Ezekiel 38:23
in Ezekiel 38I will magnify and sanctify Myself, and will reveal Myself in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I will magnify myself, and sanctify myself, and I will make myself known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.
KJV
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 Lord.
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This verse in Ezekiel 38
Commentary
7 notes on this verseMagnify - Undeniably prove that I am the mighty, just, faithful, wise, holy, and merciful God. Sanctify - Declare I am holy, and true to my word.
This site's exposition
every man’s sword will be against his brother
on Ezekiel 38:21-23
Gog's host turns on itself, “every man’s sword will be against his brother,” the same panic that scattered Gideon's Midianites. The plagues gather the language of Sodom's judgment. The oracle closes where the book always closes, “Then they will know that I am the LORD,” making Gog's defeat a revelation.
This site's exposition
I will magnify and sanctify Myself
This verse states the aim of the whole Gog oracle. John Wesley explains magnify as proving God mighty, just and faithful, and sanctify as declaring Him holy and true to His word. The refrain that ends the verse appears again at 39:6, 7, 22 and 28.
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
): Thus will I magnify myself and sanctify myself. Note, In the destruction of sinners God makes it to appear that he is a great and holy God, and he will do so to eternity. And, if men do not magnify and sanctify him as they ought, he will magnify himself, and sanctify himself; and this we should desire and pray for daily, Father, glorify thy own name.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Thus will l magnify myself, and sanctify myself,....
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהִתְגַּדִּלְתִּי֙ | vehitgadilti | and I will show myself great | H1431 → | 117 times |
| וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתִּ֔י | vehitkadishti | and I will show myself holy | H6942 → | 171 times |
| וְנ֣וֹדַעְתִּ֔י | venoda'ti | and I will make myself known | H3045 → | 945 times |
| לְעֵינֵ֖י | leeinei | to [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| גּוֹיִ֣ם | goyim | nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| רַבִּ֑ים | rabim | many | H7227 → | 454 times |
| וְיָדְע֖וּ | veyadeu | and they will know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֲנִ֥י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ ס | yahweh | [am] Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וְהִתְגַּדִּלְתִּי֙and I will show myself great
vehitgadiltiH1431 →117 times
וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתִּ֔יand I will show myself holy
vehitkadishtiH6942 →171 times
וְנ֣וֹדַעְתִּ֔יand I will make myself known
venoda'tiH3045 →945 times
לְעֵינֵ֖יto [the] eyes of
leeineiH5869 →887 times
גּוֹיִ֣םnations
goyimH1471 →561 times
רַבִּ֑יםmany
rabimH7227 →454 times
וְיָדְע֖וּand they will know
veyadeuH3045 →945 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
אֲנִ֥יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
יְהוָֽה׃ ס[am] Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 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
Psalms 9:16The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion Selah
it leads to
- Exodus 7:5
And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.”
- Proverbs 12:13
An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech, but a righteous man escapes from trouble.
- Exodus 7:5
Through
Ezekiel 36:23I will show the holiness of My great name, which has been profaned among the nations—the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 20:41
When I bring you from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered, I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. And I will show My holiness through…
- Isaiah 5:16
But the LORD of Hosts will be exalted by His justice, and the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.
- Ezekiel 39:7
So I will make My holy name known among My people Israel and will no longer allow it to be profaned. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One…
- Ezekiel 39:28
Then they will know that I am the LORD their God, when I regather them to their own land, not leaving any of them behind after their exile among the nations.
- Psalms 46:10
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.”
- Ezekiel 20:41
Through
Ezekiel 38:16You will advance against My people Israel like a cloud covering the land. It will happen in the latter days, O Gog, that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 39:21
I will display My glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the judgment that I execute and the hand that I lay upon them.
- Ezekiel 39:21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Patrick Fairbairn, An Exposition of Ezekiel.