ScriptureDepth's study of Ezekiel 38
“and say, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Behold, I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.”
Ezekiel 38:3
Yahweh speaks to Ezekiel about Gog, declaring 'I am against you,' which initiates the prophecy of Gog's impending judgment and conflict with Israel.
What Ezekiel 38 is about
Yahweh calls Ezekiel to prophesy against Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal (vv. 1-2). God declares his judgment against Gog, promising to turn him around and bring him out with a great army (vv. 3-6). Gog is instructed to prepare for invasion, gathering his forces (vv. 7-9). In the latter years, Gog plans to attack Israel, thinking to take plunder from those who dwell securely (vv. 10-13). Yahweh warns Gog that he will come from the north against Israel, which will lead to divine intervention (vv. 14-16). The day of Gog's attack will see God's wrath manifested through a great shaking in Israel (vv. 17-20). Yahweh will bring judgment upon Gog and his hordes, resulting in chaos (vv. 21-23).
Then they will know that I am Yahweh (v. 23).
Ezekiel 38 at a glance
- Ezekiel 38:1–2The Call to Prophesy Against Gog
- Ezekiel 38:3–6God's Judgment on Gog
- Ezekiel 38:7–9Preparation for Invasion
- Ezekiel 38:10–13Evil Plans and Intentions
- Ezekiel 38:14–16The Coming Conflict
- Ezekiel 38:17–20Divine Wrath and Judgment
- Ezekiel 38:21–23God's Sovereignty Revealed
Key verse: Ezekiel 38:3
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
Read Ezekiel 38 (WEB)
The Call to Prophesy Against Gog Ezekiel 38:1–2
1Verse 1. Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 2Verse 2. “Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
God's Judgment on Gog Ezekiel 38:3–6
3Verse 3. and say, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Behold, I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. 4Verse 4. I will turn you around, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, with all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them handling swords; 5Verse 5. Persia, Cush, and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6Verse 6. Gomer, and all his hordes; the house of Togarmah in the uttermost parts of the north, and all his hordes; even many peoples with you.
Preparation for Invasion Ezekiel 38:7–9
7Verse 7. “‘“Be prepared, yes, prepare yourself, you, and all your companies who are assembled to you, and be a guard to them. 8Verse 8. After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into 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 is brought out of the peoples, and they will dwell securely, all of them. 9Verse 9. You will ascend. You will come like a storm. You will be like a cloud to cover the land, you, and all your hordes, and many peoples with you.”
Evil Plans and Intentions Ezekiel 38:10–13
10Verse 10. “‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “It will happen in that day that things will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil plan. 11Verse 11. You will say, ‘I will go up to the land of unwalled villages. I will go to those who are at rest, who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, 12Verse 12. to take the plunder and to take prey; to turn your hand against the waste places that are inhabited, and against the people who are gathered out of the nations, who have gotten livestock and goods, who dwell in the middle of the earth.’
13Verse 13. Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions of it, will ask you, ‘Have you come to take the plunder? Have you assembled your company to take the prey, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’”’
The Coming Conflict Ezekiel 38:14–16
14Verse 14. “Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and tell Gog, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “In that day when my people Israel dwells securely, will you not know it? 15Verse 15. You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you, and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. 16Verse 16. You will come up against my people Israel, as a cloud to cover the land. It will happen in the latter days, that I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when I am sanctified in you, Gog, before their eyes.”
Divine Wrath and Judgment Ezekiel 38:17–20
17Verse 17. “‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Are you he of whom I spoke in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days for years that I would bring you against them? 18Verse 18. It will happen in that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord Yahweh, “that my wrath will come up into my nostrils. 19Verse 19. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath I have spoken. Surely in that day there will be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20Verse 20. so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, all creeping things who creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the surface of the earth will shake at my presence. Then the mountains will be thrown down, the steep places will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground.
God's Sovereignty Revealed Ezekiel 38:21–23
21Verse 21. I will call for a sword against him to all my mountains,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Every man’s sword will be against his brother. 22Verse 22. I will enter into judgment with him with pestilence and with blood. I will rain on him, and on his hordes, and on the many peoples who are with him, an overflowing shower, with great hailstones, fire, and sulfur. 23Verse 23. I will magnify myself, and sanctify myself, and I will make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.”’
World English Bible (public domain)
Go deeper
Ask the AI about Ezekiel 38
Bring your question about the chapter, the key verse, or how this passage fits the rest of Scripture. Ask unlimited questions and keep study notes on every chapter. 7 days free, no card.
Main themes in Ezekiel 38
Divine Sovereignty
In Ezekiel 38, divine sovereignty is evident in God’s control over Gog and his plans. In v. 4, God declares, 'I will turn you around, and put hooks into your jaws,' showing His authority to manipulate Gog’s actions. Similarly, v. 23 states, 'I will magnify myself, and sanctify myself,' asserting God's ultimate power over nations and events, culminating in the revelation of His identity as Yahweh.
Judgment
Judgment is a central theme in this chapter, portrayed through God's declaration of impending punishment for Gog. In v. 22, God proclaims, 'I will enter into judgment with him with pestilence and with blood,' signaling the consequences of Gog's aggressive actions against Israel. The text vividly describes catastrophic events in v. 19, where God's wrath causes a 'great shaking in the land of Israel,' illustrating the severity of divine judgment.
Eschatology
Eschatology is present in Ezekiel 38 as it addresses future events concerning Gog's invasion of Israel. In v. 8, the prophecy refers to 'the latter years' when Gog will attack a land restored from desolation. The chapter culminates in v. 16, where it states that 'it will happen in the latter days,' integrating the invasion into a broader framework of prophetic fulfillment and end-time events.
Divine Protection
Divine protection is portrayed through God's assurance of Israel’s safety against the invading forces. In v. 14, God asks, 'will you not know it?' suggesting that Israel will be secure and aware of its divine safeguarding. Furthermore, the text illustrates the chaos among Gog’s forces in v. 21, where 'every man’s sword will be against his brother,' indicating God's intervention that protects His people from destruction.
Chapter outline
How Ezekiel 38 unfolds
Ezekiel 38:1–2 The Call to Prophesy Against Gog
Yahweh commands Ezekiel to prophesy against Gog from the land of Magog, instructing him to address Gog specifically as the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal (vv. 1-2).
Ezekiel 38:3–6 God's Judgment on Gog
Yahweh declares that He is against Gog and will bring him out with his army, describing their preparation and armament in a detailed manner (vv. 3-6).
Ezekiel 38:7–9 Preparation for Invasion
Gog is called to prepare for invasion, gathering his forces while being warned of the imminent visit to the mountains of Israel, which have been restored and are inhabited once again (vv. 7-9).
Ezekiel 38:10–13 Evil Plans and Intentions
Yahweh reveals Gog's intentions, as Gog devises plans to attack the peaceful people of Israel, aiming to plunder and take advantage of their unguarded state (vv. 10-13).
Ezekiel 38:14–16 The Coming Conflict
Ezekiel is directed to prophesy that Gog will come against Israel, emphasizing the timing of the attack when Israel is secure in their land (vv. 14-16).
Ezekiel 38:17–20 Divine Wrath and Judgment
Yahweh addresses Gog, recalling prophecies about his coming against Israel. He declares that his wrath will arise, leading to a great shaking in the land, affecting all living creatures and causing destruction of mountains and walls (vv. 17-20).
Ezekiel 38:21–23 God's Sovereignty Revealed
Yahweh asserts His sovereignty by declaring judgment upon Gog and his allies, revealing His power through signs and wonders, ensuring that nations will know Him (vv. 21-23).
Key verses
Ezekiel 38:3Yahweh speaks to Ezekiel about Gog, declaring 'I am against you,' which initiates the prophecy of Gog's impending judgment and conflict with Israel.
Get a short devotional by email, one passage and one question a day.
One short email each morning, with the free study guide. Unsubscribe anytime. By subscribing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. We use your address only to send this email.
Study questions
Questions for studying Ezekiel 38
- observeIn v4, what does God say He will put into Gog's jaws?
- observeWhat do the 'many peoples' in v9 suggest about Gog's army?
- interpretGog's evil plan in v10: what motivations might he have for invading Israel?
- interpretGod's wrath in v18: why is this described as coming 'into my nostrils'?
- applyWhen do you find yourself acting against a peaceful situation like Gog in v11?
For Bible groups
Study Ezekiel 38 with your group
A free one-page handout with the overview, key verse, outline and discussion questions, ready to print for everyone at the table.
Cross-references
Passages that echo Ezekiel 38
- Psalm 46Ezekiel 38:23 and Psalm 46:10Both exalt God: Ezekiel 38:23 'I will magnify myself', while Psalm 46:10 'I will be exalted among the nations.'.
- Ezekiel 39Ezekiel 38:2 and Ezekiel 39:1Both prophesy against Gog: Ezekiel 38:2 'prophesy against him', while Ezekiel 39:1 'prophesy against Gog.'.
- Ezekiel 27Ezekiel 38:5 and Ezekiel 27:10Both mention Persia: Ezekiel 38:5 'Persia, Cush, and Put with them', while Ezekiel 27:10 'Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army.'.
- Joel 3Ezekiel 38:14 and Joel 3:1Both address Israel's security: Ezekiel 38:14 'my people Israel dwells securely', while Joel 3:1 'when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem.'.
- Revelation 20Ezekiel 38:16 and Revelation 20:9Both depict an attack: Ezekiel 38:16 'You will come up against my people Israel', while Revelation 20:9 'surrounded the camp of the saints.'.
- Daniel 11Ezekiel 38:17 and Daniel 11:40Both speak of the end times: Ezekiel 38:17 'I would bring you against them', while Daniel 11:40 'the king of the north will come against him.'.
Related chapters
Chapters that connect with Ezekiel 38
Elsewhere on ScriptureDepth
Where to go from here
- Ezekiel: the whole bookEzekiel was a priest exiled to Babylon in 597 BC with King Jehoiachin, and by the Kebar canal in 593 he saw…
- Full Year Chronological Bible, day 263Day 263 of 365: Ezekiel 38–41.
- RepentanceWhat the Bible says about repentance, with verses.
- Common Bible questionsThe questions people bring to Bible study, each answered from the text.
- Today's devotionalOne verse and a short reflection, new every morning.
Ezekiel 38: frequently asked questions
What is Ezekiel 38 about?+
What is the key verse in Ezekiel 38?+
What are the main themes of Ezekiel 38?+
Studying Ezekiel with a print Bible beside you? See our study Bible guides.