Ezekiel 38

1 And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying:

A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

2 'Son of man, set thy face unto Gog, of the land of Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy concerning him,

“Son of man, face towards Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him

3 and thou hast said: Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I [am] against thee, O Gog, Prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal,

and declare that this is what the Lord God says: Watch out, I am condemning you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.

4 And I have turned thee back, And I have put hooks in thy jaws, And have brought thee out, and all thy force, Horses and horsemen, Clothed in perfection all of them, A numerous assembly, [with] buckler and shield, Handling swords — all of them.

I will send you in a different direction, put hooks in your jaws, and drag you out with your whole army, including your horses, your horsemen in uniform, and a host of men with large and small shields and bucklers, all waving their swords.

5 Persia, Cush, and Phut, with them, All of them [with] shield and helmet.

Soldiers from Persia, Cush, and Put will join them, all equipped with shields and helmets,

6 Gomer and all its bands, The house of Togarmah of the sides of the north, And all its bands, many peoples with thee,

together with Gomer and all its armies, as well as Beth-togarmah from the distant places of the north with all its armies—and many other nations that join with you.

7 Be prepared, yea, prepare for thee, Thou and all thine assemblies who are assembled unto thee, And thou hast been to them for a guard.

Get ready! Make sure you and your whole army with you is prepared. You're the one in charge of them.

8 After many days thou art appointed, In the latter end of the years thou comest in unto a land brought back from sword, [A people] gathered out of many peoples, Upon mountains of Israel, That have been for a perpetual waste, And it from the peoples hath been brought out, And dwelt safely have all of them.

A long time later you will be called to battle. In the final years you will invade a country that has recovered from war. Its people will have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had been abandoned for a long time. They had been brought back from the nations, and were all living in safety.

9 And thou hast gone up — as wasting thou comest in, As a cloud to cover the land art thou, Thou and all thy bands, and many peoples with thee.

You and your whole army, and the armies of many nations with you, will advance like an incoming storm, like a cloud that covers the land.

10 Thus said the Lord Jehovah: And it hath come to pass in that day, Come up do things on thy heart, And thou hast thought an evil thought,

This is what the Lord God says: On that day you will start thinking about things in your mind, and you will come up with an evil plan.

11 And thou hast said: I go up against a land of unwalled villages, I go in to those at rest, dwelling confidently, All of them are dwelling without walls, And bar and doors they have not.

You tell yourself, ‘I'm going to attack a country of undefended villages, a peaceful people who don't suspect an attack. They all live in towns without defensive walls or barred gates.

12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey, To turn back thy hand on inhabited wastes, And on a people gathered out of nations, Making cattle and substance, Dwelling on a high part of the land.

I'll be able to loot them—I'll rob them of their possessions. I'll attack those places that were once ruined but now are inhabited again. I'll attack a people brought back from the other nations, who now own livestock and possessions, living in the center of the country.’

13 Sheba, and Dedan, and merchants of Tarshish, And all its young lions say to thee: To take a spoil art thou come in? To take a prey assembled thine assembly? To bear away silver and gold? To take away cattle and substance? To take a great spoil?

Sheba and Dedan and the traders from Tarshish with all its strong leaders will ask, ‘Are you going to loot the place? Have you gathered your armies to rob them, to carry away silver and gold, to take cattle and possessions—to grab a great deal of plunder?’

14 Therefore, prophesy, son of man, and thou hast said to Gog: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: In that day, in the dwelling of My people Israel safely, Dost thou not know?

So prophesy, son of man, and tell Gog that this is what the Lord God says: On the day you attack aren't you going to notice that my people Israel are unsuspecting?

15 And thou hast come in out of thy place, From the sides of the north, Thou and many peoples with thee, Riding on horses — all of them, A great assembly, and a numerous force.

You'll advance from your place in the distant north, you and your many allies, everyone riding horses, a huge number of men, a massive army.

16 And thou hast come up against My people Israel, As a cloud to cover the land, In the latter end of the days it is, And I have brought thee in against My land, In order that the nations may know Me, In My being sanctified in thee before their eyes, O Gog.

You will attack my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. Gog, in the last days I will send you to attack my land, so that the nations may acknowledge me as holy when I reveal myself to them by what I do through you.

17 Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Art thou he of whom I spake in former days, By the hand of My servants, prophets of Israel, Who are prophesying in those days — years, To bring thee in against them?

This is what the Lord God says: Aren't you the one of whom I spoke about long ago through my servants, the prophets of Israel? During that time didn't they prophesy for years that I would have you come and attack them?

18 And it hath come to pass, in that day, In the day of the coming in of Gog against the land of Israel, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Come up doth My fury in My face,

Now on that day, the day when Gog comes to attack the country of Israel, I will become very angry, declares the Lord God.

19 And in My zeal, in the fire of My wrath, I have spoken: Is there not in that day a great rushing on the land of Israel?

In my passionate, furious anger I announce that at that time a violent earthquake will hit of the country of Israel.

20 And rushed from My presence have fishes of the sea, And the fowl of the heavens, And the beast of the field, And every creeping thing that is creeping on the ground, And all men who [are] on the face of the ground, And thrown down have been the mountains, And fallen have the ascents, And every wall to the earth falleth.

Everything that lives on the earth will tremble at my presence—the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the wild animals, every creature that runs upon the ground, and every human being. The mountains will be torn down, the cliffs will collapse, and every wall will be knocked to the ground.

21 And I have called against him, to all My mountains a sword, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, The sword of each is against his brother.

I will call for an attack on Gog from all my mountains, declares the Lord God. Everyone will attack his brother with sword.

22 And I have been judged with him, With pestilence and with blood, And an overflowing rain and hailstones, Fire and brimstone I rain on him, and on his bands, And on many peoples who [are] with him.

I will punish him with disease and bloodshed. I will send rainstorms, hailstones, fire, and sulfur down on him and his army, and on the armies of his many allies.

23 And I have magnified Myself, and sanctified Myself, And I have been known before the eyes of many nations, And they have known that I [am] Jehovah!

I will demonstrate my true power and holiness, revealing myself to many nations. Then they will acknowledge that I am the Lord.”