Ezekiel 38 4

Ezekiel 38:4 kjv

And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:

Ezekiel 38:4 nkjv

I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.

Ezekiel 38:4 niv

I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army?your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords.

Ezekiel 38:4 esv

And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords.

Ezekiel 38:4 nlt

I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws to lead you out with your whole army ? your horses and charioteers in full armor and a great horde armed with shields and swords.

Ezekiel 38 verses

Ezekiel 38 4 Meaning

This verse describes a divine action where God places a hook in the jaw of Gog, leader of the nations Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and Beth-Togarmah. This action signifies irresistible divine control, compelling them and their armies to come forth for a future conflict. God's intention is to display His power and draw these hostile forces together for judgment.

Ezekiel 38 4 Context

Ezekiel chapter 38 introduces a future prophetic scenario involving a great coalition of nations led by Gog from the land of Magog. These nations will attack God's people, Israel, at a future time. The context for this verse is the initial presentation of this formidable invasion force. The purpose of God's action is to demonstrate His ultimate sovereignty and power over all nations, using them as instruments in His divine plan for judgment and ultimate redemption. This event occurs after Israel's return and re-establishment in their land, setting the stage for a decisive divine intervention.

Ezekiel 38 4 Word Analysis

• וְ (v' - and): Conjunction, connecting this verse to the preceding one, establishing a sequence of divine action.
• נָתַ֫נְתִּי (natátti - I will put/give): First-person singular perfect of the root נָתַן (natan), meaning to give, place, put, set. Emphasizes God's direct, active role.
• חַכִּ֫ים (chakkím - hooks): Plural of חַכָּה (chakkáh), a hook or a ring. Implies a strong, controlling restraint.
• בְּאַפֶּ֫ךָ (b'appékha - in your nose/jaws): Prepositional phrase from אַף (aph), meaning nose or anger, often used in idioms to signify restraint. The literal sense of a hook in the nose is a powerful image of subjugation.
• וְשַׂמְתִּי (v'samti - and I will put/place): First-person singular perfect of the root שִׂים (sim), meaning to put, place, set. Another term highlighting God's intentional positioning.
• מִלְמֹדָתְךָ (milmódk’ha - your bit/bridle/training): Derived from the root לָמַד (lamad), meaning to learn or teach. Here, it suggests a means of guidance or control, like a bit in a horse's mouth, implying instruction in how to proceed or being compelled by God's arrangement.
• בְּפִיךָ (b'fikhá - in your mouth): Prepositional phrase from פֶּה (peh), mouth. The combination with "bit" creates the image of being led by the mouth, as an animal is directed by a bridle.
• וְהַעֲלִיתִי (v'ha'alíti - and I will bring you up): First-person singular perfect of the root עָלָה (alah), meaning to go up, ascend, bring up. "Ha" is the causative prefix, meaning to cause to go up.
• אֹתְךָ (otkha - you): Direct object pronoun, referring to Gog.
• בִּצְבוּעַ (bittzvú'a - from all your horses): Prepositional phrase from צָבוּעַ (tzavu'a), meaning speckled or variegated, but in this context, referring to armies with their varied equipment or colors, specifically including all sorts of horses, possibly mounted troops or chariots.
• כֹּל (kol - all): Pertaining to every kind.
• חֵילְךָ (cheyl’kha - your army): Army, host, military force.
• רַב (rav - great/many): Much, many, great.
• סוּסִים (susím - horses): Plural of סוּס (sus), horse. Referring to a vast cavalry.
• בְּכֻלָּם (b'kullám - all of them): All of them together, indicating the totality of his forces.
• צְעָדִים (tz'adím - companies/trains/equipped ones): Possibly derived from a root meaning to walk or be equipped. Refers to marching multitudes or organized bodies.
• פָּרָשׁ (parásh - horsemen): Horsemen.
• וְרִקְמָה (v'rikmah - and multicolored array/armour): Finely worked, multicolored cloth, or perhaps decorated armor, adding to the description of a large, imposing, and well-equipped host.
• הֶבֶל (hebel - vain): Vapor, breath, futility. Used here to describe the character of these nations' preparations – ultimately meaningless before God's power.

Group Analysis: The phrasing emphasizes God's sovereign, inescapable control. The imagery of hooks and bits in the jaws is applied to the powerful leader, Gog, signifying complete manipulation. This control extends to his entire army, described with abundant detail – "all your horses," "many horsemen," and "companies with multicolored armor" – leaving no doubt about the immense force God is orchestrating.

Ezekiel 38 4 Bonus Section

The concept of God using even the wicked for His purposes is a recurring theme in Scripture. Nations that are instruments of God's wrath are still held accountable for their motives and actions. The image of divine hooks and bits in the jaws of leaders is a powerful metaphor for God's overarching sovereignty, even over rebellious forces. This passage provides a foundational understanding for later prophetic events, connecting the immediate message to broader eschatological plans. The description of Gog's extensive military force serves to amplify the theological point: no earthly power, however vast, can ultimately withstand or escape God's direct intervention when He chooses to execute judgment.

Ezekiel 38 4 Commentary

God explicitly states His intent to control Gog and his vast army. This is not a passive observation but an active intervention where God places restraining and directing mechanisms (hooks and bits) into their leadership's grasp, compelling their movement. The description of Gog's army is deliberately comprehensive, painting a picture of immense power with "all your horses, your horsemen in full armor, a great host, all of them with shields and bucklers, raging with swords." This thorough detail underscores the scale of the threat, making God's control over such a massive force even more astounding. The ultimate purpose, revealed in subsequent verses, is to demonstrate God's holiness and power to all nations, using this grand invasion for His own glorious ends, even though the nations and their leader are driven by their own hostile intentions.