Ezekiel 38:13
in Ezekiel 38Sheba 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?’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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?
KJV
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?
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This verse in Ezekiel 38
Commentary
8 notes on this verseSheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish,.... These are not any of the people that shall come along with Gog on his expedition; but some neighbouring nations bordering on Judea, who will address him in the following manner, as he passes through them, or by them.
This site's exposition
you will devise an evil plan
on Ezekiel 38:10-13
The Lord names Gog's thought before he acts on it. Sheba, Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish state the motive, naming “silver and gold” and “cattle and goods” as the plunder. Gill notes the irony that the merchants ask the very question the reader is meant to ask.
This site's exposition
Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish
Sheba and Dedan were Arabian trading peoples, and Tarshish lay far to the west, so the question comes from the ends of the trade routes. John Gill reads them as onlookers, outside Gog's army. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown hear in their question the hope of a share in the loot.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Chapter XXXVIII.) \"And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, set your face against Gog, the land of Magog, the prince of the head (or head of) Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him. And you shall say to him: Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of the head (or head of) Meshech and Tubal.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
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 L ORD . This latter part of the chapter is a repetition of the former; the dream is doubled, for the thing is certain and to be very carefully regarded.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:27w-of-56
Dedan - By these are noted, the eastern nations that assisted. Tarshish - The inhabitants of the sea-coast westward, and Magog north. The young lions - Young men thirsty of blood, but more of spoil, resolve to join, if they may rob and spoil for themselves.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Sheba, and Dedan - The Arabians, anciently great plunderers; and Tarshish, the inhabitants of the famous isle of Tartessus, the most noted merchants of the time. They are here represented as coming to Antiochus before he undertook the expedition, and bargaining for the spoils of the Jews. Art thou come to take a spoil, to carry away silver and gold, cattle and goods?
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Sheba, &c.--These mercantile peoples, though not taking an active part against the cause of God, are well pleased to see others do it. Worldliness makes them ready to deal in the ill-gotten spoil of the invaders of God's people. Gain is before godliness with them (1 Maccabees 3:41). young lions--daring princes and leaders.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
to return your hand upon the resettled ruins To destroy a second time the cities that were in ruins until now, and now have been settled.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
you will know Jonathan renders: you will know the retribution of My might, i.e., you will know and recognize Who is their might and their stronghold.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
25 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שְׁבָ֡א | sheva' | Sheba | H7614 → | 23 times |
| וּ֠דְדָן | udedon | and Dedan | H1719 → | 11 times |
| וְסֹחֲרֵ֨י | vesocharei | and [the] traders of | H5503 → | 21 times |
| תַרְשִׁ֤ישׁ | tarshish | Tarshish | H8659 → | 28 times |
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| כְּפִרֶ֙יהָ֙ | kefireiha | young lions its | H3715 → | 32 times |
| יֹאמְר֣וּ | yomeru | they will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לְךָ֔ | lekha | to you | ||
| הֲלִשְׁלֹ֤ל | halishlol | ¿ to plunder | H7997 → | 16 times |
| שָׁלָל֙ | shalal | plunder | H7998 → | 73 times |
| אַתָּ֣ה | ʾatah | [are] you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| בָ֔א | va' | coming | H935 → | 2568 times |
| הֲלָבֹ֥ז | halavoz | ¿ to take as spoil | H962 → | 43 times |
| בַּ֖ז | baz | spoil | H957 → | 25 times |
| הִקְהַ֣לְתָּ | hikhalta | have you assembled | H6950 → | |
| קְהָלֶ֑ךָ | kehalecha | company your | H6951 → | 123 times |
| לָשֵׂ֣את׀ | laset | to carry away | H5375 → | 656 times |
| כֶּ֣סֶף | kesef | silver | H3701 → | 403 times |
| וְזָהָ֗ב | vezahav | and gold | H2091 → | 389 times |
| לָקַ֙חַת֙ | lakachat | to take | H3947 → | 966 times |
| מִקְנֶ֣ה | mikneh | livestock | H4735 → | |
| וְקִנְיָ֔ן | vekinyan | and possession[s] | H7075 → | |
| לִשְׁלֹ֖ל | lishlol | to plunder | H7997 → | 16 times |
| שָׁלָ֥ל | shalal | plunder | H7998 → | 73 times |
| גָּדֽוֹל׃ ס | gadol | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
שְׁבָ֡אSheba
sheva'H7614 →23 times
וּ֠דְדָןand Dedan
udedonH1719 →11 times
וְסֹחֲרֵ֨יand [the] traders of
vesochareiH5503 →21 times
תַרְשִׁ֤ישׁTarshish
tarshishH8659 →28 times
וְכָל־and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
כְּפִרֶ֙יהָ֙young lions its
kefireihaH3715 →32 times
יֹאמְר֣וּthey will say
yomeruH559 →5305 times
לְךָ֔to you
lekha
הֲלִשְׁלֹ֤ל¿ to plunder
halishlolH7997 →16 times
שָׁלָל֙plunder
shalalH7998 →73 times
אַתָּ֣ה[are] you
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
בָ֔אcoming
va'H935 →2568 times
הֲלָבֹ֥ז¿ to take as spoil
halavozH962 →43 times
בַּ֖זspoil
bazH957 →25 times
הִקְהַ֣לְתָּhave you assembled
hikhaltaH6950 →
קְהָלֶ֑ךָcompany your
kehalechaH6951 →123 times
לָשֵׂ֣את׀to carry away
lasetH5375 →656 times
כֶּ֣סֶףsilver
kesefH3701 →403 times
וְזָהָ֗בand gold
vezahavH2091 →389 times
לָקַ֙חַת֙to take
lakachatH3947 →966 times
מִקְנֶ֣הlivestock
miknehH4735 →
וְקִנְיָ֔ןand possession[s]
vekinyanH7075 →
לִשְׁלֹ֖לto plunder
lishlolH7997 →16 times
שָׁלָ֥לplunder
shalalH7998 →73 times
גָּדֽוֹל׃ סgreat
gadolH1419 →526 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ezekiel 27:15The men of Dedan were your clients; many coastlands were your market; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 10:22
For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 18:12
cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble;
- Genesis 10:7
The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. And the sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
- 1 Kings 10:22
Through
Ezekiel 25:13therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will stretch out My hand against Edom and cut off from it both man and beast. I will make it a wasteland, and from Teman…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 25:23
Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who cut the corners of their hair;
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 29:8
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will bring a sword against you and cut off from you man and beast.
- Jeremiah 25:23
Through
Ezekiel 32:2“Son of man, take up a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: ‘You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas. You thrash…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 29:3
Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies among his rivers, who says,…
- Nahum 2:11–13
Where is the lions’ lair or the feeding ground of the young lions, where the lion and lioness prowled with their cubs, with nothing to frighten them away?
- Ezekiel 29:3
Through
Ezekiel 27:25The ships of Tarshish carried your merchandise. And you were filled with heavy cargo in the heart of the sea.
it leads to
- Isaiah 2:16
against every ship of Tarshish, and against every stately vessel.
- Isaiah 2:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Patrick Fairbairn, An Exposition of Ezekiel.