Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 38:13
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?
13. The merchant peoples are roused to excitement by the enterprise of Gog; probably it is the hope of gain by trafficking with him for his spoil that excites them hardly envy at the rich harvest lying before him. On Sheba Eze 27:22; Dedan Eze 27:20; Tarshish Eze 27:12.
all the young lions ] Cf. Eze 19:3; Eze 19:5, Eze 32:2. The term might be thought not very suitable to a troop of camp followers intent merely on traffic. The term is probably used generally to describe the eminence of these merchant people hardly to represent them as thirsting for gain, as lions for prey!
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 13. 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?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Sheba: see Eze 27:22; this Sheba was southward, and contains all of that coast which assisted Gog.
Dedan; Idumeans, or the most easterly parts of Arabia Deserta: by these are noted the eastern nations that assisted, say some.
The merchants of Tarshish; the inhabitants of the sea-coast westward, and Magog north. Robbers by land on three sides, pirates by sea on the fourth, in a confederacy to spoil the church of God.
The young lions; young men thirsty of blood, but more of spoil, flock to Gog, resolved to join, if they may rob and spoil for themselves.
Art thou come to take a spoil? this repeated inquiry made by these, I suppose, is not so much to sound the intentions of Gog, as it is a capitulation and agreement to come to his assistance; and on condition they might have, possess, and carry away what they seize, they are for him; and they mention particulars,
silver, gold, cattle, goods. They are thus exact, out of foresight what little part they might have without such a compact.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. Sheba, &c.Thesemercantile peoples, though not taking an active part against thecause of God, are well pleased to see others do it. Worldliness makesthem ready to deal in the ill-gotten spoil of the invaders of God’speople. Gain is before godliness with them (1 Maccabees 3:41).
young lionsdaringprinces and leaders.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Sheba, 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. Sheba and Dedan design the Arabians inhabiting that part of Arabia which lay near to Judea, even Arabia Petraea and Felix; and the merchants of Tarshish are the Tyrians and Zidonians that traded by sea, as Tarshish sometimes signifies; or to Tartessus in Spain, where they had much traffic; and may design the people of those places that will at this time be living in Palestine, that trade by sea to foreign parts. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it the “Carthaginian merchants”, or “the merchants of Carthage”:
with all the young lions thereof; which some interpret of sea pirates, for their cruelty and voraciousness. The Targum paraphrases it, all the kings thereof; and so Kimchi thinks kings and princes are meant; but the Septuagint version renders it, all their villages; and so the Syriac version, all the cities:
shall say unto thee, art thou come to take a spoil? either out of compassion to the people of the Jews; or rather by way of congratulation, and as expressive of joy at it; or else out of envy that they have no share in it; suggesting that they would gladly join with him, and partake of the booty:
hast thou gathered thy company together to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? all which it is supposed might easily be done; only they might wonder that so rich a potentate as the Turk should give himself the trouble to raise such an army, and come so far, for cattle and goods, and silver and gold of which he had such plenty. Gog gives no answer, but God does.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(13) Sheba, and Dedan . . . . Tarshish.The first two are districts of Arabia, and the last is probably the Tartessus in Spain. These names seem to be added to those of Eze. 38:5-6, to show that all the nations of the world sympathise in this attack upon the Church.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. For Sheba, Dedan, and Tarshish see notes Eze 27:20; Eze 27:22; Eze 27:25. The prominent and prosperous condition of the new Israel (Eze 38:12) and the terrific attack of Gog upon it draw the attention of these states and the young lions thereof. If the text is correct, compare Eze 29:3; Eze 29:6. Cornill reads, “traffickers thereof.” Slave dealers and other traders always hang upon the heels of an oriental army. (Compare Isa 23:8.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish, with all their young lions (or ‘all its villages’), will say to you, ‘Are you come to take the spoil? Have you gathered your company to take the prey? To carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take great spoil?’
These merchants of Tarshish probably came from the African coast. (We can gather this from 1Ki 10:22; 1Ki 22:48; 2Ch 20:36, for Ezion-geber, mentioned in these verses, would not be a port from which ships sailed to Sardinia or Spain). So Arabia and East Africa are seen as standing by ready to trade in the spoils. While they have not attacked the people of God they are ready to benefit from what had happened. There is no earthly support anywhere for God’s people. And ‘the young lions’ may be intended to indicate that they too were waiting, eager and ready to seize the prey, like a lion pack circling the quarry.
Note.
There is no way that all this can all be referred to Israel in the present day. Israel today is not defenceless (‘unwalled’, ‘without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’), indeed she has powerful defences. No one will descend and catch her napping. But she does not ‘dwell securely’ She has to be constantly on the alert. Nor is she now the true Israel of God. Nor is she established in an everlasting land (Eze 37:26-28).
However if there were a great movement of the Spirit bringing a large number of Israelis to recognise Jesus as their Messiah and become part of the new Israel, so that there was a firm witness in Jerusalem (see Revelation 11), there might be a case for seeing a secondary more literal fulfilment alongside the spiritual fulfilment.
Then interestingly the situation could be applied to the Muslim threat against Israel. All the places mentioned are mainly Muslim countries. They take in much of the Muslim world. And fanatical Muslims gathered round a fanatical Muslim leader could also theoretically be the source of the monotheistic religion spoken of in Revelation in the worship of the beast who came from the Abyss (Rev 16:12-14; Rev 17:11-13; Rev 19:19-21) which sought to destroy the people of God. But this is secondary to the main issue and interpretation. And we must be wary of speculation. For a long time it was Russia that was seen as the great enemy. History makes fools of us all.
End of note.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 38:13. Tarshish Houbigant reads, Tartessus, with all the villages. Eze 38:14. Shalt thou not know it?] Thou shalt be raised up. Houbigant, after the LXX, and very agreeably to the context.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 38:13 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?
Ver. 13. Sheba and Dedan. ] The Arabians, who lived by roving and robbing.
With all the young lions.
Art thou come to take a prey?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Sheba, Ac. These are some who protest.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Sheba: Eze 27:12, Eze 27:15, Eze 27:20, Eze 27:22, Eze 27:23, Eze 27:25
with: Eze 19:3-6, Eze 32:2, Psa 57:4, Jer 50:17, Jer 51:38, Nah 2:11-13, Zec 11:3
Reciprocal: 1Ki 10:1 – Sheba Psa 76:4 – mountains Eze 39:6 – in the isles
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 38:13. Shelia, Dedan and Tar- shish were mercantile people and v. ere heathenish as were the people of Magog. For that reason they would be sympathetic toward any movement attempted against the people of God. This verse represents them as inquiring of the people of Magog about then- purpose in coming into the land of Israel. The language is in question form but tbe thought is that they hoped the invaders would take these things from the people of Israel. Being merchants themselves, they were envious of the prosperous condition of the Israelites and took delight in the prospect of seeing them spoiled, The young lions is figurative and means the princes and other leading men of these merchant nations.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
38:13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all its young lions, shall say to thee, {h} 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?
(h) One enemy will envy another because everyone will think to have the spoil of the Church.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Other nations would also inquire about Gog’s intentions and clarify his purpose to take much spoil from the Israelites. Sheba was in eastern Arabia, Dedan in Arabia, and Tarshish was in southern Spain or Sardinia.