Ezekiel 39

This chapter continues and concludes the prophecy against Gog that begins in Ezekiel 38. The vision of the new temple begins in the following chapter, chapter 40.

Outline

• Verses 1–6 God brings Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, out of the north and strikes the bow and arrows from his hands. Gog's army falls on the mountains of Israel and becomes food for the birds and the beasts of the field, and fire is sent upon Magog and upon those who dwell in the isles.
• Verses 7–8 God makes His holy name known in the midst of Israel and declares that the day of which He has spoken has come.
• Verses 9–10 The inhabitants of the cities of Israel burn the enemy's weapons as fuel for seven years, and they plunder those who had plundered them.
• Verses 11–16 Gog and his multitude are buried in a valley east of the sea, which is called the Valley of Hamon-gog. The burial takes seven months and cleanses the land; afterward, whenever those passing through the land see a bone, they set up a marker beside it so that it may be buried. The name of the city will be Hamonah.
• Verses 17–20 The birds and beasts are summoned to a great feast on the flesh of the mighty and the blood of the princes.
• Verses 21–24 The nations see God's judgment and come to know that Israel went into captivity because of its iniquity.
• Verses 25–29 God brings back the captivity of Jacob and has mercy on them. He promises never again to hide His face, for He has poured out His Spirit upon Israel.

Key Verses

• Ezekiel 39:7 "So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel": This verse shows that the purpose of the judgment is to make God's name known.
• Ezekiel 39:25 "Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob": Here the prophecy of judgment turns to a promise of restoration.
• Ezekiel 39:29 "For I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel": This promise of the outpouring of the Spirit is frequently linked with the New Testament understanding of the Holy Spirit.

People and Places

• Gog: The prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, an enemy who comes from the north to attack Israel.
• Magog: The name of the land associated with Gog.
• Valley of Hamon-gog: Meaning "the multitude of Gog," the valley where Gog's army is buried.
• Hamonah: The name given to a city near the burial site.
• Bashan: A region east of the Jordan, mentioned in the imagery of fatlings.
• Jacob: Used here as a name for the nation of Israel.

Interpretive Considerations

Interpretations differ regarding the identity of Gog and Magog. Some attempt to identify them with particular historical peoples, while others understand them as symbolizing the final enemy that attacks God's people. Depending on the translation and the scholar, "Rosh" is read either as a place name or as a word meaning "chief." Some within the dispensationalist tradition have interpreted this chapter as a prophecy of a specific end-time war, whereas other traditions read it as symbolic imagery.

In the New Testament, Gog and Magog appear again in Revelation 20:7–15. The feast of the birds in verses 17–20 resembles the scene in Revelation 19. For this reason, the chapter also bears on interpretations of the millennium. The promise of the outpouring of the Spirit in verse 29 is sometimes read in connection with the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.