English Standard Version
Ezekiel 38:17
17"Thus says the Lord God: Are you he of whom I spoke in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel, who in those days prophesied for years that I would bring you against them?
Ezekiel 38:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thus saith the Lord God; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You are the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel. At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Thus says the Lord God: “Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them?
- New Living Translation (NLT)“This is what the Sovereign Lord asks: Are you the one I was talking about long ago, when I announced through Israel’s prophets that in the future I would bring you against my people?
Context of Ezekiel 38:17
15You 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 host, a mighty army. 16You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. "Thus says the Lord God: Are you he of whom I spoke in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel, who in those days prophesied for years that I would bring you against them? 18But on that day, the day that Gog shall come against the land of Israel, declares the Lord God, my wrath will be roused in my anger. 19For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, On that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.
Read all of Ezekiel 38Ezekiel 38:17 word by word
כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הַֽאַתָּה־ה֨וּא אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֜רְתִּי בְּיָמִ֣ים קַדְמוֹנִ֗ים בְּיַד֙ עֲבָדַי֙ נְבִיאֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַֽנִּבְּאִ֛ים בַּיָּמִ֥ים הָהֵ֖ם שָׁנִ֑ים לְהָבִ֥יא אֹתְךָ֖ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
- thou he of whom I have spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- in oldקַדְמֹנִיqadmônîy qadmônîy · eastern: olderH6931
- timeיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- byיָדyâd · hand: byH3027
- my servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- the prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- which prophesiedנָבָאnâbâ' · to prophesyH5012
- yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
- that I would bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
Cross-references for Ezekiel 38:17
- Ezekiel 38:10"Thus says the Lord God: On that day, thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme
- Psalms 110:5The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
- Isaiah 27:1In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea.
- Isaiah 34:1Draw near, O nations, to hear, and give attention, O peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that fills it; the world, and all that comes from it.
- Isaiah 63:1Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? "It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save."
- Isaiah 66:15"For behold, the Lord will come in fire, and his chariots like the whirlwind, to render his anger in fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
- Daniel 11:40"At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through.
- Joel 3:9Proclaim this among the nations: Consecrate for war; stir up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near; let them come up.
- Zechariah 12:2"Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples. The siege of Jerusalem will also be against Judah.
- Zechariah 14:1Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 38:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time - This prophecy concerning Antiochus and the Jews was delivered about four hundred years before the events took place. - Martin. Calmet maintains that Cambyses is spoken of, and refers to ancient prophecies, especially Isaiah 14, Isaiah 15:1-9, Isaiah 16:1-14, Isaiah 20:1-6, 21.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Gog - is not mentioned by name in any existing prophecy before Ezekiel‘s time. The reference here shows (1) that the conflict with Gog does not represent a particular event, but one of which the prophets in general had to speak; (2) that in the interpretation of Old Testament prophecy we are to look beyond special fulfillments. Events in the world‘s history come within a prophet‘s ken as parts of the divine administration whereby evil struggles against…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-23Verses 14-23 The enemy should make a formidable descent upon the land of Israel. When Israel dwell safely under the Divine protection, shalt not thou be made to know it by finding that endeavours to destroy them are made in vain? Promises of security are treasured up in the word of God, against the troubles and dangers the church may be brought into in the latter days. In the destruction of sinners, God makes it appear that he is a great and holy God. We…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17Gog was not the foretold “army … from the land of the north” mentioned in Jeremiah 4–6. Those prophecies had already been fulfilled. They referred to the destruction that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon brought against Judah.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. thou he of whom I have spoken in old time--Gog, &c. are here identified with the enemies spoken of in other prophecies (Nu 24:17-24; Is 27:1; compare Is 26:20, 21; Jr 30:23, 24; Joe 3:1; Mi 5:5, 6; Is 14:12-14; 59:19). God is represented as addressing Gog at the time of his assault; therefore, the "old time" is the time long prior, when Ezekiel uttered these prophecies; so, he also, as well as Daniel (Da 11:1-45) and Zechariah (Zec 14:1-21) are…Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 38
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries