Ezekiel38

The prophet Ezekiel is commanded to prophesy against Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. The Lord declares He will bring Gog and a vast coalition of nations against the land of Israel in the latter years, when Israel dwells safely. Gog's intent is to take a great spoil from the restored people, but God will intervene with overwhelming judgment, including a great shaking, pestilence, fire, and brimstone, to magnify and sanctify Himself before all nations.
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Prophecy Against Gog of Magog

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.

The Invasion's Timing and Motive

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? ​

God's Purpose in the Latter Days

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:
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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? ​

The Lord's Fury and Great Judgment

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.
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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. ​

Study Notes for Ezekiel 38

Verse 2

Gog is likely a title for a ruler, not a personal name. Magog, Meshech, and Tubal generally refer to northern peoples (modern Turkey/Black Sea region), symbolizing the ultimate enemy from the farthest reaches of the world.

Verse 4

The imagery of 'hooks into thy jaws' emphasizes God’s absolute sovereignty. Gog is not acting independently but is controlled and directed by Yahweh for His own ultimate purpose.

Verse 5

The coalition includes nations from the East (Persia/Iran), South (Ethiopia/Cush), and West (Libya/Put), highlighting the global scale and comprehensive nature of the invading force.

Verse 8

The phrase 'in the latter years' signals an eschatological event, occurring after the initial restoration of Israel (chs. 36-37). This is a final, climactic confrontation against the secure, returned exiles.

Verse 11

'Land of unwalled villages' contrasts sharply with the heavily fortified cities of Ezekiel's time. This detail emphasizes the security and peace that God had promised the restored nation (cf. 34:25).

Verse 12

The motive for the invasion is purely economic plunder. Gog views the restored Israel, which has 'gotten cattle and goods,' as wealthy and vulnerable prey.

Verse 13

Sheba, Dedan, and Tarshish (representing the Arabian Peninsula and the distant West) question Gog’s actions. They do not join the attack but recognize it globally as an act of brazen greed.

Verse 16

This verse reveals the central theological purpose: God brings Gog against Israel so 'that the heathen may know me.' God uses the judgment of the enemy to demonstrate His holiness and power universally.

Verse 17

This rhetorical question suggests that the judgment of a massive, northern enemy was a recurring theme in prophetic tradition, demonstrating that this event is part of God's long-established plan.

Verse 18

The arrival of Gog triggers God’s intense, jealous wrath. This response is necessary because the attack on restored Israel is viewed as a direct affront to God's holiness and covenant faithfulness.

Verse 19

The 'great shaking' describes a massive, cosmological upheaval. Divine intervention is so powerful that it impacts the entire created order—the sea, the land, and all creatures.

Verse 22

God fights for Israel using devastating natural forces (plague, rain, hailstones, fire, brimstone), recalling the plagues in Egypt and the judgment of Sodom, emphasizing divine control over creation.

Verse 23

The ultimate outcome of the conflict is the vindication and sanctification (setting apart as holy) of Yahweh, fulfilling the overarching theme of the entire prophecy.

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