The army, 1-7, and malice of Gog, 8-13. God's judgment against him, 14-23.
1 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, set your face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 And say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4 And I will turn you back and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you forth with all your army—horses and horsemen all clothed with all sorts of armor, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords; 5 Persia, Cush, and Phut with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6 Gomer and all his bands, the house of Togarmah of the north quarters and all his bands, and many people with you.
7 "Be prepared, and prepare yourself—you and all your company who are assembled to you—and be a guard to them. 8 After many days you shall be visited. In the latter years you shall 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 always been waste. But it is brought forth out of the nations and they shall all dwell in safety. 9 You shall ascend and come like a storm. You shall be like a cloud to cover the land—you and all your bands, and many people with you."
10 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "It shall also come to pass, that at the same time things shall come into your mind, and you shall think an evil thought. 11 And you shall say, 'I will go up to the land of unwalled villages. I will go to those who are at rest, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars nor gates,' 12 To take loot and to take plunder, to turn your hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited and upon the people who are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. 13 Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all its young lions shall say to you, 'Have you come to take loot? Have you gathered your company to take plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take great plunder?'"'
14 "Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "In that day when my people of Israel dwell safely, shall you not know it? 15 And you shall come from your place out of the north parts—you and many people with you, all of them riding upon horses, a great company and a mighty army. 16 And you shall come against my people of Israel as a cloud to cover the land. It shall be in the latter days, and I will bring you against my land, so that the heathen may know me when I have been sanctified in you, O Gog, before their eyes."
17 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Are you he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days many years that I would bring you against them? 18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog comes against the land of Israel," says the Lord GOD, "that my fury shall come up in my face. 19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath I have said that surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel, 20 So that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heaven, the beasts of the field, all creeping animals that creep upon the earth, and all the men who are upon the face of the earth shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be overturned, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains," says the Lord GOD. "Every man's sword shall be against his brother. 22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood, and I will rain upon him, upon his bands, and upon the many people who are with him, an overflowing rain, with great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23 Thus I will 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."'"
Matthew Henry Commentary - Ezekiel, Chapter 38[➚]
John Gill's Chapter Summary:
This chapter gives an account of an enemy of the Jews, under the name of Gog, that shall invade their land and disturb their peace after they are settled in it; who is described by the countries over which he rules; and against whom the prophet is bid to set his face and prophesy of him, the Lord being against him; and who would cause him to return from Judea unsuccessful (Ezekiel 38:1-4); the number of his confederates, their warlike accoutrements and preparations for the invasion of the land of Israel are foretold (Ezekiel 38:4-9); his wicked designs and intentions to spoil and plunder the inhabitants of it (Ezekiel 38:10-12); the notice taken of his projects by the merchants of Tarshish and others (Ezekiel 38:13-14); his coming up to invade the land is again observed for the certainty of it; and the place from where and the time when he should come are mentioned, as well as God's design in it, and which had been before predicted by his prophets (Ezekiel 38:14-17); and the chapter is concluded with a denunciation of divine wrath, which shall be terrible to all the inhabitants of the earth and to all creatures in heaven, earth, and sea; when he and his forces shall be destroyed by the sword, by pestilence, and by dreadful storms and tempests (Ezekiel 38:18-23); of which destruction a fuller account is given in the next chapter.