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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Eze_38:2. Sept.: ... ê . ôçí ãçí ô .. M. Vulg.: terram M., principem capitis … de eo. (Another read.: òì â× .)
Eze_38:3. ... Ὶùã êáé ἀñ÷ïíôá .
Eze_38:4. Ê . ðåñéóôñåøù óå … ê . óõíáîù óå … ἐíäåäõìåíïõò èùñáêáò ðáíôáò ðåëôáé ÷ . ðåñé÷åöáëáéáé ÷ . ìá÷áéñáé . Vulg.: Et circumagam te—
Eze_38:6. Another read.: úåøâîä .
Eze_38:7. Sept.: ... ê . ἐóç ìïé åἰò ðñïöõëá÷çí . Vulg.: … eis in præceptum.
Eze_38:8. ἑôïéìáóèçóåôáé … ἐðé ô . ãçí ô . Ἰóñ .
Eze_38:11. Sept.: ... ἐðé ãçí ἀðåñéììåíçí —
Eze_38:12. ... ôïõ ἐðéóôñåøáé ôçí ÷åéñáí ìïõ … ðåðïéç÷ïôáò ÷ôçóåéò ,—
Eze_38:13. ... ê . ïἱ ìðïñïé Êáñ÷çäïíéïé ê . ðáóáé áἱ ÷ùìáé áὐôùí —
Eze_38:14. ... ἐîåãåñèçóç —
Eze_38:16. ... ðáíôá ô . ἐèíç — âåâ is omitted, or they transfer it to following verse.
Eze_38:19. ... óåéóìïò —Vulg.: … commotio—
Eze_38:20. ... ê . ῥáãçóïíôáé ô . ὀñç ê . ðåóïõíôáé áἱ öáñáããåò —Vulg.: … et cadent sepes et.
Eze_38:21. ... ἐð ’ áὐôï ðáí öáâïí ìá÷áéñáò —
Eze_38:22. Ê . ÷ñéíù áὐôïí —
Ezekiel 38:24. Sept. ... ê . ἐíäïîáóèçáóïìáé —
Eze_38:3. Comp. 26:3, 28:22, 29:3, 10.
Eze_38:4. Hitzig translates the Pilel ùׁåֹáֵá , “allure,” just as the Targ.: “decoy.” [Keil: in the sense of: to a dangerous undertaking. Hävern.: with force, as a will-less beast out of his land, away from his former path, and on to the way of destruction.] Hitzig: “The Scythian is in the outset thought of as a wild beast, which rushes aside from the path, and must first be brought back.” But ùׁåֹáֵá means properly: to cause one to return (a repeating and strengthening form), a meaning which Hengstenberg justly retains as the simplest and most natural. He interprets thus: in Gog, the earlier enemies of God’s people, namely, the Chaldeans, reappear. For the signification of the word adopted by him he appeals to Eze_38:8 and Eze_39:27, and compares also Eze_38:12, remarking at the same time, that in the appearance of Gog, Eze_38:17 and Eze_39:8, the fulfilment of earlier prophecies is recognised in which Gog is not expressly contemplated. The giving of special prominence to the Chaldeans is not in accordance with Ezekiel’s manner (see Introd. to Ezekiel 25:32, and on Eze_21:28 sq.). It is at all events more obvious, and permits us to retain exactly the proper signification of ùׁåֹáֵá , to assume a reference to the inroad of the Scythians (b.c. 633) related by Herodotus (I. 103–6), the news of which induced Cyaxares to raise the siege of Nineveh. This effect, and still more the fact that the Scythians were a powerful army (as Herodotus says), which under the command of their king Madyas defeated the Medes, who thereby lost the dominion over Asia, of which the Scythians took entire possession, fitted these latter to be a serviceable form for our prophecy. It was a kind of collision of nations, like the later barbarian migrations. The polemic of Delitzsch (comp. Strauss on Zephaniah) against the “Scythian hypothesis,” which Winer also calls most uncertain, is well founded as regards Zephaniah, Jeremiah, and Habakkuk. But if the Scythians, whose equestrian hordes, marching south through Syria in b.c. 626, overran Judea, neither plundered nor laid waste Palestine, etc. (Delitzsch, Habakkuk, p. 18.), but “quietly went up again along the coast of the Mediterranean as they had come down as far as Philistia” (?), at any rate left behind them pre-eminently the impression of a quite sudden (that is the Apocalyptic feature, comp. Luk_17:24) and unexpected irruption, and not that of a definite judgment of God on Israel, like the Assyrians and Babylonians,—then the silence of the sacred record regarding this inroad of the Scythians, who (according to Herodotus) let themselves be turned away from Egypt by Psammetichus through means of presents and entreaties, is comprehensible, the question of Eze_38:17 made intelligible, and the compulsory bringing back in our verse explained. As they disappeared after they had shown themselves, to people’s great surprise, so would they also have remained out of sight; but Jehovah will bring them back, according to His purpose and by His power, otherwise than they came the first time, and in a still different manner of appearing. For Kliefoth’s observation regarding nations hitherto unhistoric, more properly nations not yet come into consideration for the kingdom of God, is applicable to the matter in hand. The prophecy points, as we shall see, far beyond the immediate historic present and its nations; and a complex of nations coming thus from the far north, such as the generic name “Scythians” (for: uncultivated barbarians) suggested, after the above-mentioned inroad into Media, etc., was excellently adapted for that purpose. Moreover, what is here said in order to give due prominence to the divine direction, and above all to the higher intention and guidance: And give, etc., and bring thee forth, is accounted for in Eze_38:10 sq. from the natural will of the people in these respects. Their wild ungovernableness is evident from the figurative expression: give rings in thy jaws (for which comp. Eze_29:4), coming between ùׁåֹáַáְúִּéêָ and äåֹöֵàúִé , and explaining both; even to the shambles (Ewald). The force which makes Gog return takes him from his own land.— íåּíִéí åּôָøùִׁéí , comp. Eze_27:14. Here, at all events, horses and riders is a decidedly Scythian trait, for the richness in horses of these hordes, mostly equestrian tribes, was already known to Herodotus; while with the expression: all of them perfectly clothed (see Eze_23:12), an Assyrian element is introduced, thus the figure of Gog is enlarged.— ÷ָäָì øָá (Eze_17:17) resumes ëָּìÎçֵéìֶêָ , in order by the description of the armour (comp. Eze_23:24) to suggest doubtless the Chaldeans. Hitzig rightly considers the large shield as respecting only an army of cavalry. We may suppose infantry, but it is better to suppose a description embracing all and sundry kinds (handling swords, etc.), for the Scythians are only the nucleus ( öִðָּä åּîָâֵï , loosely combined). To such a description correspond also
Eze_38:5—Persia (Eze_27:10), representing the far East, Cush (Eze_30:4 sq.), the remote south, and Phut (Eze_30:5; Eze_27:10), the south-west; thus, especially as the farthest north is expressely added in Eze_38:6, altogether (like Rev_20:8) ôá ἐèíç ôá ἐí ôáéò ôåóóáñóé ãùíéáéò ôçò ãçò .—(Shield and helmet, as in Eze_27:10.)—Gomer, Gen_10:2 (1Ch_1:5), the Cimmerians, already mentioned by Homer (Odyss. 11:14 sq.), dwelling at the end of the earth and Okeanos, where the entrance to the lower world is,—wretched men, enveloped in cloud, darkness, and night, and never shone upon by Helios; afterwards placed on the west coast of Lower Italy, near Cumæ, and still later supposed to be on the northern shores of the Euxine, so that the entrance into the Palus Mæotis was called the Cimmerian Bosporus; after this they were removed to the Rhipæan Mountains, into the neighbourhood of the Hyperboreans, and finally became identified with the German Cimbri and the Celtic Cymry. “The old sound of their name is still retained in the mouth of the inhabitants of Wales, who call themselves Cumri or Cymry, and their land Cymru” (Delitzsch), May not the name be derived from ÷åéìåñéïé , corresponding to the cloudy, wintry nature of their territory? (Hesychius interprets ÷åììåñïò ἀ÷ëõò ὁìé÷ëç .) See Duncker, Gesch. d. Alterth. 1. p. 739 sq.—On åְëָìÎàֲâַôֶּéäָ , comp. on Eze_12:14.—The house of Togarmah (Eze_27:14), as Knobel thinks, including the Phrygians; just as the Armenians still to this day call themselves “house of Torgom” (Torkomatsi)—on Assyrian monuments “Tarkheler,” from “Tagoma.”—A pictorial and manifestly symbolical grouping of nations.
Eze_38:7 announces from the decree concerning Gog the demand made upon him. äִëֹּï , inf. abs. Niph. pro imperativo, very energetic, and the more so as imperat. Hiph. åְäָëֵï (Eze_7:14) follows: he himself is to be ready, and to make everything ready for leading out; or, the former referring to àַúָּä and the latter to åְëָìÎ÷ְäָìֶéêָ× , recapitulated and combined by åְäָéִéúָ ìָäֶí ìִîִùְׁîָø , abstract for concrete, that is, he who takes care of them. [Hengst.: Thou art authority to them = they are obedient to thee. Hävern.: And thou art a law to them, as leader and commander-in-chief. Ewald: And thou servest as ensign to them. Hitzig (Sept.): And thou shalt be to Me a reserve, which I hold in readiness for the coming day (Eze_38:8), etc., or: and stand thou at My order.] Half ironical, for it will be seen immediately how the matter turns out.
Eze_38:8. The time when and the direction in which this preparation and equipment shall take place. îַéָּîִéí øַáִּéí× , comp. Isa_24:22, according to which parallel, úִּôָּ÷ֵã seems to signify: to “visit,” and that in wrath, as the word (according to Delitzsch) does not occur in the sense of gracious visitation. Hitzig replies that it is not yet time to speak in the connection here of the infliction of punishment, and denies that ôָּ÷ַã with accus. of the person signifies to visit in a bad sense. But the ambiguous expression only says even here that the judgment upon Gog will begin to be prepared, hence it is not immediate infliction of punishment; the sallying forth from his land, to which he will be moved, is his visitation referred to in the connection— úִּôָּ÷ֵã equivalent to ùׁåֹáַáְúִּéêָ× , Eze_38:4. The radical signification of the word in the Hebrew is: to seek = to examine, to inspect, to survey, from which “to visit” easily follows; hardly, however, as Hitzig: “thou shalt receive command,” or as Hävern.: “thou art missed,” that is, considered as a nation that has disappeared and perished; “then, however, thou burstest forth unexpectedly with so much the more formidable forces into the land of promise.” Hävern. according to this takes áְּàַçֲøִéú äַùָּׁðִéí as antithetical to îִéָîִéí øַáִּéí , whereas the expiration of a long time is expressly supposed to be in the last time, which is the consummation not only of the kingdom of God, but of the world generally. Days and years interchange harmoniously; that which appears in the single event as many days is, for the Apocalyptic eye, which ranges over the whole, the summation for that which is still outstanding, that is, still in arrears, in years or time generally. Of the future in general, and hence of an indefinite time, nothing is accordingly said. Hengst.: the catastrophe belongs to a quite new order of things; both phrases denote the Messianic epoch. (But as to its final terminus), Rev_20:7 sq.—That now the land comes to view is for the purpose of joining on to Ezekiel 37, as the mountains of Israel point to Ezekiel 36. What is said of the land, îְùׁåֹáֶáֶú× (part. p. Pil., comp. ùׁåֹáַáְúִּéêָ , Eze_38:4), “made to return from the sword,” that is, after war had raged over it (Eze_6:5), applies in substance to the people of the land, as also îְ÷ֻáֶּöֶú× (Pu. pass.)—comp. Eze_11:17; Eze_20:34; Eze_20:41; Eze_36:24; Eze_37:21—shows, and still more clearly åְéָùְׁáåּ× , as conclusion. [Hitzig: the turned away from the sword, not in the sense of: which has desisted from war, but: which expects no war, in careless security.] Keil connects òַì äָøִé× with çָּáåֹà Comp. Eze_37:22. The closer designation of them as perpetually, that is, continuing a long time for devastation (Eze_5:14), rather connects the mountains of Israel with the people assembled upon them, who possess and inhabit them. The time referred to during which they were laid waste is to be considered as previous to what was prophesied in Eze_36:37; moreover, the phrase: from many nations, does not necessarily point beyond the Babylonian exile, although the spiritual sense: that “the Son of God gathers, protects, and upholds for Himself an elect church, etc., out of the whole human race,” readily results from it. Comp. on ìָáֶèַç , Eze_28:26; Eze_34:25; Eze_34:27.
Eze_38:9. åְòָìִéúָ , not a mere vox militaris (Isa_7:1; comp. Rev_20:9), but coloured by áַּùּׁåֹàָä , which signifies “subversion,” destruction, as well the state (waste, desolation), as the cause which produces it; storm, as it may also denote the moment of devastation, the crash ( ùָׁàָä , ùׁåֹà , “to come smashing down”). The continuation of the comparison by ëֶּòָðָï (Eze_30:18) makes the translation given too obvious for its needing to be interpreted, with Hengstenberg, “like ruin.” (“Gog is, as it were, desolation incarnate.”) [“The cavalry of the Tanjou frequently consisted of two or three hundred thousand men, formidable by the matchless dexterity with which they managed their bows and their horses, by their hardy patience in supporting the inclemency of the weather: unchecked by torrents or by precipices, by the deepest rivers or by the most lofty mountains, they spread themselves over the face of the country, and overthrew all who opposed them.”—Gibbon.]—But that, notwithstanding this, only the “covering” is held up to view, limits essentially the evil significance of this expedition; it is in the first instance merely threatening.
Eze_38:10 completes, through means of subjective morality, the representation given theocratically in principle from the divine purpose in Eze_38:4. For although a host not only so numerous, but also so tumultuous, wild, and disorderly, is a temptation, yet Gog too is put in the position with respect to the people and land of peace on the mountains of Israel, to settle down in this peace with his nations and participate in it, as the salvation from the Jews is announced to all the world, even to its remotest corners and ends. If, therefore, Gog’s impetuosity and urgency to depart from his abodes is not thence explained, then behind the thoughts of his heart we will have to assume in addition (Rev_20:7 sq.) ὁ óáôáíáò and his ðëáíçóáé ôá ἐèíç , and to conceive of the relation to Eze_38:4 as of that of 1Ch_21:1 to 2Sa_24:1, and generally to direct our view to the world of nations, which has remained unreceptive, notwithstanding that the gospel has been preached in the whole world ðáóῃ ôῃ êôéóåé . On the expression: on that day, comp. Eze_29:21.—— éַòֲìåּ illustrates åְòָìִéúָ in Eze_38:9.— ãְáָøִéí are not: “things,” but (as and sayest, Eze_38:11, immediately proves) in the first instance: words, which ascend upon the heart, after they were thoughts in the heart (and so proceed out of the heart, Mar_7:21), çָùַׁá , to settle something inwardly, to conceive in thought, to devise, especially in a bad sense, denotes the inward process which precedes and accompanies.
Eze_38:11. The evil purpose is well characterized by the contrast to àֶøֶõ ôְּøָæåֹú , a plain country, which has no mountain fortresses, no walled cities; whereby is intended, not so much: which lies open on all sides (Hitzig), as: which offers no incentive for conquest; comp. Est_9:19; Zec_2:4. In accordance with this, áְּöåּøåֹú , in Eze_36:35, is to be understood of a high secure position. The whole description, and particularly what follows, is an idyl, which, rather than matter for dogmatism, has a symbolic character, and is especially designed to bring out the guilt of Gog through his device against such peace of God. Comp. in addition, Jdg_18:7; Jer_49:31; Mic_5:10 sq.
Eze_38:12. As such an attack is an evil device, so also is the intention of plundering. [Hengst. makes “the community of God to be depicted in its want of earthly defence or help, in this its disadvantage against the world, while God has reserved to Himself to be its defence.” It is not, however, “the perception of this defenceless state which presents the occasion for the undertaking of the enemy;” this proceeds rather from the wanton self-sufficiency of carnal power and might.] ìְäָùִׁéá éָãְêָ , a fresh instance of what the heathen had done before, connects itself with the “and sayest” in Eze_38:11. In îִ÷ְðֶä (see Ges. Lex.) here, while in other passages the sense of the word is otherwise defined (Gen_31:18; Gen_36:6; Gen_34:23), the possession of flocks by the patriarchs is referred to, and the synonym ÷ּðְéָï is to be defined in accordance therewith; comp. on Eze_38:13. “Very beautifully does the Archaic expression delineate the revival of the patriarchal state, the resemblance which the future bears to the past” (Hävern.). [Hitzig: “attending to productive labour and commerce.” Ewald: “who possess land and goods.” Both translations obliterate the idyllic character of the description.] As èַáּåּø can be said of any height, curved elevation (Mount Tabor!), so it here signifies the same as ôï ðëáôïò ôçò ãçò (Rev_20:9), the symbolical elevated plateau of the earth, in contradistinction to the four corners of the earth,—a position thus of prominent centrality (see Hitzig)—“the highlands of the Spirit,” as Lange expresses it. Comp. on Eze_5:5. “The designation applies so much the more closely, because the land itself lies high, and, sloping both to the east and the west, exposes a navel to view” (Hitzig). Israel’s peacefulness and significance—the Israel of the fulfilment in Christ—are meant to be counter-types to the restless and the essentially mean, to the rapacious, materialistic disposition of the Christless heathen world. ùָׁìָì and áַּæ show what alone Gog wants with the Lord’s people. Hävernick rightly remarks that “the inward significance” of the conflict is meant to be portrayed. “The heathen power has assembled its forces, as if about to fight with one of the greatest world-kingdoms. According to mere human opinion, and in view of such disparity of outward power, the evil appears here to march to certain victory.” Ought we not also to be able to infer from the representation given, that the community of God has at the time ceased to appear in “dominant churches,” and has also dispensed with the support of the temporal arm in the way of state churches? It looks here quite like ôï ìéêñïí ðïéìíéïí , Luk_12:32, which possesses nothing except the åὐäïêçóåí of the Father and the äïõíáé ôçí âáóéëåéáí . Hävernick mentions in this connection the “true destination of the theocracy, as it is already set before us in the law,” and then adds: “Israel was not intended to stand out among other nations as a politically great people in the outward sense; its weapons and honour were, in direct contrast to the powers of this world, to belong to an incomparably higher sphere.” He nevertheless makes “the theocracy be an object of allurement for covetousness and plunder,” in that he makes “the new nation rich in flocks and possessions,” as already the Chaldee Paraphrast does,—an idea, however, which the text does not express, and which is not contained in òùֶֹׁä× . In that case one could not but choose to hear in Eze_38:13 the “similar interest of avarice,” the “participation in joy over such a robbing expedition;” against which Hitzig “but why are traders named, and not rather arch-enemies, like Edom and Moab?” Sheba; see Eze_27:22-23. Dedan; Eze_27:15; Eze_27:20. The merchants of Tarshish; Eze_27:21; Eze_27:36; Eze_27:12; Eze_27:25. First of all, traffic which crosses sea and land presents a contrast to the settled system and peaceful procedure, Eze_38:11-12. Then further, those named by means of the clause: åְëָìÎëְּôִéøֶéäָ (Hitzig: “its,” the land of Tarshish’s, “authorities;” Keil: “the rapacious rulers of these commercial nations;” Grotius: “sea pirates”),—comp. Eze_19:2-3 (Eze_32:2),—are placed alongside of the greedy and rapacious Gog. (“The magnates of Tarshish are designated as fierce lions on account of the heartless cruelty which goes hand in hand with the spirit of trade,” Hengst.) The meaning, however, is not: “where there is spoil the traders gather,” so that “the question, in the case of affirmation, implies a prospect of joyful participation” (Hengst.), for finally they figure as connoisseurs, as men skilled in robbery and plunder; and this not merely “for bringing out the evident desire of Gog’s hordes” (Keil)—for if it is “evident,” what need is there of the “bringing out”?—but rather to place an almost ironical point of interrogation after the greed and rapacity of Gog in respect to the patriarchal possessions and goods mentioned in Eze_38:12; somewhat thus: what wilt thou get then? as if even for them who delight to rob and plunder for their living, the greatness of the attack bore no proportion to the smallness of the object! Moreover, what is put into their mouth is in keeping with this. In the first place, they simply take up Gog’s intention (Eze_38:12), asking in his own words, Comest thou with this intention? are thine assemblages for this? Then, however, very characteristically, the merchants, the connoisseurs, immediately speak of “silver and gold” as that above all which should reward such an expedition as Gog’s. This, however, is not mentioned in the description in Eze_38:12, so that the naming again of the îִ÷ְðֶä åְ÷ִðְéָï looks antithetical, and this the more as the questioners conclude: to take great spoil. To take cattle and goods of that kind must recommend itself poorly to hordes which have come from such a distance.
After those skilled in pillage have given their dictum by their question, Jehovah now says, Eze_38:14, that Gog will find it just as those of kindred spirit to him have already said.—Therefore, because in fact it is as those say, the prophet also shall, on God’s part, confirm it ( äִðָּáֵà ). The interrogatory: And say to Gog, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, In that day … shalt thou not know it? is parallel to the interrogating speakers in Eze_38:13 ( éֹàîְøåּ ìְêָ ). It is so, and therefore will also be so when Gog shall be in a position to know it. [ úֵּãòָ has been most commonly, as already by the Chaldee Paraphrast, understood of knowing through punishment. Hävernick regards at least “the whole foregoing leading forth” as that “of the truth” of which “Gog shall have living experience.” Ewald and Hitzig read úֵּòֹø (Sept.): “wilt thou set thyself in motion?”]—On that day, Eze_38:10.
Eze_38:11.
Eze_38:15. Although thou comest to this knowledge, nevertheless thou comest, etc., because (Eze_38:16) I make thee come according to My intention.—Comp. Eze_38:8; Eze_38:6; Eze_38:9.—Riding horses, etc., comp. Eze_23:6. It is related of the Scythians that they eat, drink, and sleep in the saddle. Duncker remarks on Herodotus’ expedition of the Scythians: “Only on the west shore of the Caspian Sea, only through the pass of Denbend was it possible that the numerous bands of cavalry (he supposes the Sarmatian tribes, which pressed forward towards the Caucasus, and that neighbouring hordes of the Scolots, from the Tanais (Don) to the Tyras (Dniester), joined in this movement) could take and open up for themselves the way to the south. It led into the heart of the Median territory.”—Eze_26:7.
Eze_38:16. Comp. Eze_38:9.— áְּàַçֲøִéú äַéָּîִéí combining the two designations of Eze_38:8.— ìְîַòַï× , the divine purpose at Eze_38:4, in distinction to Gog’s purposes, Eze_38:12. That which was meant to end in a plundering expedition issues in the knowledge of Jehovah; while by the expression: when I sanctify Myself on thee, Gog is exhibited as a parallel and at the same time an antithesis to Israel,—a parallel as Jehovah has sanctified Himself in judgment, an antithesis as He has sanctified Himself in mercy in His people. [“Known as the Holy One, whose honour and estate no one is permitted to touch, even in His weak protegées,” Schmieder.] Comp. Eze_20:41; Eze_28:22; Eze_36:23.
The vocative âּåֹâ , Eze_38:16, prepares for äַàַúָּäÎäåּà , Eze_38:17. The interrogative form is not so much intended to make a stronger affirmation, as to call special attention to the former prophetic announcement. The affirmation to the question also does not lie in the last clause of the verse (Keil), for this clause rather expresses the immediate contents of the earlier prophecy referred to,—what will come upon the community of God as end and consummation. That the prophets of Israel had already named Gog is directly excluded by the interrogation. If they mentioned names, these were rather other national forms, but behind all these there remained a point of interrogation; and for this reason, that especially accompanying all the prospects of grace for Israel, there remained in prospect a final judgment over his and God’s enemies, over the world that withstands the kingdom of God (over the heathen world). This interrogative realizes itself here in Ezekiel by this Gog. Hence it is not only difficult to point out distinct sayings of the older prophets (Ewald: Isa_10:6; Isa_17:14; Hengst.: Joe_3:3 [Joe_2:30] sq.; Isaiah 24-27, 34; Deuteronomy 32; Keil: Joe_3:2; Joe_3:11 sq.: Isa_25:5; Isa_25:10 sq., Isa_26:21; Isa_30:23; Isa_30:25), but also superfluous to do so, and above all to imagine “lost” passages (Ewald). The judgment of the world shall, according to the word of the prophets of Israel, be the transforming of the Church militant into the Church triumphant. [“The predictions of the earlier prophets are in so far alluded to as the victory of the kingdom of God over the heathen world, and the judgment of the Lord on it, are announced in them. It is only thus that the reference to the prophecies accords with the other contents of the section. The special announcements regarding the invasion and overthrow of Assyria and Babylon may also be included,” Hengst.]— ÷ַãְîֹðִéí , ÷ַãְîֹðִé , what in relation to the speaker, or some one else referred to, belongs to ancient times.— áְּéַã× , Dan_9:10.— áַּéָîִéí äָäֵí reproduces áְּéָîִéí ÷ַãְîåֹðִéí , in order to designate by the accusative of duration, ùָׁðִéí , “during years,” the prophecy as one “going through the whole course of the times” (Hengst.). [Others, e.g. Hävernick, take it as an asyndeton. Ewald: “who prophesied in those days of years.”]
Eze_38:18 is, according to Hitzig, a quotation from the former prophecy, of which we do not see the necessity. Our verse brings to actual fulfilment what was prophesied by: that I would bring thee upon them (Eze_38:17).—On that day, more definitely: on the day of the coming of Gog, etc., upon the land of Israel, explains upon them (Eze_38:17).—Comp. moreover, Psa_18:9; Psa_18:16 (8, 15). áְּàַôִּé , not: “in my wrath,” but the short breathing of the nose, anthropopathically as the gesture indicative of an angry man, or poetically, as in general also of the horse, lion, crocodile, etc. ( àó , from àָðַó , i.e. to breathe through the nose, to puff, correl. ðָôַùׁ , ðָùַׁó , through the mouth). Comp. Eze_24:8.
Eze_38:19. (Eze_5:13; Eze_36:6.) Comp. Eze_21:31; Eze_22:21.— ãִּáַּøְúִּé , prophetic perfect, not, as Hitzig, = ãִּáַּøְúִּé in Eze_38:17, as repetition before introducing the expression left out in Eze_38:18, so that Eze_38:18 continues itself with Eze_38:19 b. Forced and artificial.—By ãִּáַּøְúִּé , àִíÎìֹà becomes an oath: surely. The “shaking” is not merely a shaking of the earth, because the land of Israel is immediately mentioned. For this reference is made obvious by the locality of the judgment, and besides, øַòַùׁ takes place over ( òַì ) the ground and soil of Israel, just as Hupf. on Psalms 18 directs attention to the shaking of the earth by thunder, and the violence of Eastern tempests. What is meant by øַòַùׁ is explained in Eze_38:20; and at the same time the “greatness” of the shaking: åְøָòֲùׁåּ îִôָּðַé× . That the mountains, etc., are thrown down (Eze_30:4), is only one element in the whole, which, as a whole, is described as a cosmic catastrophe, sympathized in by every êôéóéò (comp. Zep_1:3; Jer_4:25; Gen_7:21), like a world’s overthrow. äַîַּãְøֵâåֹú , according to Gesenius, particularly: “stair-like rocks” (like êëéìáî ), from ãָּøַâ , from which Miter deduces the signification: rift, fissure. Proceeding from the Arabic, îַãְøֵâָä might denote something to be ascended, a height.—Every wall that is to fall includes natural walls, as well as those made by man.
Eze_38:21. òָìָéå , because the judgment of the fury and jealousy of Jehovah is aimed at Gog and his bands.—The sword, thus his own weapon (Eze_38:4 ìְëָì , etc., Hitzig distributive: on all, sq.; Keil: towards all, sq., indicating the direction. This, which is certainly not “forced into the connection” (Hitzig), is explained from Eze_38:9 (16) from the cloud covering the land. Gog’s bands are in all directions, therefore also the sword is in all directions (Eze_39:4).—My mountains, the Lord says, casting a glance at His people there (Eze_38:8). [Hitzig grounds it on Zec_14:4 sq. (?).] For what purpose the sword is called for is indeed self-evident; but here one assails the other therewith in discord (contrast to the assembling at first, Eze_38:7), probably as usual at the dividing of the booty made. Comp. Zec_14:13. Previous types, Jdg_7:22; 2Ch_20:23. In the first instance Jehovah merely “calls.”
Eze_38:22. He grasps it still more personally as a judge: ðִùְׁôַּèְúִּé , Eze_17:20. The colouring for the farther description reminds us of the plagues of Egypt, whence Hengstenberg makes them be “partly taken, and from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah,” Gen_19:24. Comp. also Eze_28:23, and on Eze_13:11; Eze_13:13 (Jos_10:11). Eze_38:23 proves that it is an intervention of Jehovah Himself, His fighting for His people, who are small compared with the greatness of Gog (Eze_38:15).— äִúְâִּãִּìְúִּé is to be understood from the contrast to the greatness of Gog. Comp. on Eze_36:23. On äִúְ÷ַãִּùְׁúִּé , comp. on Eze_38:16.— ðåֹãòַúּé , comp. Eze_35:11 (Eze_39:7; Eze_20:5; Eze_20:9).—The many heathen nations, corresponding antithetically to the repeatedly-mentioned “many nations” (according to Eze_38:22).—Comp. Eze_38:16.
“Such is the general course and issue of things as marked out in this prophecy, under the form and aspect of what belonged to the Old Covenant, and its relation to the world as then existing. But stripping the vision of this merely temporary and imperfect exterior, since now the higher objects and relations of the New Covenant have come, we find in the prophecy the following series of important and salutary truths. 1. In the first place, while the appearance of the new David to take the rule and presidency over God’s heritage would have the effect of setting His people free from the old troubles and dangers which had hitherto assailed them, and laying sure and broad the foundations of their peace, it should be very far from securing them against all future conflicts with evil. It would rather tend to call up other adversaries, and enlarge the field of conflict, so as to make it embrace the most distant and barbarous regions of the earth. For the whole earth is Christ’s heritage, and sooner or later it must come to an issue between the adherents of His cause and the children of error and corruption. Though the latter might have no thought of interfering with the affairs of Christ’s kingdom, and would rather wish to pursue their own courses undisturbed (see on Eze_38:4), yet the Lord will not permit them to do so. He must bring the light of heaven into contact with their darkness; so as to necessitate a trial of strength between the powers of evil working in them, and the truth and grace of God as displayed in the kingdom of Christ. 2. From the very nature of the case, this trial would fall to be made on a very large scale, and with most gigantic resources; for the battlefield now is the world to its farthest extremities, and the question to be practically determined is, whether God’s truth or man’s sin is to have possession of the field. So that all preceding contests should appear small, and vanish out of