Ezekiel 38:2
in Ezekiel 38“Son of man, set your face against Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Son of man, set thy face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
KJV
Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
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This verse in Ezekiel 38
Commentary
10 notes on this verseSon of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog - This is allowed to be the most difficult prophecy in the Old Testament. It is difficult to us, because we know not the king nor people intended by it: but I am satisfied they were well known by these names in the time that the prophet wrote. I have already remarked in the introduction to this book that there are but two opinions on this subject that appear to be at all probable: 1. That which makes Gog Cambyses, king of Persia; and,
This site's exposition
the word of the LORD came to me
on Ezekiel 38:1-3
The word of the LORD sends the prophet against “Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal”. The older commentators place Magog among the Scythian peoples of the north and read Meshech and Tubal as the Moschi and Tibareni of Asia Minor.
This site's exposition
Gog of the land of Magog
Adam Clarke calls this the hardest prophecy in the Old Testament and names Cambyses of Persia as one candidate for Gog. John Wesley denies that Gog is a single prince and notes that some place the fulfillment still in the future. Readers remain divided on the question.
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 Awakening3 voices
Gog - This cannot be one single person, or prince, though perhaps it points out some one, by whom the troubles foretold were begun. Some believe the time is still to come, wherein this prophecy is to be fulfilled.
The confusion which God designed to put this enemy to. It is remarkable that this is put first in the prophecy; before it is foretold that God will bring him forth against Israel it is foretold that God will put hooks into his jaws and turn him back (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Son of man, set thy face against Gog,.... Of the phrase, "setting the face towards", or "against"; see Gill on Eze 6:2, Eze 21:2, Eze 25:2 but who this Gog is the prophet is bid boldly to face, and intrepidly declare the wrath of God against, interpreters are divided about.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
HENGSTENBERG supports English Version, as "Rosh" is not found in the Bible. "Magog was Gog's original kingdom, though he acquired also Meshech and Tubal, so as to be called their chief prince."
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Gog ... - Gog of the land of Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. “Gog” is here the name of a captain from “the land of Magog” (compare Gen 10:2) the name of a people of the north, placed between “Gomer” (the Cimmerians) and “Madai” (the Medes). In the History of Assurbanipal from cuneiform inscriptions, a chief of the Saka (Scythians), called Ga-a-gi, is identified by some with Gog. Rosh, if a proper name, occurs in this connection only.
Modern Voices1 voice
So begins this classic passage in which Gog and Magog, with their allies, are drawn into an invasion of Israel only to have the God of Israel use the occasion to show Himself strong by intervening on behalf of His people and destroying the invading forces.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
And the word of nevuah from before Hashem was with me, saying:
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
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בֶּן־ | ben- | O son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אָדָ֗ם | ʾadam | humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
| שִׂ֤ים | sim | set | H7760 → | 584 times |
| פָּנֶ֙יךָ֙ | paneikha | face your | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| גּוֹג֙ | goyg | Gog | H1463 → | 10 times |
| אֶ֣רֶץ | ʾeretz | [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| הַמָּג֔וֹג | hamagog | <the> Magog | H4031 → | |
| נְשִׂ֕יא | nesi' | [the] prince of | H5387 → | 134 times |
| רֹ֖אשׁ | rosh | [the] head of | H7218 → | 599 times |
| מֶ֣שֶׁךְ | meshekh | Meshech | H4902 → | 9 times |
| וְתֻבָ֑ל | vetuval | and Tubal | H8422 → | 8 times |
| וְהִנָּבֵ֖א | vehinave' | and prophesy | H5012 → | 115 times |
| עָלָֽיו׃ | ʾalav | on him | H5921 → | 5755 times |
בֶּן־O son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
אָדָ֗םhumankind
ʾadamH120 →551 times
שִׂ֤יםset
simH7760 →584 times
פָּנֶ֙יךָ֙face your
paneikhaH6440 →2123 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
גּוֹג֙Gog
goygH1463 →10 times
אֶ֣רֶץ[the] land of
ʾeretzH776 →2504 times
הַמָּג֔וֹג<the> Magog
hamagogH4031 →
נְשִׂ֕יא[the] prince of
nesi'H5387 →134 times
רֹ֖אשׁ[the] head of
roshH7218 →599 times
מֶ֣שֶׁךְMeshech
meshekhH4902 →9 times
וְתֻבָ֑לand Tubal
vetuvalH8422 →8 times
וְהִנָּבֵ֖אand prophesy
vehinave'H5012 →115 times
עָלָֽיו׃on him
ʾalavH5921 →5755 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 27:13Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your merchants. They exchanged slaves and bronze utensils for your merchandise.
it leads to
- Isaiah 66:19
I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 10:2
The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
- Ezekiel 39:1
“As for you, O son of man, prophesy against Gog and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 1:5
The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
- Revelation 18:13
of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots; of slaves and souls of men.
- Isaiah 66:19
Through
Ezekiel 39:1“As for you, O son of man, prophesy against Gog and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 38:2–3
“Son of man, set your face against Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him
- Ezekiel 35:3
and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Mount Seir. I will stretch out My hand against you and make you a desolate waste.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 38:2–3
Through
Genesis 10:2The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 38:6
as well as Gomer with all its troops, and Beth-togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you.
- Ezekiel 38:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ezekiel
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Chuck Missler, The Magog Identity (article); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.