And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the [noses] of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call [it] The valley of Hamongog.
And it shall come to pass in that day {H3117}, that I will give {H5414} unto Gog {H1463} a place {H4725} there of graves {H6913} in Israel {H3478}, the valley {H1516} of the passengers {H5674} on the east {H6926} of the sea {H3220}: and it shall stop {H2629} the noses of the passengers {H5674}: and there shall they bury {H6912} Gog {H1463} and all his multitude {H1995}: and they shall call {H7121} it The valley {H1516} of Hamongog {H1996}.
"'When that day comes, I will give Gog a place there in Isra'el for graves, the Travelers' Valley, east of the sea; and it will block the travelers' passage. There they will bury Gog and all his horde, and they will rename it the Valley of Hamon-Gog [horde of Gog].
And on that day I will give Gog a burial place in Israel, the Valley of the Travelers, east of the Sea. It will block those who travel through, because Gog and all his hordes will be buried there. So it will be called the Valley of Hamon-gog.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place for burial in Israel, the valley of them that pass through on the east of the sea; and it shall stop them that pass through: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude; and they shall call it The valley of Hamon-gog.
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Numbers 11:34
And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted. -
John 6:1
¶ After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is [the sea of] Tiberias. -
Numbers 34:11
And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward: -
Ezekiel 47:18
And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel [by] Jordan, from the border unto the east sea. And [this is] the east side. -
Ezekiel 38:2
Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, -
Luke 5:1
¶ And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
Ezekiel 39:11 vividly portrays the overwhelming aftermath of God's decisive victory over Gog and his vast invading army in Israel. This verse focuses on the grim but necessary task of burying the immense number of casualties, detailing the specific location and the naming of this significant burial site.
Context
This verse is integral to the comprehensive prophecy found in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. These chapters foretell a future invasion of the land of Israel by a formidable confederacy of nations led by Gog, identified as coming from the land of Magog. God explicitly states that He will draw Gog to invade, not for Israel's destruction, but to display His own divine power and glory through Gog's catastrophic defeat. Ezekiel 39:1-6 outlines the miraculous judgment God will execute, employing fire, pestilence, and overwhelming destruction. Verse 11 then shifts to the extensive cleanup and burial operations required after such a monumental defeat, emphasizing the sheer scale of the invading forces.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The name designated for the burial site, "The valley of Hamongog," carries deep significance. "Hamongog" is a Hebrew compound word, literally meaning "multitude of Gog." This nomenclature serves as a perpetual testament to the vastness of the defeated army, eternally commemorating the immense scale of God's victory and judgment. The phrase "the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea" refers to a prominent thoroughfare, likely situated near the Dead Sea or the Sea of Galilee. The KJV's rendering "it shall stop the [noses] of the passengers" is an interpretive translation of a challenging Hebrew phrase, gē’ ha‘ōbərîm. It most likely conveys either the unbearable stench of the unburied bodies making passage impossible due to the foul odor, or the sheer number of corpses physically obstructing the valley, rendering it impassable for travelers.
Prophetic Significance and Cross-References
This prophecy in Ezekiel is often regarded as one of the most vivid Old Testament depictions of a major end-times conflict and God's ultimate triumph. While the precise timing and identity of Gog remain subjects of ongoing theological discussion, the core message is unequivocally clear: God will ultimately protect His people, Israel, and display His glory to all nations. The detailed description of the burial and the subsequent cleansing of the land resonates with broader themes of divine restoration and purification found throughout prophetic literature, including the promises of a new heavens and a new earth where sin and death are finally vanquished. Some biblical scholars draw parallels between the themes of this battle and the final rebellion described in Revelation 20:7-9, though their specific contexts differ.
Practical Application
For believers today, Ezekiel 39:11 offers profound reassurance regarding God's unwavering faithfulness and absolute sovereignty. It serves as a powerful reminder that regardless of how overwhelming the forces of evil may appear, God remains in complete control of history. He will ultimately execute justice and provide protection for His people, fulfilling every one of His promises. This verse encourages us to place our trust in God's ultimate triumph and to live with unwavering confidence in His meticulously planned divine purpose, knowing that His glory will be fully and undeniably revealed.