Ezekiel 39

Eze 39:1-29.

CONTINUATION OF THE

PROPHECY AGAINST

GOG.

1. Repeated from

Eze 38:3,

to impress the prophecy more on the mind.

2. leave but the sixth part of thee--Margin, "strike thee with six

plagues" (namely, pestilence, blood, overflowing rain, hailstones, fire,

brimstone,

Eze 38:22);

or, "draw thee back with an hook of six teeth"

(Eze 38:4),

the six teeth being those six plagues. Rather, "lead thee about"

[LUDOVICUS DE DIEU and Septuagint]. As Antiochus was led (to his

ruin) to leave Egypt for an expedition against Palestine, so shall the

last great enemy of God be.

north parts--from the extreme north [FAIRBAIRN].

3. bow--in which the Scythians were most expert.

4, 5. (Compare

Eze 39:17-20).

upon the mountains of Israel--The scene of Israel's preservation shall

be that of the ungodly foe's destruction.

6. carelessly--in self-confident security.

the isles--Those dwelling in maritime regions, who had helped Gog with

fleets and troops, shall be visited with the fire of God's wrath in

their own lands.

7. not let them pollute my holy name--by their sins bringing down

judgments which made the heathen think that I was unable or unwilling to

save My people.

8. it is come . . . it is done--The prediction of the salvation of

My people, and the ruin of their enemy, is come to pass--is done:

expressing that the event foretold is as certain as if it were already

accomplished.

9, 10. The burning of the foe's weapons implies that nothing belonging

to them should be left to pollute the land. The seven years

(seven being the sacred number) spent on this work, implies the

completeness of the cleansing, and the people's zeal for purity. How

different from the ancient Israelites, who left not merely the arms, but

the heathen themselves, to remain among them

[FAIRBAIRN],

(Jud 1:27, 28; 2:2, 3;

Ps 106:34-36).

The desolation by Antiochus began in the one hundred and forty-first

year of the Seleucidæ. From this date to 148, a period of six

years and four months ("2300 days,"

Da 8:14),

when the temple-worship was restored (1 Maccabees 4:52), God vouchsafed

many triumphs to His people; from this time to the death of Antiochus,

early in 149, a period of seven months, the Jews had rest from

Antiochus, and purified their land, and on the twenty-fifth day of the

ninth month celebrated the Encænia, or feast of dedication

(Joh 10:22)

and purification of the temple. The whole period, in round numbers, was

seven years. Mattathias was the patriotic Jewish leader, and his third

son, Judas, the military commander under whom the Syrian generals were

defeated. He retook Jerusalem and purified the temple. Simon and

Jonathan, his brothers, succeeded him: the independence of the Jews was

secured, and the crown vested in the Asmonean family, in which it

continued till Herod the Great.

11. place . . . of graves--Gog found only a grave where he had expected

the spoils of conquest.

valley--So vast were to be the masses that nothing but a deep valley

would suffice for their corpses.

the passengers on the east of the sea--those travelling on the high

road, east of the Dead Sea, from Syria to Petra and Egypt. The publicity

of the road would cause many to observe God's judgments, as the stench

(as English Version translates) or the multitude of graves

(as HENDERSON translates, "it shall stop the passengers") would arrest

the attention of passers-by. Their grave would be close to that of their

ancient prototypes, Sodom and Gomorrah in the Dead Sea, both alike being

signal instances of God's judgments.

13. I . . . glorified--in destroying the foe

(Eze 28:22).

14. with the passengers--The men employed continually in the burying

were to be helped by those happening to pass by; all were to combine.

after the end of seven months shall they search--to see if the work

was complete [MUNSTER].

15. First "all the people of the land" engaged in the burying for

seven months; then special men were employed, at the end of the seven

months, to search for any still left unburied. The passers-by helped them

being defiled by casually touching them, and that the buriers might come

and remove them. Denoting the minute care to put away every relic of

heathen pollution from the Holy Land.

16. A city in the neighborhood was to receive the name Hamonah,

"multitude," to commemorate the overthrow of the multitudes of the foe

[HENDERSON]. The multitude of the slain shall give a name to the city of

Jerusalem after the land shall have been cleansed

[GROTIUS]. Jerusalem

shall be famed as the conqueror of multitudes.

17.

(Re 19:17).

sacrifice--Anciently worshippers feasted on the sacrifices. The

birds and beasts of prey are invited to the sacrificial feast provided

Isa 18:6; 34:6;

Zep 1:7;

Mr 9:49).

Here this sacrifice holds only a subordinate place in the picture, and

so is put last. Not only shall their bones lie long unburied, but they

shall be stripped of the flesh by beasts and birds of prey.

18. rams . . . lambs . . . goats--By these various animal victims

used in sacrifices are meant various ranks of men, princes, generals,

and soldiers (compare

Isa 34:6).

fatlings of Bashan--ungodly men of might

(Ps 22:12).

Bashan, beyond Jordan, was famed for its fat cattle. Fat implies

prosperity which often makes men refractory towards God

(De 32:14, 15).

20. my table--the field of battle on the mountains of Israel

(Eze 38:8, 20).

chariots--that is, charioteers.

22. So the house of Israel shall know . . . Lord--by

My interposition for them. So, too, the heathen shall be led to fear

the name of the Lord

(Ps 102:15).

23. hid I my face--

(De 31:17;

Isa 59:2).

25. bring again the captivity--restore from calamity to prosperity.

the whole house of Israel--so "all Israel"

(Ro 11:26).

The restorations of Israel heretofore have been partial; there must be

one yet future that is to be universal

(Ho 1:11).

26. After that they have borne their shame--the punishment of their

sin: after they have become sensible of their guilt, and ashamed of it

(Eze 20:43; 36:31).

27. sanctified in them--vindicated as holy in My dealings with them.

28. The Jews, having no dominion, settled country, or fixed property

to detain them, may return at any time without difficulty (compare

Ho 3:4, 5).

29. poured out my Spirit upon . . . Israel--the sure forerunner of

their conversion

(Joe 2:28;

Zec 12:10).

The pouring out of His Spirit is a pledge that He will hide His face no

more

(2Co 1:22;

Eph 1:14;

Php 1:6).