking--an earthquake: physical agitations after accompanying social and moral revolutions. Foretold also in Joe 3:16; (compare Hag 2:6, 7; Mt 24:7, 29; Re 16:18).

20. fishes--disturbed by the fleets which I will bring.

fowls, &c.--frightened at the sight of so many men: an ideal picture.

mountains--that is, the fortresses on the mountains.

steep places--literally, "stairs" (So 2:14); steep terraces for vines on the sides of hills, to prevent the earth being washed down by the rains.

every wall--of towns.

21. every man's sword ... against his brother--I will destroy them partly by My people's sword, partly by their swords being turned against one another (compare 2Ch 20:23).

22. plead--a forensic term; because God in His inflictions acts on the principles of His own immutable justice, not by arbitrary impulse (Is 66:16; Jr 25:31).

blood ... hailstones, fire--(Re 8:7; 16:21). The imagery is taken from the destruction of Sodom and the plagues of Egypt (compare Psa 11:6). Antiochus died by "pestilence" (2 Maccabees 9:5).

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:

1. That which makes Gog Cambyses, king of Persia; and,

2. That which makes him Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria.

And between these two (for one or other is supposed to be the person intended) men are much divided.

Calmet, one of the most judicious commentators that ever wrote on the Bible, declares for Cambyses; and supports his opinion, in opposition to all others, by many arguments.

Mr. Mede supposes the Americans are meant who were originally colonies of the Scythians who were descendants of Magog, son of Japheth. Houbigant declares for the Scythians, whose neighbors were the people of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, that is the Russians, Muscovites, and Tybareni or Cappadocians. Several eminent critics espouse this opinion. Rabbi David Kimchi says the Christians and Turks are meant: and of later opinions there are several, founded in the ocean of conjecture. Calmet says expressly, that Gog is Cambyses, king of Persia, who on his return from the land of Egypt, died in Judea. The Revelation David Martin, pastor of the Waloon church at Utrecht, concludes, after examining all previous opinions, that Antiochus Epiphanes, the great enemy on the Israelites, is alone intended here; and that Gog, which signifies covered, is an allusion to the well-known character of Antiochus, whom historians describe as an artful, cunning, and dissembling man. See Dan 8:23, Dan 8:25; Dan 11:23, Dan 11:27, Dan 11:32. Magog he supposes to mean the country of Syria. Of this opinion the following quotation from Pliny, Hist. Nat., lib. v., c. 23, seems a proof; who, speaking of Coele-Syria, says Coele habet Apamiam Marsyia amne divisam a Nazarinorum Tetrarchia. Bambycem quam alio nomine Hierapolis vocatur, Syris vero Magog. "Coele-Syria has Apamia separated from the tetrarchy of the Nazarenes by the river Marsyia; and Bambyce, otherwise called Hierapolis; but by the Syrians, Magog."

I shall at present examine the text by this latter opinion.

Chief prince of Meshech and Tubal - These probably mean the auxiliary forces, over whom Antiochus was supreme; they were the Muscovites and Cappadocians.

I will turn thee back - Thy enterprise shall fail.

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 Dan 11:43 : "The Libyans and Ethiopians shall be at his steps."

Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah - The Cimmerians and Turcomanians, and other northern nations. - Calmet.

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.

Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm - It is observable that Antiochus is thus spoken of by Daniel, Dan 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.

Shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought - Antiochus purposed to invade and destroy Egypt, as well as Judea; see Dan 11:31, Dan 11:32, Dan 11:36. This Calmet interprets of Cambyses, his cruelties in Egypt, and his evil design to destroy the Israelites.

To take a spoil - and a prey - When Antiochus took Jerusalem he gave the pillage of it to his soldiers, and spoiled the temple of its riches, which were immense. See Josephus War, B. 1. C. 1.

Sheba, and Dedan - The Arabians, anciently great plunderers; and Tarshish, the inhabitants of the famous isle of Tartessus, the most noted merchants of the time. They are here represented as coming to Antiochus before he undertook the expedition, and bargaining for the spoils of the Jews. Art thou come to take a spoil, to carry away silver and gold, cattle and goods?

When I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog - By the defeat of his troops under Lysias, his general. 1 Maccabees 3:32, 33, etc., and 6:6.

Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time - This prophecy concerning Antiochus and the Jews was delivered about four hundred years before the events took place. - Martin. Calmet maintains that Cambyses is spoken of, and refers to ancient prophecies, especially Isaiah 14, Isa 15:1-9, Isa 16:1-14, Isa 20:1-6, 21.

I will call for a sword against him - Meaning Judas Maccabeus, who defeated his army under Lysias, making a horrible carnage. - Martin. Cambyses had no wars in the mountains of Israel.

Great hailstones, fire, and brimstone - These are probably figurative expressions, to signify that the whole tide of the war should be against him, and that his defeat and slaughter should be great. Abp. Newcome supposes all the above prophecy remains yet to be fulfilled. Where such eminent scribes are divided, who shall decide!

Saying - God now forewarns the Jews, what enemies and troubles would interpose, before he would fully deliver them.

Gog - This cannot be one single person, or prince, though perhaps it points out some one, by whom the troubles foretold were begun. Some believe the time is still to come, wherein this prophecy is to be fulfilled. And that it must intend those enemies of God's church who descended from the Scythians, and are now masters of Cappadocia, Iberia, Armenia, or are in confederacy with the Tartars, and those northern heathens. But others think, all the enemies of Israel in all quarters, both open and secret are here intended, and that the Antichristian forces and combination, are what the prophet foretells. Magog - Magog is, at least, part of Scythia, and comprehends Syria, in which was Hierapolis. taken by the Scythians, and called of them Scythopolis. It is that country, which now is in subjection to the Turks, and may be extended thro' Asia minor, the countries of Sarmatia, and many others, under more than one in succession of time. And in the last time under some one active and daring prince, all their power will be stirred up against Christians.

Handling swords - That is, very ready, expert and strong in using the sword.

Gomer - Inhabitants of Galatia. Togarmah - Paphlagonia, and Cappadocia. The north quarters - The more northern people, the numerous Tartars.

Be thou prepared - God and the church deride this mighty preparation.

After many days - In the latter days of the Messiah's kingdom among men. In the later years - These must be cotemporary with the many days already mentioned. Thou - Gog with all thy numbers. The land - The land of the Jews, a people recovered from captivity, into which the sword of their enemy had brought them. Always waste - It is already two thousand four hundred years since the ten tribes were carried away by Salmanezer. But it - The land of Canaan, that is, the people of it.

Unwalled - Weak, and without any considerable defences.

Sheba - This Sheba was southward, and contains all of that coast which assisted Gog. Dedan - By these are noted, the eastern nations that assisted. Tarshish - The inhabitants of the sea - coast westward, and Magog north. The young lions - Young men thirsty of blood, but more of spoil, resolve to join, if they may rob and spoil for themselves. Art thou come - This repeated enquiry seems to be an agreement to come to his assistance, on condition they might have, possess, and carry away what they seize.

Know it - Thou wilt be informed of it.

The north parts - From Scythia, from the Euxine and Caspian seas, and countries thereabouts.

I will bring - I will permit thee to come. Sanctified - Confessed to be a great God over all, a gracious and faithful God to his people, and a dreadful enemy and avenger against the wicked. Before - ln the sight of all the heathen that are with Gog, and much more in the sight of God's own people.

Spoken - All these enterprises I have spoken of, and will as well defeat as I did foretel them.

For - For my own people, and for mine own glory. Have I spoken - Against mine enemies Gog, and all his herd. A great shaking - A great disturbance and tumult, like an earthquake.

Sword - Israel. Throughout - From all parts of the land, which was full of mountains. Every man's sword - As it was in Jehoshaphat's time; and these swords may be meant by the sword God will call for through all, for they ranged all over his mountains.

Magnify - Undeniably prove that I am the mighty, just, faithful, wise, holy, and merciful God. Sanctify - Declare I am holy, and true to my word.

2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog , the land of Magog , the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal , and prophesie against him.

See chap 20.46. let. n. and 21.2. and 25 2. and 35.2. let. a.

This cannot be one single person, or one onely Prince, though like enough it points out some one, by whom the troubles foretold were begun, yet the Successors of this one, who-ere he was, and included, and designed by this Gog, nor is he to be limited to one certain nation, that he was King of, nor yet confin'd to one age, or (it may be) to two or three; Some will fix the beginnings of this Gog among the Seleucidae, and take in the others, who divided the Grecian Empire among themselves, and who did much hurt to the Jews, the history of which in part you meet with in the Books of the Maccabees. But if we must account why these are called Gog, perhaps this may suffice: Gyges, who gave name to the land, Predecessor to Croesus (for he was Grandson to Gyges) was conquer'd by Cyrus, deprived of the Kingdom; and this made and continued Tributary to the Persians, till taken from them by the Grecians; and when that Kingdom was divided, it fell among the Successors of Alexander in Seleucus line, and so the Seleucide may, not without some ground, be thought pointed at by Gog, whose countrey fell into the hand of Seleucus by the Successes he had against Antigonus. And of all the Seleucidae, the sixth from Seleucus stands fairest for it, this was Antiochus Epiphanes, Type of Antichrist, and a fierce Enemy of the Jewes. Others judge this War, in which Gog is Prince and Leader, refers to times much later, and there are several particulars that do not well suit with the times of Antiochus Epiphanes. They will therefore rather refer it to some Scythian King or Kings, and that the time is still to come, wherein this Prophesie is to be fulfilled. And that it must intend those Enemies of Gods Church who descended from the Scythians, and are now masters of Cappadocia, Iberia, Armenia, or are in confederacy with the Tartars, and those Northern Heathens. Now the Armes and Equipage here mention'd well suit with these Scythians, and they with the Turks, as like to make up part of this Army. But others think, that All the Enemies of Israel in all quarters, all, both open and secret Enemies are here intended, and that the Antichristian forces, and combinations are what the Prophet foretells; and if from a conjunction of affairs now, or lately on foot in the World, we might make our guess, the Invasions of the Turks on one side, and the contrivance of others on this side Christendom to extirp[illegible: 2 letters]e the Northern Heresie, as some have called our Religion, we might be excus'd, if we erre, saying, The Constantinopolitan Antichrist, and the Roman Antichrist, with all their associates, and helpers, are this Gog.

Magog is, at least, part of Scythia, and comprehends Syria, in which was Hierapolis taken by the Scythians, and called of them Scythopolis. It is then that Countrey, which now is in subjection to the Turks, and may be extended thro' Asia minor, the Countreys of Sarmatia, &c. from those parts under more, then one in Succession of time and in the last times under some one particular active undertaking, and daring Prince, Enemy of Israel, all their power will be stir'd up against Christ and Christians.

Or Prince, who is Supream in Authority, most violent in opposition to the Church of Christ, and most active to attempt its ruine.

What we render Prince, may well be the proper name of Araxes in Arabick, principal River of Armenia, and so that the first Countrey mention'd under the command of Gog, or the Scythians of mount Taurus, which were called Rhos.

Vid. chap. 27.13. let. k. l.

Since the two former Chapters had assured so great and wonderful blessings to the Iews, after the return out of Babylon ▪ and the gathering them together in their own land: It is more then probable, the Jews would expect a full accomplishment of all these things quickly after their return, and if troubles should, as they did, intervene, and prove long, be discouraged, and quarrel with Providence, God doth in this [illegible: 1 letter]8th. and the 39th. Chapters forewarn them by telling what enemies and troubles would interpose themselves to the great losses, and dangers of the Jews, ere they should overcome them, and Go should fully and finally deliver them.

Marginal references: Rev. 20.8.; Or, Prince of the chief.

4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy chaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thy 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.

The words seem to imply a diverting him from some other enterprise, or else intimate to us, when that mighty power come out, they are still under God's controul, and he will turn them back from what they intended, that they shall not effect it.

See this expression chap. 29.4.

So dispose affairs, thou shalt leave thine own Countrey to invade and spoil, and destroy

The whole power thou canst make.

Those Nations Sarmatae, or Scythians, Cappadocians, &c. or, which comprise all the Turks and Tartars are to this day strong in Horse, and their Armies consist much of Horsemen.

Their Leaders both rich and gaudy, yet well armed, and their Souldiers well provided too, and we know how they, and other Antichristian Souldiers march which all Warlike provisions.

In vast Armys far greater, then any of their Neighbours can bring out against them.

Bucklers for their foot, and sheilds for their Horsemen, as Servius observes the difference between the two latin words scutum and clypeus, if not misreported, I doubt whether the Heb. words do so differ, however these were for defence of those, that bear them, and to this day the Tartars use oblong shields for defence on Horseback, as the figures represent them to our eye.

That is very ready, expert and strong in using the sword, this to slay the Enemies, as the other to save themselves.

Marginal references: 2 [illegible: 1 span] chap. 3[illegible: 1 letter].[illegible: 1 letter]; chap. [illegible: 1 letter]3

5 Persia , Aethiopia , and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet .

The Land for the People Mahometans, and Enemies to the Name of Christ.

Not the African, which is Habassia, or Nubia, or both the old Macrobii, but the Asiatic, or Arabian Aethiopia posterity of Cush, Mahometans too.

A People of Africa either now Subjects of, or Confederates with the Turks, and who are near enough to joyn, when the effect shall demo[illegible: 1 letter] strate this Gog who he is.

Prepar'd to save themselves what they can, tho' they slay their Enemies. Now some of all these were in the Armies of Antiochus against the Jews, and many more will serve in the last Army of Gog.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word]

6 Gomer , and all his [illegible: 1 letter]ands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands; and many people with thee.

Inhabitants of Galatia called formerly Gallograeci, Phrygians, and Bitoynians also these descended of Gomer.

Paphlagonia, and Cappadocia, see chap. 27.14.

It might be read in apposition, and leave out of, so 'twill bring in many more to assist Gog, beside all those mentioned, the more Northern people, the numerous Tartars shall with all their hands fight for Gog.

Great, and mighty of Stature, and strength, and courage as well as many in numbers.

7 Be thou prepared , and prepare for thy self, thou and thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

'Tis an Ironie, God, the Prophet, and the Church deride this mighty preparation, as once the daughter of Sion laught Sennacherib that proud Assyrian to scorn, and the scoffe is doubled.

Such a mighty Army will need great Magazines, and Granaries, and Good Watches, and Guards for their marching in safety, therefore awaken thy diligence, let nothing be wanting, for, O Gog, thou wilt find, I am against thee, saith the Lord.

8 After many dayes 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 alwaies waste : but it is brought forth out of the nations , and they shall dwell safely all of them.

Some refer this to the time of the Maccabees, about 200 years after their return, and finishing the repairs of the City Wall; others say, after the expiring of the 1000 years spoken of, Revel. 20.7. But certainly the full accomplished dayes are yet to come, when Gog, and Magog shall be destroyed, and so these dayes are the latter dayes of the Messiah's Kingdom among men.

Be called to account, judged and punished for thy violence, and possibly convinced by thy overthrow, it may prove a visitation in mercy for Conversion.

These must be contemporary with the many dayes already mentioned, so that, where those, there these also are to be fixed.

Gog with all thy numbers.

The Land of the Iews, who were under this character in the Maccabees time, and will be under the same in these latter dayes▪ a people of God recovered from slavery, and captivity, into which the sword of their Enemy brought them, but God had now gathered out of the Countreys.

If it refer to Gog, 'twas against the Mountains, but, if it doth, as it may, refer to the people gathered, it should be to, not against the mountains.

Either designed to desolation by the rage, and malice of Enemies, or else because so long waste that it is beyond the memory of many living, 'twas 400 years and upwards from this prophecy to Antiochus Epiphanes Death, if he were Gog, but if the Ten Tribes, gathered to the two, and made one Kingdom, be this people, and the wasted Mountains refer to them, they may well be called Mountains alwaies waste; for 'tis already 2400 years since the Ten Tribes were carryed away by Salmanezer.

The Land of Canaan, i. e. the people of it, Land being, as often before, put for People.

Among whom they were scattered, of which Nations, though we can give account of them, to whom the Two Tribes were in Captivity, we cannot so of them, to whom the Ten Tribes are to this day Servants, but if this prediction do as much concern them, as some confidently believe, these dry bones shall revive, and come together.

This began at least to be fulfilled, when, for some 380 years after their return, they lived tolerably quiet, afterwards Antiochus vext them, and did them much damage, what remains of longer, and fuller quiet, and prosperity after the slaying of Gog, time will discover to the people of God, whose lot 'twill be to stand up in those dayes.

9 Thou shalt ascend and come up like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands , and many people with thee.

Sometimes such phrase declares duty, and is preceptive, but here it declares the event, and is predictive, Gog wi[illegible: 1 letter]l, tho' he should not.

The Hebrew might be read thus, Thou shalt ascend as a storm, thou shalt come as a cloud. This storm is violent with confused tumultuous noises, and with devastation, as the word implieth; and come, as a Cloud that is, as dark, as large, and as inevitable, and which continueth the violent waving storm.

Gog, and his bands shall be a storm, that over-spreads the whole Land.

Troops, or Wings.

Many in number, great in courage, and strength.

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.

That the people are gathered together, setling in peace, before they have secured themselves, much like the Dragon waiting on the Child-bearing woman with purpose to devour her Child.

Projects or designs for mischief, as appears ver. 11.

And these mischievous thoughts thou shalt so manage, as to forecast how they may, and to set on the execution, till they do take effect. if Antiochus Epiphanes be this Gog, Daniel in chap. 11. ver. 24, 25. foretels the like thing of him against Egypt.

Marginal references: Or, c[illegible: 2 letters]ceive a [illegible: 2 letters]schievous pur [illegible: 3 letters]e.

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.

Thou wilt resolve in thy self, and declare it to thy Counsel.

Invade with all thy puissance.

Weak, and without any considerable defences, a scattered people that dwell in Villages, can make little, if any resistance.

Who would willingly be quiet.

Suspecting as little evil from others, as they intend little against others, and trusting in the protection of their God, who hath promised they shall dwell safely.

That may resist, and be too strong for my Forces, and Engines, though they have Walls, Bars, and Gates, yet Gog accounts as none against his mighty Armies.

Marginal references: Jer. 49.31.; Or, confidently.

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 cattel and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.

The Scythians, and those other Nations in this Army, were from their original a violent, unjust, and thievish people, addicted to Robberies, and they now, under this Gog, follow the old trade.

The same repeated.

Either it speaks the ease, with which Gog presumeth he shall do, what he intendeth, or the sad desolation, which he would cause to return upon the Iewes.

Made so by the Babylonians, and continued so, till of late years past.

Newly repeopled, and rebuilt upon their return out of Babylon.

Or which are now by your Husbandry, and diligence getting somewhat of Estate, and Riches, or, as we read it, have gotten; for 'twas to Antiochus Epiphanes time from their return near 350 years, and from the finishing the Walls of Ierusalem by Nehemiah to Antiochus time, 200 years, so that in that time, the Iews might be grown rich enough to be accounted a great prey to him, if he were this Gog, however such the Iews will be thought, when Gog attempts this enterprise.

Marginal references: Heb. to spoil [illegible: 1 word] spoil, and to [illegible: 1 word] the prey.; Heb. navel.

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 cattel and goods, to take a great spoil?

Vid. chap. 27. ver 22. this Sheba was Southward, and contains all of that Coast, which assisted Gog.

Idumaeans, or the most easterly parts of Arabia Deserta, by these are noted the Eastern Nations, that assisted, say some.

The Inhabitants of the Sea Coast Westward, and Magog North. Robbers by Land on three sides, Pirates by Sea on the fourth in a confederacy to spoil the Church of God.

Young men thirsty of blood, but more of spoil flock to Gog, resolved to join, if they may, rob, and spoil for themselves.

This repeated enquiry made by these, I suppose, is not so much to sound the intentions of Gog, as 'tis a capitulation and agreement to come to his assistance, and on condition they might have, possess, and carry away what they sieze, they are for him, and they mention particulars, Silver, Gold, Cattel, Goods, are thus exact, out of foresight what little part they might have without such a compact.

14 Therefore son of man, prophesie, and say unto Gog, thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely , shalt thou not know it ?

Vid. ver. 8. let. c.

Vid. ver. 11. and chap. 34. ver. 25.

Thou wilt be informed how weak, yet how rich, how easie 'tis to make them a pr[illegible: 1 letter]y, and thou'lt believe, and try it.

15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts , thou and many people with thee, all of them riding on horses, a great company, and a mighty army.

Vid. ver. 9. let. m.

Out of thine own Land.

From Scythia, from the Euxine and Caspian Seas, and Countreys thereabouts.

The Leader, and chieftain.

Mighty and numerous, as ver. 6. and ver. 9. let. q.

Ver. 4. let. l.

Ver. 9. let. q.

16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land: it shall be in the latter dayes, 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.

See ver. 8. let. c.

See ver. 4. let. i.

Gog gathers all from all quarters to be with him to take the spoil, God brings them together to do that among them, which may make the Heathen see, and own his hand. They do it in proud contempt of God and his people, but God doth it to glorifie his own Name, and to vindicate his people.

Confessed to be a great God over all, a gracious and faithful God to his people, and a just, though dreadful Enemie, and avenger against the wicked, and proud Tyrants.

In the sight of all the Heathen, that are with Gog in his expedition, and much more in the sight of Gods own wonderfully delivered people.

The first part of the verse, see ver. 9.

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 dayes many years, that I would bring thee against them?

Either by way of contempt from God upon him, and all his preparations, or by way of monition; all these enterprises I foresaw, have spoken of them, and I will as well defeat, as I did foretel them.

'Tis not said 'tis written, though that be true also, but 'twas more spoken of.

In the dayes of those years past, or of their years, in the times, when those Prophets lived.

Not by Prognosticators, or South-sayers, but by true Prophets my servants, whom I sent. Dan. 11. and Zech. 14. now, though they had not foretold this when Ezekiel did, yet when the question shall be askt by the Church, 'twill be so many 100 years past, it may well refer to these two Prophets; beside Isa. 26.20, 21. with chap. 27. ver. 1. Ier. 30.23, 24. Ioel 3.1.15, 16. and Mic. 5.5, 6, are Prophets cited, as those, who s[illegible: 1 letter]ake of this mighty Enemy, and his coming, and from which on understanding reader may soon collect, that this Foe was intended, as well as others, in the places.

Marginal references: Heb. by the hands.

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.

Gog cometh up in fury against Israel, and God's fury, i. e. hot, yet just displeasure, comes up in his face against both the attempt, and the attempters, against Gog, and all his power, who think to find a weak people, but they shall meet with an angry God.

19 For in my jealousie 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.

For my own people, that I may preserve them, and for mine own glory to vindicate that as chap. 39.25. and Zech. 1.14.

Against mine Enemies Gog, and all his herds.

'Tis in Hebr. after the form of an Oath, as chap. 36. ver. 5.

To be sure a very great disturbance, and tumult like an Earthquake, as the word signifies, for such an Army, such threats, such assaults, and sieges will shake Cities, Towns, and Hearts of the stoutest.

Or against the Land of Israel, which for ought I know, will make the sense more obvious, the mighty preparations, and the proud threats of Gog against Israel will make many hearts to quake, as well as foundations of Cities.

20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowles 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.

Here is a lofty strain indeed, giving us the description of the tokens of God's presence against his Enemies, the effects of his displeasure against them are seen on all the Creatures sensible, that their maker is angry, though they know not with whom, or for what: if to be interpreted literally, we shall find some parallels, when our God marcht before Israel through the Red Sea as the waters, so the Fishes saw trembled, and fled. Psal. 77.16, 19. when he breaketh the Cedars, Psal. 29.6. and discovers the Forrests the Birds that make their nests there, shake at his presence and power. When Sinai trembled, Lebanon, and Sirion skipt like a young Unicorn, the creeping things in them no doubt shook, and the Beasts, feeding on them, did no less. Psal. 29.6. But men apprehensive of God's displeasure, and shaken with their own guilt, shall much more shake. But▪ I think, it is a very elegant allusive description of those strange troubles, and consternation of minds in men at that day, and so metaphorically to be understood. Mountains may be great ones, or, possibly, when God comes to judge Gog, he will by his mighty power give the world so great a shake, that shall be preface to his dreadful judgment day.

Marginal references: Hos. 4.3.; Or, towres, or, stai[illegible: 1 letter]e[illegible: 1 letter].

21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains , saith the Lord GOD; every mans sword shall be against his brother.

Summon, and awaken.

My Army, the people of Israel.

Gog, and his powers.

From all parts of the Land, called here Mountains, because 'twas full of Mountains.

As 'twas in Iehoshaphat's time, indeed these swords may be meant by the Sword, God will call for through all, for they ranged all over his mountains.

22 And I will plead against him with pestilence, and with floud, 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.

As Judge, and Avenger, and in most dreadful manner, whether you take the words figuratively or literally, as I slew others, Senacheribs Army by Pestilence, probably this was the Angels Sword, others as Ammon, Moab, Mount Seir with blood by their own swords. The Ammorites with hail-stones, Sodom, and Gomorrah with fire, and brimstone, the Old World with an overthrowing flood. Each single was dreadful, but all meet in the destruction of Gog to make it most terrible, whether these things are Aenigmatical ▪ or literal, I will not determine, but I am sure, they tell us how great the final ruine of the Enemies of God, and his Church shall be.

Marginal references: Psa. 11.6.

23 Thus will I magnify my self, and sanctifie my self, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.

In this most dreadful manner.

Undeniably prove, that I am the mighty, just, faithful, wise, holy, and merciful God toward my people, and that I am the great, just, and terrible one against mine, and my Churches Enemies.

Declare I am holy, and true to my word.

Many Heathen Nations shall see this in the execution of my judgments, and own it to my praise, that I am, and none else is the Lord.

Marginal references: chap. 36.23. and 37.28.

Destruction of Gog with His Great Army of Nations - Ezekiel 38 and 39

Gog, in the land of Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, will invade the restored land of Israel from the far distant northern land by the appointment of God in the last times, and with a powerful army of numerous nations (Eze 38:1-9), with the intention of plundering Israel, now dwelling in security, that the Lord may sanctify Himself upon him before all the world (Eze 38:10-16). But when Gog, of whom earlier prophets have already prophesied, shall fall upon Israel, he is to be destroyed by a wrathful judgment from the Lord, that the nations may know that God is the Lord (Eze 38:17-23). On the mountains of Israel will Gog with all his hosts and nations succumb to the judgment of God (Eze 39:1-8). The inhabitants of the cities of Israel will spend seven years in burning the weapons of the fallen foe, and seven months in burying the corpses in a valley, which will receive its name from this, so as to purify the land (Eze 38:9-16); whilst in the meantime all the birds and wild beasts will satiate themselves with the flesh and blood of the fallen (Eze 38:17-20). By this judgment will all the nations as well as Israel know that it was on account of its sins that the Lord formerly gave up Israel into the power of the heathen, but that now He will no more forsake His redeemed people, because He has poured out His Spirit upon it (Eze 38:21 -29).

Introduction

Preparation of Gog and his army for the invasion of the restored land of Israel. - Eze 38:1. And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Eze 38:2. Son of man, set thy face toward Gog in the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, Eze 38:3. And say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will deal with thee, Gog, thou prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, Eze 38:4. And will mislead thee, and will put rings in thy jaws, and lead thee out, and all thine army, horses, and riders, all clothed in perfect beauty, a great assembly, with buckler and shield, all wielding swords; Eze 38:5. Persian, Ethiopian, and Libyan with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Eze 38:6. Gomer and all his hosts, the house of Togarmah in the uttermost north with all his hosts; many peoples with thee. Eze 38:7. Be prepared and make ready, thou and all thine assembly, who have assembled together to thee, and be thou their guard. Eze 38:8. After many days shalt thou be visited, at the end of the years shalt thou come into the land, which is brought back from the sword, gathered out of many peoples, upon the mountains of Israel, which were constantly laid waste, but now it is brought out of the nations, and they dwell together in safety; Eze 38:9. And thou shalt come up, come like a storm, like a cloud to cover the land, thou and all thy hosts and many peoples with thee. - Eze 38:1 and Eze 38:2. Command to prophesy against God. גּוג, Gog, the name of the prince against whom the prophecy is directed, is probably a name which Ezekiel has arbitrarily formed from the name of the country, Magog; although Gog does occur in 1Ch 5:4 as the name of a Reubenite, of whom nothing further is known. The construction גּוג ארץ מגוג, Gog of the land of Magog, is an abbreviated expression for “Gog from the land of Magog;” and 'ארץ מג is not to be taken in connection with שׂים פּניך, as the local object (“toward Gog, to the land of Magog”), as Ewald and Hävernick would render it; since it would be very difficult in that case to explain the fact that גּוג is afterwards resumed in the apposition 'נשׂיא וגו. מגוג, Magog, is the name of a people mentioned in Gen 10:2 as descended from Japhet, according to the early Jewish and traditional explanation, the great Scythian people; and here also it is the name of a people, and is written with the article (המגוג), to mark the people as one well known from the time of Genesis, and therefore properly the land of the Magog (-people). Gog is still further described as the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. It is true that Ewald follows Aquila, the Targum, and Jerome, and connects ראשׁ with נשׂיא as an appellative in the sense of princeps capitis, chief prince. But the argument used in support of this explanation, namely, that there is no people of the name of Rosh mentioned either in the Old Testament or by Josephus, is a very weak one; whilst, on the other hand, the appellative rendering, though possible, no doubt, after the analogy of הכּהן ראשׁ in 1Ch 27:5, is by no means probable, for the simple reason that the נשׂיא occurs again in Eze 38:3 and Eze 39:1, and in such repetitions circumstantial titles are generally abbreviated. The Byzantine and Arabic writers frequently mention a people called  ̔Ρῶς, Arab. Ru=s, dwelling in the country of the Taurus, and reckoned among the Scythian tribes (for the passages, see Ges. Thesaurus, p. 1253), so that there is no reason to question the existence of a people known by the name of Rosh; even though the attempt of Bochart to find a trace of such a people in the  ̔Ρωξαλᾶνοι (Ptol. iii. 5) and Roxalani (Plin. h. n. iv. 12), by explaining this name as formed from a combination of Rhos (Rhox) and Alani, is just as doubtful as the conjecture, founded upon the investigations of Frähn (Ibn Foszlan, u. a. Araber Berichte über die Russen älterer Zeit, St. Petersburg 1823), that the name of the Russians is connected with this  ̔Ρῶς, Arab. ru=s, and our ראשׁ. Meshech and Tubal (as in Eze 27:13 and Eze 32:26), the Moschi and Tibareni of classical writers (see the comm. on Gen 10:2), dwelt, according to the passage before us, in the neighbourhood of Magog. There were also found in the army of Gog, according to Eze 38:5, Pharas (Persians), Cush, and Phut (Ethiopians and Libyans, see the comm. on Eze 30:5 and Eze 27:10), and, according to Eze 38:6, Gomer and the house of Togarmah. From a comparison of this list with Gen 10:2, Kliefoth draws the conclusion that Ezekiel omits all the peoples mentioned in Gen 10:2 as belonging to the family of Japhet, who had come into historical notice in his time, or have done so since, namely, the Medes, Greeks, and Thracians; whilst, on the other hand, he mentions all the peoples enumerated, who have never yet appeared upon the stage of history. But this remark is out of place, for the simple reason that Ezekiel also omits the Japhetic tribes of Ashkenaz and Riphath (Gen 10:3), and still more from the fact that he notices not only the פּרס, or Persians, who were probably related to the מדי, but also the Hamitic peoples Cush and Phut, two African families. Consequently the army of Gog consisted not only of wild Japhetic tribes, who had not yet attained historical importance, but of Hamitic tribes also, that is to say, of peoples living at the extreme north (ירכּתי צפון, Eze 38:6) and east (Persians) and south (Ethiopians), i.e., on the borders of the then known world. These are all summoned by Gog, and gathered together for an attack upon the people of God. This points to a time when their former foes, Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistines, and Syrians, and the old imperial powers, Egypt, Asshur, Babel, Javan, will all have passed away from the stage of history, and the people of God will stand in the centre of the historical life of the world, and will have spread so widely over the earth, that its foes will only be found on the borders of the civilised world (compare Rev 20:8).

Eze 38:3-9 contain in general terms the determinate counsel of God concerning Gog. - Eze 38:3-6. Jehovah is about to mislead Gog to a crusade against His people Israel, and summons him to prepare for the invasion of the restored land of Israel. The announcement of the purpose for which Jehovah will make use of Gog and his army, and the summons addressed to him to make ready, form two strophes, which are clearly marked by the similarity of the conclusion in Eze 38:6 and Eze 38:9. - Eze 38:3. God will deal with Gog, to sanctify Himself upon him by means of judgment (cf. Eze 38:10). He therefore misleads him to an attack upon the people of Israel. שׁובב, an intensive form from שׁוּב, may signify, as vox media, to cause to return (Eze 39:27), and to cause to turn away, to lead away from the right road or goal, to lead astray (Isa 47:10). Here and in Eze 39:2 it means to lead or bring away from his previous attitude, i.e., to mislead or seduce, in the sense of enticing to a dangerous enterprise; according to which the Chaldee has rendered it correctly, so far as the actual sense is concerned, אשׁדלנּך, alliciam te. In the words, “I place rings in thy jaws” (cf. Eze 29:4), Gog is represented as an unmanageable beast, which is compelled to follow its leader (cf. Isa 37:29); and the thought is thereby expressed, that Gog is compelled to obey the power of God against his will. הוציא, to lead him away from his land, or natural soil. The passage in Rev 20:8, “to deceive the nations (πλανῆσαι τὰ ἔθνη), Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle,” corresponds to these words so far as the material sense is concerned; with this exception, that Satan is mentioned as the seducer of the nations in the Apocalypse, whereas Ezekiel gives prominence to the leading of God, which controls the manifestations even of evil, “so that these two passages stand in the same relation to one another as 2Sa 24:1 and 1Ch 21:1” (Häv.). In Eze 38:4-6 the army is depicted as one splendidly equipped and very numerous. For לבשׁי מכלול, see the comm. on Eze 23:12, where the Assyrian satraps are so described. קהל , as in Eze 17:17. The words buckler and shield are loosely appended in the heat of the discourse, without any logical subordination to what precedes. Besides the defensive arms, the greater and smaller shield, they carried swords as weapons of offence. In the case of the nations in Eze 38:5, only the shield and helmet are mentioned as their equipment, for the sake of variation, as in Eze 27:10; and in Eze 38:6 two other nations of the extreme north with their hosts are added. Gomer: the Cimmerians; and the house of Togarmah: the Armenians (see the comm. on Eze 27:14). For אגפּים, see the comm. on Eze 12:14. The description is finally rounded off with עמּים רבּים . In Eze 38:7, the infin. abs. Niphal הכּון, which occurs nowhere else except in Amo 4:12, is used emphatically in the place of the imperative. The repetition of the same verb, though in the imperative Hiphil, equip, i.e., make ready, sc. everything necessary (cf. Eze 7:14), also serves to strengthen the thought. Be thou to them למשׁמר, for heed, or watch, i.e., as abstr. pro concr., one who gives heed to them, keeps watch over them (cf. Job 7:12 and Neh 4:3, Neh 4:16), in actual fact their leader.

Eze 38:8 and Eze 38:9 indicate for what Gog was to hold himself ready. The first clause reminds so strongly of מרוב ימים in Isa 24:22, that the play upon this passage cannot possibly be mistaken; so that Ezekiel uses the words in the same sense as Isaiah, though Hävernick is wrong in supposing that הפּקד is used in the sense of being missed or wanting, i.e., of perishing. The word never has the latter meaning; and to be missed does not suit the context either here or in Isaiah, where יפּקד means to be visited, i.e., brought to punishment. And here also this meaning, visitari (Vulg.), is to be retained, and that in the sense of a penal visitation. The objection raised, namely, that there is no reference to punishment here, but that this is first mentioned in Eze 38:16 or 18, loses all its force if we bear in mind that visiting is a more general idea than punishing; and the visitation consisted in the fact of God’s leading Gog to invade the land of Israel, that He might sanctify Himself upon him by judgment. This might very fittingly be here announced, and it also applies to the parallel clause which follows: thou wilt come into the land, etc., with which the explanation commences of the way in which God would visit him. The only other meaning which could also answer to the parallelism of the clauses, viz., to be commanded, to receive command (Hitzig and Kliefoth), is neither sustained by the usage of the language, nor in accordance with the context. In the passages quoted in support of this, viz., Neh 7:1 and Neh 12:44, נפקד merely signifies to be charged with the oversight of a thing; and it never means only to receive command to do anything. Moreover, Gog has already been appointed leader of the army in v.7, and therefore is not “to be placed in the supreme command” for the first time after many days. מיּמים רבּים, after many days, i.e., after a long time (cf. Jos 23:1), is not indeed equivalent in itself to בּאחרית השּׁנים, but signifies merely the lapse of a lengthened period; yet this is defined here as occurring in the אחרית השּׁנים. - אחרית השּׁנים, equivalent to אחרית היּמים (Eze 38:16), is the end of days, the last time, not the future generally, but the final future, the Messianic time of the completing of the kingdom of God (see the comm. on Gen 49:1). This meaning is also applicable here. For Gog is to come up to the mountains of Israel, which have been laid waste תּמיד, continually, i.e., for a long time, but are now inhabited again. Although, for example, תּמיד signifies a period of time relatively long, it evidently indicates a longer period than the seventy or fifty years’ desolation of the land during the Babylonian captivity; more especially if we take it in connection with the preceding ad following statements, to the effect that Gog will come into the land, which has been brought back from the sword and gathered out of many peoples. These predicates show that in ארץ the idea of the population of the land is the predominant one; for this alone could be gathered out of many nations, and also brought back from the sword, i.e., not from the consequences of the calamity of war, viz., exile (Rosenmüller), but restored from being slain and exiled by the sword of the enemy. משׁובבת, passive participle of the Pilel שׁובב, to restore (cf. Isa 58:12); not turned away from the sword, i.e., in no expectation of war (Hitzig), which does not answer to the parallel clause, and cannot be sustained by Mic 2:8. מעמּים , gathered out of many peoples, points also beyond the Babylonian captivity to the dispersion of Israel in all the world, which did not take place till the second destruction of Jerusalem, and shows that תּמיד denotes a much longer devastation of the land than the Chaldean devastation was. והיא introduces a circumstantial clause; and היא points back to ארץ, i.e., to the inhabitants of the land. These are now brought out of the nations, i.e., at the time when Gog invades the land, and are dwelling in their own land upon the mountains of Israel in untroubled security. עלה signifies the advance of an enemy, as in Isa 7:1, etc. שׁואה, a tempest, as in Pro 1:27, from שׁאה, to roar. The comparison to a cloud is limited to the covering; but this does not alter the signification of the cloud as a figurative representation of severe calamity.

Eze 38:10-16

Account of the motive by which Gog was induced to undertake his warlike expedition, and incurred guilt, notwithstanding the fact that he was led by God, and in consequence of which he brought upon himself the judgment of destruction that was about to fall upon him. - Eze 38:10. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, It shall come to pass in that day, that things will come up in thy heart, and thou wilt devise an evil design, Eze 38:11. And say, I will go up into the open country, I will come upon the peaceful ones, who are all dwelling in safety, who dwell without walls, and have not bars and gates, Eze 38:12. To take plunder and to gather spoil, to bring back thy hand against the ruins that are inhabited again, and against a people gathered out of the nations, carrying on trade and commerce, who dwell on the navel of the earth. Eze 38:13. Sabaea and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, and all her young lions, will say to thee, Dost thou come to take plunder? Hast thou gathered thy multitude of people to take spoil? Is it to carry away gold and silver, to take possession and gain, to plunder a great spoil? Eze 38:14. Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Is it not so? On that day, when my people Israel dwelleth in security, thou wilt observe it, Eze 38:15. And come from thy place from the extreme north, thou and many peoples with thee, all riding upon horses, a great crowd and a numerous army, Eze 38:16. And wilt march against my people Israel, to cover the land like a cloud; at the end of the days it will take place; then shall I lead thee against my land, that the nations may know me, when I sanctify myself upon thee before their eyes, O Gog. - In Eze 38:10 דּברים are not words, but things which come into his mind. What things these are, we learn from Eze 38:11 and Eze 38:12; but first of all, these things are described as evil thoughts or designs. Gog resolves to fall upon Israel, now living in peace and security, and dwelling in open unfortified places, and to rob and plunder it. ארץ , literally, land of plains, i.e., a land which has no fortified towns, but only places lying quite exposed (see the comm. on Zec 2:8); because its inhabitants are living in undisturbed peace and safe repose, and therefore dwell in places that have no walls with gates and bars (cf. Jdg 18:7; Jer 49:31). This description of Israel’s mode of life also points beyond the times succeeding the Babylonian captivity to the Messianic days, when the Lord will have destroyed the horses and war-chariots and fortresses (Mic 5:9), and Jerusalem will be inhabited as an open country because of the multitude of the men and cattle, and the Lord will be a wall of fire round about her (Zec 2:8-9). For Eze 38:12, compare Isa 10:6. להשׁיב ידך is not dependent upon אעלה, like the preceding infinitives, but is subordinate to אמרתּ אעלה וגו: “thou sayest, I will go up...to turn thy hand.” השׁיב, to bring back, is to be explained from the fact that the heathen had already at an earlier period turned their hand against the towns of Israel, and plundered their possessions and goods. חרבות נושׁבות in this connection are desolate places which are inhabited again, and therefore have been rebuilt (cf. Eze 12:20; Eze 26:19). מקנה and קנין are synonyms; and מקנה does not mean flocks or herds, but gain, possession (cf. Gen 36:6; Gen 31:18; Gen 34:23). One motive of Gog for making the attack was to be found in the possessions of Israel; a second is given in the words: who dwell upon the navel of the earth. This figurative expression is to be explained from Eze 5:5 : “Jerusalem in the midst of the nations.” This navel is not a figure denoting the high land, but signifies the land situated in the middle of the earth, and therefore the land most glorious and most richly blessed; so that they who dwell there occupy the most exalted position among the nations. A covetous desire for the possessions of the people of God, and envy at his exalted position in the centre of the world, are therefore the motives by which Gog is impelled to enter upon his predatory expedition against the people living in the depth of peace. This covetousness is so great, that even the rich trading populations of Sabaea, Dedan, and Tarshish (cf. Eze 27:22, Eze 27:20, and Eze 27:12) perceive it, and declare that it is this alone which has determined Gog to undertake his expedition. The words of these peoples (Eze 38:13) are not to be taken as expressing their sympathies (Kliefoth), but serve to give prominence to the obvious thirst for booty which characterizes the multitude led by Gog. כּפיריה, their young lions, are the rapacious rulers of these trading communities, according to Eze 19:3 and Eze 32:2. - Eze 38:14 introduces the announcement of the punishment, which consists of another summary account of the daring enterprise of Gog and his hosts (cf. Eze 38:14, Eze 38:15, and Eze 38:16 with Eze 38:4-9), and a clear statement of the design of God in leading him against His people and land. תּדע (Eze 38:14, close), of which different renderings have been given, does not mean, thou wilt experience, or be aware of, the punishment; but the object is to be taken from the context: thou wilt know, or perceive, sc. that Israel dwells securely, not expecting any hostile invasion. The rendering of the lxx (ἐγερθήσῃ) does not furnish any satisfactory ground for altering תּדע into תער = תּעור (Ewald, Hitzig). With the words 'והביאותיך וגו (Eze 38:16) the opening thought of the whole picture (Eze 38:4) is resumed and defined with greater precision, for the purpose of attaching to it the declaration of the design of the Lord in bringing Gog, namely, to sanctify Himself upon him before the eyes of the nations (cf. Eze 38:23 and Eze 36:23).

Eze 38:17-23

Announcement of the Wrathful Judgment upon Gog, as a Proof of the Holiness of the Lord

Eze 38:17. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Art thou he of whom I spoke in the former days through my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days, that I would bring thee over them? Eze 38:18. And it cometh to pass in that day, in the day when Gog cometh into the land of Israel, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah, that my wrath will ascend into my nose. Eze 38:19. And in my jealousy, in the fire of my anger, have I spoken, Truly in that day will a great trembling come over the land of Israel; Eze 38:20. The fishes of the sea, and the birds of heaven, and the beasts of the field, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the ground, and all the men that are upon the ground, will tremble before me; and the mountains will be destroyed, and the rocky heights fall, and every wall will fall to the ground. Eze 38:21. I will call the sword against him to all my holy mountains, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah: the sword of the one will be against the other. Eze 38:22. And I will strive with him by pestilence and by blood, and overflowing rain-torrents and hailstones; fire and brimstone will I rain upon him and all his hosts, and upon the many peoples that are with him; Eze 38:23. And will prove myself great and holy, and will make myself known before the eyes of many nations, that they may know that I am Jehovah. - The announcement of the way in which the Lord will sanctify Himself upon Gog (Eze 38:16) commences with the statement in Eze 38:17, that Gog is he of whom God has already spoken by the earlier prophets. This assertion is clothed in the form of a question: האתּה, not הלא אתּה, which is the interrogative form used for an emphatic assurance; whereas האתּה does not set down the point in question as indisputably certain, but suggests the inquiry for the purpose of giving a definite answer. The affirmative reply to the question asked is contained in the last clause of the verse: “to bring thee upon them;” so that האתּה הוּא really means, thou art truly he. The statement, that Gog is he of whom God had already spoken by the earlier prophets, does not mean that those prophets had actually mentioned Gog, but simply that Gog was the enemy of whose rising up against the people of God the prophets of the former time had prophesied, as well as of his destruction by a wrathful judgment of the Lord. שׁנים (for years, or years long) is an accusative of measure, not asyndeton to baבּיּמים, as the lxx and many of the commentators down to Hävernick have taken it to be. The design of this remark is not to accredit the prophecy by referring to the utterances of earlier prophets, but to show that the attack of the peoples gathered together by Gog, upon the land and people of the Lord, is not an unexpected event, or one at variance with the promise of the restoration of Israel as a kingdom of peace. To what utterances of the older prophets these words refer is a question difficult to answer. Zechariah (Zec 12:2-3; Zec 14:2-3) is of course not to be thought of, as Zechariah himself did not prophesy till after the captivity, and therefore not till after Ezekiel. But we may recall Joel 4:2 and 11ff.; Isa 25:5, Isa 25:10., Eze 26:21; Jer 30:23 and 25; and, in fact, all the earlier prophets who prophesied of Jehovah’s day of judgment upon all the heathen.Aug. Kueper (Jeremias librr. sacrr., interpr. atque vindex, p. 82) has correctly observed concerning this verse, that “it is evident enough that there is no reference here to prophecies concerning Gog and Magog, which have been lost; but those general prophecies, which are met with on every hand directed against the enemies of the church, are here referred to Gog.” And before him, J. F. Starck had already said: “In my opinion, we are to understand all those passages in the prophets which treat of the enemies of the church and its persecutions...these afflictions were preludes and shadows of the bloody persecution of Gog.”

Eze 38:18 and Eze 38:19 do not contain words which Jehovah spoke through the ancient prophets, and which Ezekiel now transfers to Gog and the time of his appearing (Hitzig and Kliefoth). The perfect דּבּרתּי in Eze 38:19 by no means warrants such an assumption; for this is purely prophetic, expressing the certainty of the divine determination as a thing clearly proved. Still less can 'נאם אד in Eze 38:18 be taken as a preterite, as Kliefoth supposes; nor can Eze 38:18 and Eze 38:19 be regarded as a thing long predicted, and so be separated from Eze 38:20-23 as a word of God which is now for the first time uttered. For the anthropopathetic expression, “my wrath ascends in my nose,” compare Psa 18:9, “smoke ascends in His nose.” The outburst of wrath shows itself in the vehement breath which the wrathful man inhales and exhales through his nose (see the comm. on the Psalm, l.c.). The bursting out of the wrath of God is literally explained in Eze 38:19. In the jealousy of His wrath God has spoken, i.e., determined, to inflict a great trembling upon the land of Israel. בּקנאתי (cf. Eze 5:13) is strengthened by בּאשׁ עברתי (cf. Ezekiel 21:36; Eze 22:21). The trembling which will come upon the land of Israel, so that all creatures in the sea, in the air, and upon the ground, tremble before Jehovah (מפּני), who appears to judgment, will rise in nature into an actual earthquake, which overthrows mountains, hills, and walls. מדרגות are steep heights, which can only be ascended by steps (Sol 2:14). This picture of the trembling of the whole world, with all the creatures, before the Lord who is coming to judgment, both here and in Joel 4:16, Zec 14:4-5, rests upon the fact which actually occurred in connection with the revelation of God upon Sinai, when the whole mountain was made to quake (Exo 19:16.). The inhabitants of the land of Israel tremble at the terrible phenomena attending the revelation of the wrath of God, although the wrathful judgment does not apply to them, but to their enemies, Gog and his hosts. The Lord calls the sword against Gog, that his hosts may wound and slay one another. This feature of the destruction of the enemy by wounds inflicted by itself, which we meet with again in Zec 14:13, has its typical exemplar in the defeat of the Midianites in the time of Gideon (Jdg 7:22), and also in that of the enemy invading Judah in the reign of Jehoshaphat (2Ch 20:23). In לכל־הרי the ל is not distributive, but indicates the direction: “to all my mountains.” The overthrow of the enemy is intensified by marvellous plagues inflicted by God - pestilence and blood (cf. Eze 28:23), torrents of rain and hailstones (cf. Eze 13:11), and the raining of fire and brimstone upon Gog, as formerly upon Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:24). - Thus will Jehovah prove Himself to be the almighty God by judgment upon His enemies, and sanctify Himself before all the nations (Eze 38:23, compare Eze 38:16 and Eze 36:23).

The Judgment of Gog and Magog. (b. c. 585.)

1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God ; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 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: 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. 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. 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. 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. 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: 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, 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. 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?

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. lxxvi. 10. Let us observe here,

I. The confusion which God designed to put this enemy to. It is remarkable that this is put first in the prophecy; before it is foretold that God will bring him forth against Israel, it is foretold that God will put hooks into his jaws and turn him back (v. 4), that they might have assurance of their deliverance before they had the prospect given them of their danger. Thus tender is God of the comfort of his people, thus careful that they may not be frightened; even before the trouble begins he tells them it will end well.

II. The undertaking which he designed to engage him in, in order to this defeat and disappointment. 1. The nations that shall be confederate in this enterprise against Israel are many, and great, and mighty (v. 5, 6), Persia, Ethiopia, &c. Antiochus had an army made up of all the nations here named, and many others. These people had been at variance with one another, and yet in combination against Israel. How are those increased that trouble God's people! 2. They are well furnished with arms and ammunition, and bring a good train of artillery into the field—horses and horsemen (v. 4) bravely equipped with all sorts of armour, bucklers and shields for defence, and all handling swords for offence. Orders are given to make all imaginable preparation for this expedition (v. 7): "Be thou prepared, and do thou prepare. See what warlike preparations thou hast already in store, and, lest that should not suffice, make further preparation, thou and all thy company," Let Gog himself be a guard to the rest of the confederates. As commander-in-chief, let him engage to take care of them and their safety; let him pass his word for their security, and take them under his particular protection. The leaders of an army, instead of exposing their soldiers needlessly and presumptuously, and throwing away their lives upon desperate undertakings, should study to be a guard to them, and, whenever they send them forth in danger, should contrive to support and cover them. This call to prepare seems to be ironical—Do thy worst, but I will turn thee back; like that Isa. viii. 9. Gird yourselves, and you shall be broken in pieces. 3. Their design is against the mountains of Israel (v. 8), against the land that is brought back from the sword. It is not long since it was harassed with the sword of war, and it has been always wasted, more or less, with one judgment or other; it is but newly gathered out of many people, and brought forth out of the nations; it has enjoyed comparatively but a short breathing-time, has scarcely recovered any strength since it was brought down by war and captivity; and therefore its neighbours need not fear its being too great, nay, and therefore it is very barbarous to pick a quarrel with it so soon. It is a people that dwell safely, all of them, in unwalled villages, very secure, and having neither bars nor gates, v. 11. It is a certain sign that they intend no mischief to their neighbours, for they fear no mischief from them. It cannot be thought that those will offend others who do not take care to defend themselves; and this aggravates the sin of these invaders. It is base and barbarous to devise evil against thy neighbour while he dwells securely by thee, and has no distrust of thee, Prov. iii. 29. But see here how the clouds return after the rain in this world, and what little reason we have ever to be secure till we come to heaven. It is not long since Israel was brought back from the sword of one enemy, and behold the sword of another is drawn against it. Former troubles will not excuse us from further troubles; but when we think we have put off the harness, at least for some time, by a fresh and sudden alarm we may be called to gird it on again; and therefore we must never boast nor be off our guard. 4. That which the enemy has in view, in forming this project, is to enrich himself and to make himself master, not of the country, but of the wealth of it, to spoil and plunder it, and make a prey of it: At the same time that God intends to bring this matter about things shall come into the mind of this enemy, and he shall think an evil thought, v. 10. Note, All the mischief men do, and particularly the mischief they do to the church of God, arises from evil thoughts that come into their mind, ambitious thoughts, covetous thoughts, spiteful thoughts against those that are good, for the sake of their goodness. It came into Antiochus's mind what a singular people these religious Jews were, and how their worship witnessed against and condemned the idolatries of their neighbours, and therefore, in enmity to their religion, he would plague them. It came into his mind what a wealthy people they were, that they had gotten cattle and goods in the midst of the land (v. 12), and withal how weak they were, how unable to make any resistance, how easy it would be to carry off what they had, and how much glory this rapine would add to his victorious sword; these things coming into his mind, and one evil thought drawing on another, he came at last to this resolve (v. 11, 12): "I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; yea, that I will; it will cost me nothing to make them all my own. I will go and disturb those that are at rest, without giving them any notice, not to crush their growing greatness, or chastise their insolence, or make reprisals upon them for any wrong they have done us (they had none of these pretences to make war upon them), but purely to take a spoil and to take a prey" (v. 12), in open defiance to all the laws of justice and equity, as much as the highwayman's killing the traveller that he may take his money. These were the thoughts that came into the mind of this wicked prince, and God knew them; nay, he knew them before they came into his mind, for he understands our thoughts afar off, Ps. cxxxix. 2. 5. According to the project thus formed he pours in all his forces upon the land of Israel, and finds those that are ready to come in to his assistance with the same prospects (v. 9): "Thou shalt ascent and come like a storm, with all the force, and fury, and fierceness imaginable, and thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, to darken it, and to threaten it, thou and not only all thy bands, all the force thou canst bring into the field, but many people with thee" (such as are spoken of v. 13), "Sheba and Dedan, the Arabians and the Edomites, and the merchants of Tarshish, of Tyre and Sidon and other maritime cities, they and their young lions that are greedy of spoil and live upon it, shall say, Hast thou come to take the spoil of this land?" Yes he has; and therefore they wish him success. Or perhaps they envy him, or grudge it to him. "Hast thou come for riches who art thyself so rich already?" Or, knowing that God was on Israel's side, they thus ridicule his attempts, foreseeing that they would be baffled and that he would be disappointed of the prey he promised himself. Or, if he come to take the prey, they will come and join with him, and add to his forces. When Lysias, who was general of Antiochus's army, came against the Jews, the neighbouring nations joined with him (1 Mac. iii. 41), to share in the guilt, in hopes to share in the prey. When thou sawest a thief then thou consentedst with him.

The Judgment of Gog and Magog. (b. c. 585.)

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? 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: 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. 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? 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. 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; 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. 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. 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. 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 .

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.

I. It is here again foretold that this spiteful enemy should make a formidable descent upon the land of Israel (v. 15): "Thou shalt come out of the north parts (Syria lay on the north of Canaan) with a mighty army, shalt come like a cloud, and cover the land of my people Israel," v. 16. These words (v. 14), When my people Israel dwell safely, shalt thou not know it? may be taken two ways:—1. As intimating his inducements to this attempt. "Thou shalt have intelligence brought thee how securely, and therefore how carelessly, the people of Israel dwell, which shall give rise to thy project against them; for when thou knowest not only what a rich, but what an easy prey they are likely to be, thou wilt soon determine to fall upon them." Note, God's providence is to be acknowledged in the occasion, the small occasion perhaps, that is given, and that not designedly neither, to those first thoughts from which great enterprises take their original. God, to bring about his own purposes, lets men know that which yet he knows they will make a bad use of, as here. Or, 2. As intimating his disappointment in this attempt, which here, as before, the prophecy begins with: "When my people Israel dwell safely, not in their own apprehension only, but in reality, forasmuch as they dwell safely under the divine protection, shalt not thou be made to know it by the fruitlessness of thy endeavours to destroy them?" Thou shalt soon find that there is no enchantment against Jacob, that no weapon formed against them shall prosper; thou shalt know to thy cost, shalt know to thy shame, that though they have no walls, nor bars, nor gates, they have God himself, a wall of fire, round about them, and that he who touches them touches the apple of his eye; whosoever meddles with them meddles to his own hurt. And it is for the demonstrating of this to all the world that God will bring this mighty enemy against his people. Those that gathered themselves against Israel said, Let us take the spoil and take they prey, but they knew not the thoughts of the Lord, Mic. iv. 11, 12. I will bring thee against my land. This is strange news, that God will not only permit his enemies to come against his own children, but will himself bring them; but, if we understand what he aims at, we shall be well reconciled even to this: it is "that the heathen may know me to be the only living and true God when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog! that is, in thy defeat and destruction before their eyes, that all the nations may see, and say, There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, that rides on the heavens for the help of his people." Note, God brings his people into danger and distress that he may have the honour of bringing about their deliverance, and suffers the enemies of his church to prevail awhile, though they profane his name by their sin, that he may have the honour of prevailing at last and sanctifying his own name in their ruin. Now it is said, This shall be in the latter days, namely, in the latter days of the Old-Testament church; so the mischief that Antiochus did to Israel was; but in the latter days of the New-Testament church another like enemy should arise, that should in like manner be defeated. Note, Effectual securities are treasured up in the word of God against the troubles and dangers the church may be brought into a great while hence, even in the latter days.

II. Reference is herein had to the predictions of the former prophets (v. 17): Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time, of whom Moses spoke in his prophecy of the latter days (Deut. xxxii. 43, He will render vengeance to his adversaries), and David, Ps. ix. 15 (The heathen are sunk down into the pit that they made) and often elsewhere in the Psalms? This is the leviathan of whom Isaiah spoke (Isa. xxvii. 1), that congress of the nations of which Joel spoke, Joel iii. 1. Many of the prophets had perhaps spoken particularly of this event, though it be not written, as they all had spoken and written too that which is applicable to it. Note, There is an amiable admirable harmony and agreement between the Lord's prophets, though they lived in several ages, for they were all guided by one and the same Spirit.

III. It is here foretold that this furious formidable enemy should be utterly cut off in this attempt upon Israel, and that it should issue in his own ruin. This is supposed by many to have its accomplishment in the many defeats given by the Maccabees to the forces of Antiochus and the remarkable judgments of God executed upon his own person, for he died of sore diseases. But these things are here foretold, as usual, in figurative expressions, which we are not to look for the literal accomplishment of, and yet they might be fulfilled nearer the letter than we know of. 1. God will be highly displeased with this bold invader: When he comes up in pride and anger against the land of Israel, and thinks to carry all before him with a high hand, then God's fury shall come up in his face, which is an allusion to the manner of men, whose colour rises in their faces when some high affront is offered them and they are resolved to show their resentment of it, v. 18. God will speak against them in his jealousy for his people and in the fire of his wrath against his and their enemies, v. 19. See how God's permitting sin, his laying occasions of sin before men, and his making use of it to serve his own purposes, consist with his hatred of sin and his displeasure against it. God brings this enemy against his land, letting him know what an easy prey it might be and determining thereby to glorify himself; and yet, when he comes against the land, God's fury comes up, and he speaks to him in the fire of his wrath. If any ask, Why does he thus find fault? for who has resisted his will? It is easy to answer, Nay, but, O man! who art thou that repliest against God? 2. His forces shall be put into the greatest confusion and consternation imaginable (v. 19): There shall be a great shaking of them in the land of Israel, a universal concussion (v. 20), such as shall affect the fishes and fowls, the beasts and creeping things, and much more the men that are upon the face of the earth, who sooner receive impressions of fear. There shall be such an earthquake as shall throw down the mountains, those natural heights, and the steep places, towers and walls, those artificial heights; they shall all fall to the ground. Some understand this of the fright which the land of Israel should be put into by the fury of the enemy. But it is rather to be understood of the fright which the enemy should be put into by the wrath of God; all those things which they both raise themselves and stay themselves upon shall be shaken down, and their hearts shall fail them. 3. He shall be routed and utterly ruined; both earth and heaven shall be armed against him (1.) The earth shall muster up its forces to destroy him. If the people of Israel have not strength and courage to resist him, God will call for a sword against him, v. 21. And he has swords always at command, that are bathed in heaven, Isa. xxxv. 5. Throughout all the mountains of Israel, where he hoped to meet with spoil to enrich him, he shall meet with swords to destroy him, and, rather than fail, every man's sword shall be against his brother, as in the day of Midian, Ps. lxxxiii. 9. The great men of Syria shall undermine and overthrow one another, shall accuse one another, shall fight duels with one another. Note, God can, and often does, make the destroyers of his people to be their own destroyers and the destroyers of one another. However, he will himself be their destroyer, will take the work into his own hand, that it may be done thoroughly (v. 22): I will plead against him with pestilence and blood. Note, Whom God acts against he pleads against; he shows them the ground of his controversy with them, that their mouths may be stopped, and he may be clear when he judges. (2.) The artillery of heaven shall also be drawn out against them: I will rain upon him an overflowing rain, v. 22. He comes like a storm upon Israel, v. 9. But God will come like a storm upon him, will rain upon him great hailstones as upon the Canaanites (Josh. x. 11), fire and brimstone as upon Sodom, and a horrible tempest, Ps. xi. 6. Thus the Gog and Magog in the New Testament shall be devoured with fire from heaven, and cast into the lake of brimstone, Rev. xx. 9, 10. That will be the everlasting portion of all the impenitent implacable enemies of God's church and people. 4. God, in all this, will be glorified. The end he aimed at (v. 16) shall be accomplished (v. 23): Thus will I magnify myself and sanctify myself. Note, In the destruction of sinners God makes it to appear that he is a great and holy God, and he will do so to eternity. And, if men do not magnify and sanctify him as they ought, he will magnify himself, and sanctify himself; and this we should desire and pray for daily, Father, glorify thy own name.

CHAP. XXXVIII.

Ver. 1. AND the Word] This particle And ſheweth the dependance of this diſcourſe upon the former. Gods people ſhall be brought to their own country; The Lord Chriſt alſo ſhall ſit upon the throne of his Father David: But betwixt theſe two great benefits the Church ſhall ſuffer much; and her enemies a great deal more, when once God takes them to do.

Ver. 2. Set thy face againſt Gog] i. e. Againſt thoſe laſt enemies of the Church, before Skiloh come: the Kings of the leſſer Aſia and Syria before his firſt coming (ſee the books of Maccabees) the Pope and Turk before his ſecond coming: See Rev. 20.8. with the Note. Againſt theſe Ezekiel is commanded to ſet his face, that is, to propheſie with utmoſt intention of ſpirit, and contention of ſpeech.

Virtute opus eſt contra Antichriſtum d[illegible: 1 letter] cturo. Polan. The land of Magog] Or, in the land of Magog, which ſome make to be Gogs country, and eſpecially Hierapolis (for which they alledge Pliny lib. 5. cap. 23.) a chief City of Syria. This Hierapolis had its name from the multitude of religious houſes or idol-temples there erected. May not Rome, the Metropolis of idolatry, Ptolom. in quarta Aſiae tabula. be rightly ſo called?

The chief Princes of Meſhec and Tubal] People neighbouring upon the Syrians, and ſubject unto them, great enemies to Iſrael. See on chap. 27.13. In Meſhec or Cappadocia, the Turks began to grow great and formidable. As for Tubal, Hierom and Joſephus among the Ancients; Bellarmine and Gretſerus among the Jeſuites, underſtand it of the Spaniards. R. David and Ahen-ezra take Meſhec for the Italians.

Ver. 3. Behold I am againſt thee O Gog] Ecce ego ad te, Have at thee Gog.

The chief Prince of Meſhec and Tubal] Theſe two are thus conjoyned to ſhew, as ſome think, that Turks and Popelings ſhall at length joyn their forces to root out the true religion: and that whilſt they are tumultuating and indeavouring the Churches downfal, Chriſt ſhall come upon them and confound them. See on Rev. 16.14, 16.Propheta omnia loquitur magn[illegible: 1 letter]ficis verbis per Hyperbolas. The Jews hold that this whole Prophecy ſhall be fulfilled at the coming of their long-looked for Meſſiah: and whilſt they take all things therein according to the letter, they run into many very great errors.

Ver. 4. And I will turn thee back] As he did Antiochus Epimanes by the Jewes: the Turks oft by Hunniades: the Popes forces by the Huſſites in Germany, and lately by the Suedes. It hath been long agoe foretold, and for many ages believed, and by the Turks themſelves not a little feared, that the Mahometan ſuperſtition by the ſword begun, and by the ſword maintained,Turk. Hiſt. 1153. ſhall at length by the Chriſtian ſword alſo be deſtroyed, ſo that the name of Gog and Magog (ſaith the Hiſtorian) ſhall be no more heard of under heaven. A cold ſweat alſo ſtands at this time upon the limbs of the Weſtern Antichriſt, by reaſon of the growing greatneſſe of the Proteſtant Princes.

And put hooks into thy chaws] A Metaphor from thoſe that catch Whales: Confer chap 29.4.

And I will bring thee] But, for an ill bargain.

Ver. 5. Perſia, Ethiopia, and Lybia] A numerous army from all parts. The Church is againſt all the world, and all the world againſt the Church. Hic vir totius orbis impetum ſuſtinuis, ſaid One once, concerning Athanaſius. A ſilly poor maid in the midſt of many fierce and ſavage creatures aſſaulting her every moment, is a true picture of the Church, ſaith Luther.

Ver. 6. Gomer and all his hands] The Cymbrians or Cimmerians, ſaith Melancthon: the Galatians, ſaith Theodoret.

The houſe of Togarmah] The Phrygians, as ſome: the Armenians as others will. Of Antichriſt his great power, See Rev. 9.1. —20. & 20.8. See on ch. 27.14.

Ver. 7. Be thou prepared] Comparator & comparate. Muſter up all thy forces, and ſee to their ſafety. But canſt thou ward of my blows? mote thy ſelf up againſt my fire?

Ver. 8. After many dayes thou ſhalt be viſited] ſc. By mine heavieſt Judgements: for ſhall not God avenge his own Elect? — though he bear long with them. I tell you that he will avenge them ſpeedily, Luke 18.7.8.

In the latter years thou ſhalt come into the land] Antiochus, that little Antichriſt, did, and made havock. It is the opinion of ſome very grave Divines, that the great Antichriſt before his abolition, ſhall once again overflow the whole face of the Weſt: Quod Deus avertat.

Which have been alwaies waſte] i. e. A long while.

Ver. 9. Thou ſhalt aſcend and come like a ſtorm] With great hurry and terror: but it ſhall ſoon blow over.

Thou ſhalt be like a cloud] Sed cito tranſibis.

Ver. 10. Things ſhall come into thy mind] Aſcedent verba ſuper cor tuum, thou ſhalt machinate miſchief: but it ſhall fall on thine one pate. O pray, pray, ſaid a holy man once, Pontifex enim Romanus & Concilium Tridentinum mira moliuntur, for the Pope and his Council of Trent are hatching ſtrange buſineſſes.

Ver. 11. I will go up to the land of unwalled villages] That care not to fortify their towns, but commit themſelves to God, and think to eſcape us: but we ſhall ſoon ſhew them their folly therein. The Hebrews have one and the ſame word for folly and confidence, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Pſal. 49.14. Eccleſ. 7.27. Pſal. 78.7. Job 31.24. See on Job 4.6. But in the fear of the Lord is ſtrong confidence: and his children (though their towns be unwalled) have a place of refuge, Prov. 14.26.

Ver. 12. To take a ſpoil] Heb. to ſpoil the ſpoil, and to prey the prey. The Antichriſtian rout are all for robbing and ravaging. What vaſte ſums of mony raked the Pope once out of England, which was therefore truely and trimly called by Pope Innocent the fourth, hortus deliciarum & puteus inexhauſtus, his delicate garden, and pit that could not be drawn dry.

To turn thine hand] To plunder them to the very bones, as they ſay. Time was when the Popes receivers here left not ſo much money in the whole Kingdom, as they either carried with them, or ſent to Rome before them, Of this Papal expilation King John heavily complained, and could get no remedy: but Henry the eighth would bear it no longer. England is no more a babe (ſaid he in his Proteſtation againſt the Pope:) there is no man here but now he knoweth that they do fooliſhly that give gold for lead,Act. & Mon. 990. more weight of that then they receive of this, &c.

Ver. 13. Sheba and Dedan] The Arabians, who lived by roving and robbing.

With all the young Lions] That lye in wait for gain, as Lions do for prey.

Art thou come to take a prey?] q. d. If thou art, we are ready to ſet in with thee, or to traffique with thee for it. Mahomet came of theſe Arabians: the Pope hath his mony-merchants great ſtore, Rev. 18.

Ver. 14. Prophecy and ſay unto Gog] Say it over again, that it may be the better conſidered, for the ſtrengthening of the hands and hearts of my people.

Shall thou not know it?] ſc. By thine Intelligencers, and wilt thou not think to make thine advantage of it? The Pope hath his Coricaei in every corner of Chriſtendom: The Jeſuites Colledges placed upon the walls of Cities afford them paſſage into the City, or abroad into the world at pleaſure, to give or receive intelligence as occaſion ſerveth.

Ver. 15. Out of the North-parts] Ab Aquilone nihil boni: from ſpiritual Babylon comes all miſchief to the Church.The King of Syria is called King of the North, Dan. 10.

A great company and a mighty army] Such was the army of Antiochus Epiphanes againſt the Jews; of the Turk againſt Chriſtians; of the Pope againſt the Huſſites, Waldenſes, &c. He deceiveth the Nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the ſand of the ſea,De Rom. Pont. lib. 3. cap. 16. & 17. Rev. 20.8. He hath at his command the Italians, Walloons, Spaniards, whom Bellarmine rightly reckoneth among the ſouldiers of Antichriſt.

Ver. 16. And thou ſhalt come up againſt my people] Oh happy they in ſuch a priviledge, maugre all thy malice, Deut. 33.29.

In the latter dayes] Before the coming of the Meſſiah, firſt and ſecond.

And I will bring thee] But for thy bane.

Againſt my land] The earth is the Lords, and the fulneſſe thereof, Pſal. 24.1. but that land where God is ſincerely ſerved, is his peculiar portion. It was ſaid of old Anglia regnum Dei: Polyd. Virg. It is now ſo much more.

When I ſhall be ſanctified in thee] i. e. Glorified in thy juſt and utter deſtruction.

Ver. 17. Art thou he?] Tis ſure enough thou art he: for I cannot be deceived in thee, nor ſhall fail to ſuppreſſe thee.

By my ſervants the Prophets] Enoch, Jude 15. Hoſ. 2. Joel 3. Dan. 11. Zech. 14. Rev. 20.8. 2 Theſſ. 2.

Which propheſied of thee] Though under another name.

Ver. 18. My fury ſhall come up in my face] Though it do not preſently break forth. Ira Dei quò diuturnior, eò minacior.

Poena venit gravior, quò magè tarda venit. God delighteth to make fools of his enemies; he lets them prevail a while, and carry the ball on the foot, as it were, that they may fall with the greater diſappointment.

Ver. 19. For in my jealouſy] God firſt kindleth, and then ſpeaketh, and then ſhaketh the earth. His wrath is like Elijah's cloud; which was at firſt but a ſmal matter to ſee to: or as thunder which we hear at firſt a little roaring noiſe afar off: but ſtay a while, it is a dreadful crack: or as fire that at firſt burneth a little upon a few boards, but when it prevaileth, burſteth out in a moſt terrible flame.

Ver. 20. Shall ſhake at my preſence] And wriggle into their holes; as worms do in time of thunder.

And the mountains ſhall be thrown down] Hyperbolical threats, to ſet forth the dreadfulneſſe of Gods fierce wrath, which burns as low as hell it ſelf.

Ver. 21. And I will call for a ſword] Againſt Antiochus by the Maccabees; againſt the Turk and Pope by the Chriſtian Princes, Hunniades, Scanderbeg, Queen Elizabeth, the late and preſent Kings of Sweden, the Engliſh and French forces in Flanders now before Gravelin, after Dunkirk and Bergen taken from the Spaniard. Certain it is, that ere long the Beaſt and the falſe Prophet ſhall be taken, and all the fouls of the heaven filled with the fleſh of thoſe Kings and Captains, that fight againſt the Goſpel, Rev. 19.19, 20, 21.

Ver. 22. An overflowing rain, and great hail-ſtones] As once at the general deluge, deſtruction of Sodom, diſcomfiture of the Kings of Canaan in Joſhua's dayes, chap. 10.11. Some think that theſe Judgements here threatened ſhall towards the end of the world be executed upon Antichriſt and his adherents, according to the letter: See Rev, 16.21. See the Note there.

Ver. 23. Thus will I magnify my ſelf] This end God propoſeth to himſelf in all his works: and well he may; ſith he hath none higher then himſelf to whom to have reſpect. And let all this that hath been ſaid comfort us againſt the rage and good ſucceſſe (if any ſuch yet be) of the Antichriſtian rout; ſith theſe are but (as he ſaid once of decaying Carthage) the laſt ſprunts and bites of dying wild beaſtes.