Ezekiel 38:1
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
and the word of YHWH was to me, saying
Paraphrase: Then I received another message from YHWH.
Comments:
Ezekiel 38:2
בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם שִׂ֤ים פָּנֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶל־גּוֹג֙ אֶ֣רֶץ הַמָּג֔וֹג נְשִׂ֕יא רֹ֖אשׁ מֶ֣שֶׁךְ וְתֻבָ֑ל וְהִנָּבֵ֖א עָלָֽיו׃
Son of man, set your face to Gog, the land of Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshek, and Tuval and prophesy against him.
Paraphrase: Human one, turn your attention to the king whom I call Gog. He is king over the land of Magog and also rules the countries of Rosh, Meshek, and Tuval. I have a word for this prince, and I want you to deliver it to him.
Comments:
“human one” is from Leslie Allen’s commentary on Ezekiel 1–19 p38.
Ezekiel 38:3
וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה הִנְנִ֤י אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ גּ֔וֹג נְשִׂ֕יא רֹ֖אשׁ מֶ֥שֶׁךְ וְתֻבָֽל׃
and you will say, thus says Lord YHWH, “Behold I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshek, and Tuval.
Paraphrase: This is the word you are to give to Gog. Thus says the Great King, YHWH, “Gog, you may be the ruler of these great kingdoms, but today I announce that you are My enemy!”
Comments:
The word הִנֵּה often takes a suffix. Sometimes the suffix is the object, “behold me…” Other times, as here, the suffix becomes the subject of a clause which follows, “behold I am…”
Ezekiel 38:4
וְשׁ֣וֹבַבְתִּ֔יךָ וְנָתַתִּ֥י חַחִ֖ים בִּלְחָיֶ֑יךָ וְהוֹצֵאתִי֩ אוֹתְךָ֨ וְאֶת־כָּל־חֵילֶ֜ךָ סוּסִ֣ים וּפָרָשִׁ֗ים לְבֻשֵׁ֤י מִכְלוֹל֙ כֻּלָּ֔ם קָהָ֥ל רָב֙ צִנָּ֣ה וּמָגֵ֔ן תֹּפְשֵׂ֥י חֲרָב֖וֹת כֻּלָּֽם׃
I will turn you around, and I will place hooks in your jaws, and I will cause you to go forth and all your strength, horses, and horsemen, being clothed splendidly, all of them a vast assembly with large shields and small shields wielding swords all of them.
Paraphrase: This is the plan I have for you. I am going to lead you out of your country like a farmer does when he puts a hook in the nose of a bull so that he can lead it wherever he wants. I will cause you to assemble all your vast armies; you will bring out your horses and riders; all your vast armies of infantry, each well armed with a shield and a sword.
Comments:
Ezekiel 38:5
פָּרַ֛ס כּ֥וּשׁ וּפ֖וּט אִתָּ֑ם כֻּלָּ֖ם מָגֵ֥ן וְכוֹבָֽע׃
Persia, Cush, and Put will be with them; all of them with shield and helmet.
Paraphrase: Then I will also cause many other nations to join with you. From the south, will come nations like Cush (or Ethiopia) and Libya. From the east, will come Persia. All of these will be equally well armed with every weapon of war.
Comments:
Ezekiel 38:6
גֹּ֚מֶר וְכָל־אֲגַפֶּ֔יהָ בֵּ֚ית תּֽוֹגַרְמָ֔ה יַרְכְּתֵ֥י צָפ֖וֹן וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲגַפָּ֑יו עַמִּ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים אִתָּֽךְ׃
Gomer and all her armies, the house of Togarmah, the extremes of the north and all his armies, many peoples with you.
Paraphrase: From the far north, will come Gomer and the entire house of Togarmah. From all directions, nations will join up with you and summon their vast armies and place them at your disposal. You, Gog, will have an army the likes of which has never been seen.
Comments:
Ezekiel 38:7
הִכֹּן֙ וְהָכֵ֣ן לְךָ֔ אַתָּ֕ה וְכָל־קְהָלֶ֖ךָ הַנִּקְהָלִ֣ים עָלֶ֑יךָ וְהָיִ֥יתָ לָהֶ֖ם לְמִשְׁמָֽר׃
Be firm and cause yourself to be firm, you and all your assembly. Be assembled about you and be a guard to them.
Paraphrase: Now then, Gog, stand up and get your army ready. Don’t overlook a single detail; check and double check everything. Get your army organized and ready to march. Take your position at the head of this army and be ready to move when I give you the signal.
Comments:
Ezekiel 38:8
מִיָּמִ֣ים רַבִּים֮ תִּפָּקֵד֒ בְּאַחֲרִ֨ית הַשָּׁנִ֜ים תָּב֣וֹא׀ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ׀ מְשׁוֹבֶ֣בֶת מֵחֶ֗רֶב מְקֻבֶּ֙צֶת֙ מֵעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים עַ֚ל הָרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־הָי֥וּ לְחָרְבָּ֖ה תָּמִ֑יד וְהִיא֙ מֵעַמִּ֣ים הוּצָ֔אָה וְיָשְׁב֥וּ לָבֶ֖טַח כֻּלָּֽם׃
From many days, you will be summoned. In the later years, you will go to the land, the ones returning from the sword who are being gathered from the many peoples to the mountains of Israel which are a continual desolation, and she will be led forth from the peoples, and they will return to safety all of them.
Paraphrase: When my time comes, I am going to summon you. At the end of history, your vast army will begin to move toward the land of Israel. These people were in a desperate condition having been attacked by the Babylonians and dragged off into exile. Now, however, they have returned to their land. Wherever they were scattered, I found them and brought them back to their own land. Their land too was in a dreadful condition. All the cities were burned, the houses smashed, and everything ruined, but My people rebuilt. Now they are living in safety and even beginning to prosper.
Comments:
The verb וְיָשְׁבוּ is a YQTL and has a conjunction but not the vav-conversive. Therefore, it remains unconverted or still in the future tense.
Ezekiel 38:9
וְעָלִ֙יתָ֙ כַּשֹּׁאָ֣ה תָב֔וֹא כֶּעָנָ֛ן לְכַסּ֥וֹת הָאָ֖רֶץ תִּֽהְיֶ֑ה אַתָּה֙ וְכָל־אֲגַפֶּ֔יךָ וְעַמִּ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים אוֹתָֽךְ׃ס
and you will ascend as a storm. You will go as a cloud to cover the land. You will be and all your armies and many peoples with you.
Paraphrase: You will go up against this country and against this people who are completely unaware of your approach. They will be going about the usual routines of life until you suddenly fall on them like so many bolts of lightning. (1Thess 5:3) Your armies will cover their land like clouds hide the sun on a stormy day. All those who are confederate with you will come and join you in the destruction of this unsuspecting people.
Comments:
The shin in כַּשֹּׁאָה can be confusing. The dot on the right is the mark of the shin. The dot on the left is a holem (not plene).
Ezekiel 38:10
כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה וְהָיָ֣ה׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יַעֲל֤וּ דְבָרִים֙ עַל־לְבָבֶ֔ךָ וְחָשַׁבְתָּ֖ מַחֲשֶׁ֥בֶת רָעָֽה׃
Thus says Lord YHWH, “It will be on that day, that words will come up in your heart and you will think evil thoughts.
Paraphrase: This is what I am going to do to you, Gog. I am the Great King and what I am saying will surely come to pass. On the day of this attack, you will have devised a plan for carrying out this attack.
Comments:
Ezekiel 38:11
וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ אֶֽעֱלֶה֙ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ פְּרָז֔וֹת אָבוֹא֙ הַשֹּׁ֣קְטִ֔ים יֹשְׁבֵ֖י לָבֶ֑טַח כֻּלָּ֗ם יֹֽשְׁבִים֙ בְּאֵ֣ין חוֹמָ֔ה וּבְרִ֥יחַ וּדְלָתַ֖יִם אֵ֥ין לָהֶֽם׃
Ezekiel 38:12
לִשְׁלֹ֥ל שָׁלָ֖ל וְלָבֹ֣ז בַּ֑ז לְהָשִׁ֨יב יָדְךָ֜ עַל־חֳרָב֣וֹת נוֹשָׁבֹ֗ת וְאֶל־עַם֙ מְאֻסָּ֣ף מִגּוֹיִ֔ם עֹשֶׂה֙ מִקְנֶ֣ה וְקִנְיָ֔ן יֹשְׁבֵ֖י עַל־טַבּ֥וּר הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Ezekiel 38:13
שְׁבָ֡א וּ֠דְדָן וְסֹחֲרֵ֨י תַרְשִׁ֤ישׁ וְכָל־כְּפִרֶ֙יהָ֙ יֹאמְר֣וּ לְךָ֔ הֲלִשְׁלֹ֤ל שָׁלָל֙ אַתָּ֣ה בָ֔א הֲלָבֹ֥ז בַּ֖ז הִקְהַ֣לְתָּ קְהָלֶ֑ךָ לָשֵׂ֣את׀ כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֗ב לָקַ֙חַת֙ מִקְנֶ֣ה וְקִנְיָ֔ן לִשְׁלֹ֖ל שָׁלָ֥ל גָּדֽוֹל׃ס
Ezekiel 38:14 לָכֵן֙ הִנָּבֵ֣א בֶן־אָדָ֔ם וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ לְג֔וֹג כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה הֲל֣וֹא׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא בְּשֶׁ֨בֶת עַמִּ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל לָבֶ֖טַח תֵּדָֽע׃
Ezekiel 38:15 וּבָ֤אתָ מִמְּקֽוֹמְךָ֙ מִיַּרְכְּתֵ֣י צָפ֔וֹן אַתָּ֕ה וְעַמִּ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים אִתָּ֑ךְ רֹכְבֵ֤י סוּסִים֙ כֻּלָּ֔ם קָהָ֥ל גָּד֖וֹל וְחַ֥יִל רָֽב׃
Ezekiel 38:16 וְעָלִ֙יתָ֙ עַל־עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֶּֽעָנָ֖ן לְכַסּ֣וֹת הָאָ֑רֶץ בְּאַחֲרִ֨ית הַיָּמִ֜ים תִּֽהְיֶ֗ה וַהֲבִאוֹתִ֙יךָ֙ עַל־אַרְצִ֔י לְמַעַן֩ דַּ֨עַת הַגּוֹיִ֜ם אֹתִ֗י בְּהִקָּדְשִׁ֥י בְךָ֛ לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם גּֽוֹג׃ס
Ezekiel 38:17 כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הַֽאַתָּה־ה֨וּא אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֜רְתִּי בְּיָמִ֣ים קַדְמוֹנִ֗ים בְּיַד֙ עֲבָדַי֙ נְבִיאֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַֽנִּבְּאִ֛ים בַּיָּמִ֥ים הָהֵ֖ם שָׁנִ֑ים לְהָבִ֥יא אֹתְךָ֖ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ס
Ezekiel 38:18 וְהָיָ֣ה׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא בְּי֨וֹם בּ֥וֹא גוֹג֙ עַל־אַדְמַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה תַּעֲלֶ֥ה חֲמָתִ֖י בְּאַפִּֽי׃
Ezekiel 38:19 וּבְקִנְאָתִ֥י בְאֵשׁ־עֶבְרָתִ֖י דִּבַּ֑רְתִּי אִם־לֹ֣א׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִֽהְיֶה֙ רַ֣עַשׁ גָּד֔וֹל עַ֖ל אַדְמַ֥ת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Ezekiel 38:20 וְרָעֲשׁ֣וּ מִפָּנַ֡י דְּגֵ֣י הַיָּם֩ וְע֨וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם וְחַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה וְכָל־הָרֶ֙מֶשׂ֙ הָרֹמֵ֣שׂ עַל־הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה וְכֹל֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הָאֲדָמָ֑ה וְנֶהֶרְס֣וּ הֶהָרִ֗ים וְנָֽפְלוּ֙ הַמַּדְרֵג֔וֹת וְכָל־חוֹמָ֖ה לָאָ֥רֶץ תִּפּֽוֹל׃
Ezekiel 38:21 וְקָרָ֨אתִי עָלָ֤יו לְכָל־הָרַי֙ חֶ֔רֶב נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה חֶ֥רֶב אִ֖ישׁ בְּאָחִ֥יו תִּֽהְיֶֽה׃
Ezekiel 38:22 וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּ֥י אִתּ֖וֹ בְּדֶ֣בֶר וּבְדָ֑ם וְגֶ֣שֶׁם שׁוֹטֵף֩ וְאַבְנֵ֨י אֶלְגָּבִ֜ישׁ אֵ֣שׁ וְגָפְרִ֗ית אַמְטִ֤יר עָלָיו֙ וְעַל־אֲגַפָּ֔יו וְעַל־עַמִּ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃
Ezekiel 38:23 וְהִתְגַּדִּלְתִּי֙ וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתִּ֔י וְנ֣וֹדַעְתִּ֔י לְעֵינֵ֖י גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֑ים וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ס