Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 38:7
Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
7 9. Injunction to Gog to be in readiness for the latter days when Jehovah shall lead him forth
7. a guard unto them ] The term means something to be kept or observed, a rallying point; Gog shall be the leader of the people though the word hardly means strictly “standard” (Ew.). For “unto them” LXX. reads “unto me,” giving the meaning that Gog shall be kept “in reserve” by Jehovah for his future operations ( Eze 38:8).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Spoken ironically. Make all thy preparations, they will be in vain.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Be thou prepared: it is an irony; God, the prophet, and the church deride this mighty preparation, as once the daughter of Zion laughed Sennacherib, that proud Assyrian, to scorn, and the scoff is doubled.
Prepare for thyself; such a mighty army will need great magazines and granaries, and good watches and guards for their marching in safety, therefore awaken thy diligence, let nothing be wanting, for, O Gog, thou wilt find I am against thee, saith the Lord.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. Irony. Prepare thee and allthine with all needful accoutrements for warthat ye may perishtogether.
be . . . a guard untothemthat is, if thou canst.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself,…. All warlike stores and provisions: this is ironically said; and suggests that he would do so, and yet all would be in vain, and to no purpose:
thou and all thy company, that are assembled unto thee; or all thine armies, as the Targum, gathered out of his dominions, and made up of his auxiliaries and allies; let them all be furnished with arms, and everything proper for the expedition designed:
and be thou a guard unto them; the general of them; let them observe and obey thy word of command; guide and direct, guard and protect them in their march; and take care of them when entered the land of Judea, that they are not exposed to any unnecessary danger, or cut off by any stratagem or ambush: this is also sarcastically said; signifying that let him use all the care and caution that a wise and prudent general can do, yet he and his army should perish.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7) Be thou a guard unto them.Every preparation is to be made on the part of Gog and the nations, and then Gog himself is to be their guard, or to control and guide the assault.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7-12. Let the enemy of Israel thoroughly prepare himself (Eze 38:7) for “at the end of the years” (Isa 2:2; Dan 10:14) his sins shall be remembered (compare Eze 23:21), and he shall be “visited” (Eze 38:8), or “commissioned.” (Compare Eze 38:16.) He shall have thoughts of an easy victory over an unprotected and peaceful country (Eze 38:10-11), and shall come like a storm-cloud against Israel (Eze 38:9; compare Isa 21:1; Isa 28:2, and Iliad, 6:275), a land which, in the new conditions of the new Israel, shall be “brought back” (Eze 38:8, A.V.) or “restored” (R.V., margin) from the sword (compare Eze 5:17; Eze 6:3; Eze 6:13; Eze 36:13; with Eze 34:28; Eze 37:26; Eze 39:26), and whose mountains, which in the past had been “a continual waste” (Eze 38:8, R.V., Eze 35:9) shall now be covered with cattle (Eze 38:12). But his plans shall fail.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
7. A guard Kautzsch, sign, or ensign. Rather, R.V., margin, “a commander.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“In the latter days you will come to the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples on the mountains of Israel, which have been a continual waste, but it (Israel) is brought forth from the peoples, and they will dwell securely, all of them.”
‘In the latter days’ simply indicates some time in the not too near future. Ezekiel confirms again that the land will have been delivered from the sword and that the people of Israel will have been gathered out of many peoples, returning not just from Babylon but from many nations, gathering on the mountains of Israel (the heart of Israel) which had been a continual waste up to that point, and dwelling there securely. Such a return took place after what we call The Exile. Then there will come One Who will commence proclaiming the Kingly Rule of God, God’s servant ‘David’ (Eze 37:24), and then these forces of darkness will begin their attack. This will be ‘in the latter days’. While this need only indicate some time much later, it may also indicate the days of the Messiah, when the Messiah comes, which are seen as ‘the last days, the end of the ages’. And the birth of Jesus into the world certainly did produce new attacks from Satanic forces as His constant contacts with evil spirits demonstrate (compare Rev 12:3-4; Rev 12:13-17).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
“Be prepared, yes, prepare yourselves, you and all your companies who are gathered to you, and you be a sentinel for them. After many days you will be mustered.”
Gog is told to put his armies on the alert and act as their sentinel so that they will know when to act. He is to wait for the call of God. It is a comfort to the people of God to know that even Gog is ‘chained’. But the day will come, after many days, when they will be mustered, led along by Yahweh by the hooks in their jaws (Eze 38:4). Everything about this passage delays it into the future, in contrast with the previous oracles on the nations. It must await God’s timing. This is the mystery of history. They work out their own will, and yet they do God’s will as well.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 38:7. Be thou prepared Come, make thy preparations, thou and all, &c. meaning the warlike preparations. But Cambyses made no warlike preparations against Judaea, nor entered that country before he had lost his army in Egypt. These preparations, therefore, cannot properly refer to him. See Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 38:7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
Ver. 7. Be thou prepared. ] Comparator et compara te; muster up all thy forces, and see to their safety. But canst thou ward off my blows? moat thyself up against my fire?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eze 38:7-9
7Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. 8After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them. 9You will go up, you will come like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you.
Eze 38:7 There are two IMPERATIVES that address this great army. Like Eze 38:4, YHWH is directing this pagan, evil army for His purposes (note NJB translation, and hold yourself at my service, also note Eze 38:8).
1. be prepared, BDB 465, KB 464, Niphal IMPERATIVE
2. prepare yourself, same VERB, but in the Hiphil
Eze 38:8 This verse obviously refers to a restored and peaceful Palestine. It describes the results of the new heart and new spirit of Eze 36:22-38 and the restoration, gathering, and uniting of Ezekiel 37.
living securely This VERB (BDB 442, KB 444, Qal PERFECT) is repeated in Eze 36:28; Eze 36:33; Eze 36:35; Eze 37:25 (thrice); Eze 38:11 (twice); 12 (twice), 14; Eze 39:6; Eze 39:9; Eze 39:26. They are back in the land of promise. The term securely (BDB 105) is repeated in Eze 28:26 (twice); Eze 34:25; Eze 34:27-28; Eze 38:11; Eze 39:26. God’s people trust in Him to provide protection. YHWH vindicates His power and honor by totally and completely defeating the multi-national army (like Assyria’s and Babylon’s). His people were not exiled because of His weakness or indifference, but because of their sin, which has now been forgiven.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
company. So (singular) in many codices and seven early printed editions; but some codices, with three early printed editions, read plural. See note on Eze 38:4.
be thou a guard, &c. Septuagint reads “thou will be for Me a guard. “
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Eze 38:7-9
Eze 38:7-9
“Be thou prepared, yea, prepare thyself, thou, and all thy companies that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years, thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, upon the mountains of Israel, which have been a continual waste, and they shall dwell securely, all of them. And thou shalt ascend, and shall come like a storm, thou shalt be like a storm to cover the land, thou, and all thy hordes, and many peoples with thee.”
“Thou shalt come into the land …” (Eze 38:18) This speaks of the time when Satan shall enter “the land” itself, arriving like a great storm cloud and covering the whole land (Eze 38:9). This will not happen soon.
“After many days … in the latter years …” (Eze 38:8). It will be at the time spoken of a few paragraphs above, when the complacency, indifference, unbelief and apostasy of the New Israel shall give Satan the opportunity to enter the holy Church itself. Gog (in whom Satan dwelt) is said to enter the land, which in the language of Ezekiel, meant God’s people. Note the land was “covered,” an indication that the true faith was almost extinguished. That was the appropriate time for “The End” to come; and this prophecy indicates that that is indeed when it will come (Eze 38:16).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
2Ch 25:8, Psa 2:1-4, Isa 8:9, Isa 8:10, Isa 37:22, Jer 46:3-5, Jer 46:14-16, Jer 51:12, Joe 3:9-12, Amo 4:12, Zec 14:2, Zec 14:3
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 38:7. This verse is a form of challenge to Magog lo make the best preparation possible. It is suggested (by way of taunt) that all these foreign allies stand by each other in the attack upon Palestine if they want to be sure of success.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 38:7. Be thou prepared The prophet, speaking ironically, encourages Gog and his allies to make all warlike preparations, and muster all their forces together, that God might gain the greater honour by their signal defeat: see Eze 38:16. And be thou a guard unto them Let them rely upon thy prowess and conduct as their leader.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
38:7 Be thou prepared, and {e} prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled to thee, and be thou a guard to them.
(e) Signifying that all the people of the world would assemble themselves against the Church and Christ their head.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The Lord told Gog to be ready with his allies. He would summon Gog to attack the Promised Land when the Israelites were back in it having been re-gathered in the end times (cf. Jer 32:14; Dan 8:26). The Israelites would be living securely in their land at this time enjoying peaceful conditions (cf. Eze 37:26). Gog and his allies would descend on the land like a storm cloud.