New King James Version
Ezekiel 38:17
17Thus 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?
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"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?
- 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
15Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. 16You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.” 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? 18“And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord God, “that My fury will show in My face. 19For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: ‘Surely in 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
People and places in Ezekiel 38:17
Cross-references for Ezekiel 38:17
- Ezekiel 38:10‘Thus says the Lord God: “On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan:
- Psalms 110:5The Lord is at Your right hand; He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath.
- Isaiah 27:1In that day the Lord with His severe sword, great and strong, Will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; And He will slay the reptile that is in the sea.
- Isaiah 34:1Come near, you nations, to hear; And heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, The world and all things that come forth from it.
- Isaiah 63:1Who is this who comes from Edom, With dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His apparel, Traveling in the greatness of His strength?— “I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
- Isaiah 66:15For behold, the Lord will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with 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; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through.
- Joel 3:9Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up.
- Zechariah 12:2“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem.
- Zechariah 14:1Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, And your spoil 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries