Ezekiel 38:13

Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

Sheba {H7614}, and Dedan {H1719}, and the merchants {H5503} of Tarshish {H8659}, with all the young lions {H3715} thereof, shall say {H559} unto thee, Art thou come {H935} to take {H7997} a spoil {H7998}? hast thou gathered {H6950} thy company {H6951} to take {H962} a prey {H957}? to carry away {H5375} silver {H3701} and gold {H2091}, to take away {H3947} cattle {H4735} and goods {H7075}, to take {H7997} a great {H1419} spoil {H7998}?

Sh'va, D'dan and all the leading merchants of Tarshish will ask you, "Have you come to seize spoil? Have you assembled your hordes to loot; to carry off silver, gold, livestock and other wealth; to take much plunder?"'

Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its villages will ask, ‘Have you come to capture the plunder? Have you assembled your hordes to carry away loot, to make off with silver and gold, to take cattle and goods, to seize great spoil?’

Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take the spoil? hast thou assembled thy company to take the prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take great spoil?

Context

Ezekiel 38:13 is part of a significant prophetic passage in the book of Ezekiel, specifically chapters 38 and 39, which detail the future invasion of the land of Israel by a powerful confederacy of nations led by "Gog of the land of Magog." This verse describes the reaction of certain nations—Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, along with their "young lions"—who observe the invasion. These are not participants in Gog's coalition but rather distant onlookers or trading partners who are concerned about the economic implications of such a massive military undertaking. Sheba and Dedan are generally identified with regions in the Arabian Peninsula, known historically for trade, while Tarshish is often associated with a distant maritime trading power, possibly in the west (e.g., Spain) or a general term for distant, wealthy trading partners. The "young lions" likely refer to the dependencies, trading partners, or even the aggressive commercial enterprises associated with Tarshish.

Key Themes

  • Economic Motives Questioned: The verse highlights the perception that Gog's primary objective is not merely conquest but immense plunder. The repeated questions, "Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey?" underscore the greedy intent attributed to the invaders. This focus on "silver and gold," "cattle and goods," and a "great spoil" reveals the material motivations that often drive conflict.
  • International Observation: It shows that this prophesied invasion will not go unnoticed by the wider world. Other nations, particularly those with economic interests, will observe and react to the unfolding events, questioning the aggressor's motives and the potential disruption to global trade and stability.
  • Divine Sovereignty (Implied): While the verse focuses on human questions, the broader context of Ezekiel 38-39 reveals that this invasion is ultimately permitted and even orchestrated by God to display His power and holiness to the nations (see Ezekiel 38:16). The nations' questioning serves to highlight Gog's human ambition before God's divine purpose is revealed.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV uses strong terms to convey the idea of plunder: "spoil" (Hebrew: shalal, meaning 'booty, plunder, spoil taken in war') and "prey" (Hebrew: baz, meaning 'plunder, spoil, prey'). The repetition and accumulation of terms like "silver and gold," "cattle and goods," and "a great spoil" emphasize the sheer volume and value of the intended loot, painting a vivid picture of the invaders' rapacious desires. The phrase "young lions" (Hebrew: kefireha), referring to Tarshish's associates, suggests strength, perhaps a predatory commercial nature, or simply their influential trading partners.

Related Scriptures

  • This verse directly follows the description of Gog's preparations and march, which is detailed in Ezekiel 38:7-12, where the objective of taking "spoil" and "prey" is explicitly stated as God's purpose in bringing them forth.
  • The ultimate divine purpose behind this massive gathering and judgment is further explained in Ezekiel 39:21-22, where God declares His intention to make His glory known among the nations through this event.
  • The concept of nations gathering against Israel in the latter days is also found in other prophetic books, such as Zechariah 14:2.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 38:13 reminds us that human actions, particularly those driven by greed and a desire for material wealth, are often transparent to observers, and ultimately, to God. Even in complex geopolitical scenarios, underlying motives of avarice can be discerned. For believers, this passage reinforces the truth of God's sovereign control over world events. Even when powerful nations move with seemingly unchecked ambition, they are ultimately fulfilling a larger divine purpose. It encourages us to look beyond immediate circumstances and trust in God's ultimate plan to display His glory and justice, reminding us that no earthly power can thwart His will.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezekiel 27:15

    The men of Dedan [were] thy merchants; many isles [were] the merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee [for] a present horns of ivory and ebony.

  • Ezekiel 32:2

    Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou [art] as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.

  • Ezekiel 27:22

    The merchants of Sheba and Raamah, they [were] thy merchants: they occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold.

  • Ezekiel 27:23

    Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, [and] Chilmad, [were] thy merchants.

  • Ezekiel 27:25

    The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas.

  • Ezekiel 27:20

    Dedan [was] thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots.

  • Ezekiel 19:3

    And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.
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