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The Slaughter of Gog’s Armies
This prophecy speaks against Gog with severe judgement imagery. Broken weapons, mass burial, and a feast for birds and animals all serve one main point: the Lord will act publicly and his holy name will be known.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
Ezekiel 39:1–20 is addressed to the son of man as a prophecy against Gog. The Lord says he will bring Gog to the mountains of Israel, defeat him there, deal with the aftermath in the land, and show Israel and the nations that he is Yahweh.
Ezekiel 39:1–20Main takeaway
This passage presents Gog’s defeat as the Lord’s work, revealing his holiness, judgement, and authority.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01The Lord brings Gog to defeatThe message opens with the Lord’s direct words to Gog: “I am against you.” He says he will turn Gog, lead him from the far north, and bring him onto Israel’s mountains.
Explanation
The message opens with the Lord’s direct words to Gog: “I am against you.” He says he will turn Gog, lead him from the far north, and bring him onto Israel’s mountains. Then he will strike away Gog’s bow and arrows. The repeated “I will” shows the Lord directing the outcome.
02Gog falls, and Yahweh is knownGog, his hordes, and the peoples with him fall on the mountains and open field. Birds and animals will devour them.
Explanation
Gog, his hordes, and the peoples with him fall on the mountains and open field. Birds and animals will devour them. Fire also goes to Magog and to those dwelling securely in the islands. The stated result is that the Lord’s holy name will be known, and the nations will know that he is Yahweh.
03Weapons are burned for yearsPeople from Israel’s cities gather the abandoned weapons and use them as fuel. Shields, bows, arrows, clubs, and spears are named.
Explanation
People from Israel’s cities gather the abandoned weapons and use them as fuel. Shields, bows, arrows, clubs, and spears are named. The supply is so large that they burn them for seven years instead of collecting wood from field or forest. The Lord also says the plunderers will themselves be plundered.
04The burial of Gog’s multitude and the cleansing of the landGog receives a burial place called the valley of Hamon Gog. Israel buries the multitude for seven months to cleanse the land.
Explanation
Gog receives a burial place called the valley of Hamon Gog. Israel buries the multitude for seven months to cleanse the land. Searchers continue through the land, marking bones until undertakers bury them there. Hamonah also becomes a city name. The repeated emphasis is careful burial and cleansing.
05A grim sacrificial feastThe final image addresses birds and animals, calling them to a great sacrifice on Israel’s mountains.
Explanation
The final image addresses birds and animals, calling them to a great sacrifice on Israel’s mountains. They are told to eat the flesh of the mighty and drink blood until full. The battlefield is described as the Lord’s table, stressing the complete overthrow of human military power.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What repeated actions show that the Lord controls Gog’s movement and defeat?
Notice the Lord’s own “I will” statements about leading Gog, bringing him to Israel, and striking away his weapons.
02What result does the passage say this judgement will have for Israel and the nations?
Look for the lines about the Lord’s holy name being made known and the nations knowing that he is Yahweh.
03How does the passage describe cleansing the land after Gog’s defeat?
Follow the burial place, the seven months of burying, and the searchers who mark bones for undertakers.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Ezekiel 39:1–20
1“You, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Behold, I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.
2I will turn you around, will lead you on, and will cause you to come up from the uttermost parts of the north; and I will bring you onto the mountains of Israel.
3I will strike your bow out of your left hand, and will cause your arrows to fall out of your right hand.
4You will fall on the mountains of Israel, you, and all your hordes, and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to the ravenous birds of every sort and to the animals of the field to be devoured.
5You will fall on the open field, for I have spoken it,” says the Lord Yahweh.
6“I will send a fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the islands. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.
7“ ‘ “I will make my holy name known among my people Israel. I won’t allow my holy name to be profaned any more. Then the nations will know that I am Yahweh, the Holy One in Israel.
8Behold, it comes, and it will be done,” says the Lord Yahweh. “This is the day about which I have spoken.
9“ ‘ “Those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and will make fires of the weapons and burn them, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the war clubs and the spears, and they will make fires with them for seven years;
10so that they will take no wood out of the field, and not cut down any out of the forests; for they will make fires with the weapons. They will plunder those who plundered them, and rob those who robbed them,” says the Lord Yahweh.
11“ ‘ “It will 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 will stop those who pass through. They will bury Gog and all his multitude there, and they will call it ‘The valley of Hamon Gog’.
12“ ‘ “The house of Israel will be burying them for seven months, that they may cleanse the land.
13Yes, all the people of the land will bury them; and they will become famous in the day that I will be glorified,” says the Lord Yahweh.
14“ ‘ “They will set apart men of continual employment who will pass through the land. Those who pass through will go with those who bury those who remain on the surface of the land, to cleanse it. After the end of seven months they will search.
15Those who search through the land will pass through; and when anyone sees a man’s bone, then he will set up a sign by it, until the undertakers have buried it in the valley of Hamon Gog.
16Hamonah will also be the name of a city. Thus they will cleanse the land.” ’
17“You, son of man, the Lord Yahweh says: ‘Speak to the birds of every sort, and to every animal of the field, “Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat meat and drink blood.
18You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
19You shall eat fat until you are full, and drink blood until you are drunk, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.
20You shall be filled at my table with horses and charioteers, with mighty men, and with all men of war,” says the Lord Yahweh.’