Ezekiel 38:2

Son of man, See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .

Gog. A symbolical name for the nations north and east of Palestine, or the nations as a whole. That the prophecies of Ezekiel 38:0 and Ezekiel 39:0 are still future is clear from Ezekiel 38:8 , Ezekiel 38:14 , Ezekiel 38:16 ; Ezekiel 39:9 , Ezekiel 39:25 , Ezekiel 39:26 ; as Israel will have then already been "gathered", and complete restoration enjoyed immediately following the destruction of Gog "Now will I bring again the captivity of Israel". It must therefore precede the Millennium; and on that account must be distinguished from Revelation 20:8 , Revelation 20:10 ; and may therefore perhaps be identified with Revelation 16:14 ; Revelation 17:14 ; Revelation 19:17-21 . Compare Matthew 24:14-30 . Zechariah 12:1-4 . It marks the climax of Satan's effort to destroy Israel from being a People, and clearly belongs to the close of a yet future kingdom age. See Ezekiel 38:8 , &c., above). The name is connected with "Og" (Deuteronomy 3:1-13 ), and "Agag "(Numbers 24:7 ), where the Samaritan Pentateuch reads "Agog", and the Septuagint reads "Gog", Here the Arabic reads "Agag". The historical interpretation of this prophecy is confessedly impossible.

the land of Magog = of the land of the Magog. If "Gog" denotes and symbolises all that is powerful, gigantic, and proud, then "Magog" is symbolical of the same lands and peoples. Magog was a son of Japheth.

the chief prince = the head, or leader of Rosh . Hebrew Rosh, which may point to Russia.

Meshech and Tubal. The Sept, renders these Mesoch and Thobel: i.e. the Moschi and Tibareni , occupying regions about the Caucasus. All these a nations distant from Palestine: not near nations, or nations connected by consanguinity. They were also descended from Japheth (Genesis 10:2 ).