“Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
Parallel translations
- WEB Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
- KJV Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
- BSB “Son of man, set your face against Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him
- NASB “Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
- NLT “Son of man, turn and face Gog of the land of Magog, the prince who rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God tells Ezekiel to face Gog of Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him. God identifies a great enemy to be confronted.
Overview
God directs the prophet against Gog, leader of distant northern peoples, as a representative of forces hostile to God's people. Christians differ on whether these names point to specific nations or symbolize all such enemies. Either way, God names the foe in advance, showing His sovereign control over even the mightiest opponents.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Ezek 39:1You, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal:
- Ezek 27:13Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were your traffickers; they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass for your merchandise.
- Ezek 38:3and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal:
- Gen 10:2The sons of Japheth were: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
- Ezek 2:1He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.”
- Rev 20:8–9and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
- Ezek 6:2“Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy to them,
- Isa 66:19“I will set a sign among them, and I will send those who escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to far-away islands, who have not heard my fame, nor have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations.
- Ezek 25:2Son of man, set your face toward the children of Ammon, and prophesy against them:
- Ezek 35:2–3Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it,
- Ezek 32:26There is Meshech, Tubal, and all their multitude; their graves are around them; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for they caused their terror in the land of the living.
- 1 Chr 1:5The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
- Ezek 39:6I will send a fire on Magog, and on those who dwell securely in the islands; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.
- Ezek 20:46“Son of man, set your face toward the south, and preach toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South;
- Ezek 39:11It shall happen in that day, that I will give to Gog a place for burial in Israel, the valley of those who pass through on the east of the sea; and it shall stop those who pass through: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude; and they shall call it The valley of Hamon Gog.
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 38:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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