Ezekiel 39:18 kjv
Ye 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 bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
Ezekiel 39:18 nkjv
You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, Drink the blood of the princes of the earth, Of rams and lambs, Of goats and bulls, All of them fatlings of Bashan.
Ezekiel 39:18 niv
You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as if they were rams and lambs, goats and bulls?all of them fattened animals from Bashan.
Ezekiel 39:18 esv
You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth ? of rams, of lambs, and of he-goats, of bulls, all of them fat beasts of Bashan.
Ezekiel 39:18 nlt
Eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of princes as though they were rams, lambs, goats, and bulls ? all fattened animals from Bashan!
Ezekiel 39 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 19:17-18 | "Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in midheaven, 'Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.'" | Parallel prophecy of a divine judgment feast for scavengers on kings and warriors. |
| Isa 34:5-7 | "For My sword is drunk in heaven; behold, it descends for judgment upon Edom, upon the people whom I have devoted to destruction... For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom. Wild oxen shall fall with them, and young bulls with the mighty bulls; their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness." | Divine sacrifice imagery of enemies, land soaked with blood. |
| Jer 25:33 | "And the slain of the Lord shall be on that day from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented, nor gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung on the face of the earth." | Emphasizes unburied corpses as a sign of divine wrath and complete defeat. |
| Zeph 1:7-8 | "Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near... For the Lord has prepared a sacrifice; He has consecrated His guests." | Introduces the "Day of the Lord" as a sacrificial feast. |
| Deut 28:26 | "Your carcasses will be food for all the birds of the sky and for the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to frighten them away." | A curse pronounced for disobedience, body remains as food for scavengers. |
| Psa 79:2 | "They have given the dead bodies of Your servants as food for the birds of the heavens, the flesh of Your godly ones for the beasts of the earth." | Imagery of dead bodies as food, though here referencing God's people suffering. |
| Eze 32:4-6 | "I will leave you on the land, cast you out on the open field, and will cause all the birds of the heavens to dwell on you, and I will satisfy the beasts of the whole earth with you... and I will water the land with your flowing blood." | Judgment on Pharaoh, parallel imagery of bodies filling the land and feeding animals. |
| Psa 49:12 | "But man, despite his honor, does not remain; he is like the beasts that perish." | Emphasizes the transient nature of human might and destiny to decay like animals. |
| 1 Sam 17:46 | "This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand... and I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel." | David's prophecy against Goliath, unburied bodies as public display of divine victory. |
| Matt 24:28 | "Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather." | A proverbial statement connecting decay and scavengers, applicable to judgment. |
| Hab 1:8 | "Their horses are swifter than leopards... they swoop down like an eagle hurrying to devour." | Description of a swift, devouring force, reflecting rapid consumption. |
| Exo 8:24 | "And the Lord did so, and there came swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into the houses of his servants, and into all the land of Egypt. The land was laid waste by the swarms of flies." | Though about flies, emphasizes nature's role in executing judgment and destruction. |
| Lev 7:22-25 | (Context about fat for offerings) | Inversion of the sacred; the 'fat' (of enemies) is consumed by scavengers, not by God in sacrifice. |
| Num 19:13 | (Context about defilement from touching dead bodies) | Emphasizes the severe defilement associated with dead bodies, necessitating cleansing rituals, reflecting the massive defilement of the land in Eze 39. |
| Isa 66:15-16 | "For behold, the Lord will come with fire... For by fire and by His sword the Lord will execute judgment... And those who are slain by the Lord shall be many." | The scale of divine judgment resulting in many slain. |
| Joel 3:12-14 | "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near... Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe... their wickedness is great." | Imagery of enemies ripe for divine judgment/harvest. |
| Eze 29:5 | "I will leave you in the wilderness... you will fall on the open field... I will give you for food to the beasts of the earth and to the birds of the air." | Parallel judgment on Pharaoh, reinforcing the same grim destiny for God's enemies. |
| Mal 4:1 | "For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze... so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." | Total destruction, burning up of the wicked, no remains. |
| Nah 3:3 | "Many slain and heaps of corpses, and countless dead bodies; they stumble over their dead bodies!" | Describes the immense number of fallen enemies. |
| Zech 14:12 | "Now this will be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth." | A different but similarly horrific divine judgment causing decay. |
| Isa 14:19 | "But you are cast out from your tomb like a loathed branch, clothed with the slain who are pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a trampled corpse." | Shameful death and unburied fate for enemies (King of Babylon). |
| Rev 20:8 | "...Gog and Magog to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the seashore." | Links Gog and Magog to an ultimate future large-scale battle. |
Ezekiel 39 verses
Ezekiel 39 18 Meaning
Ezekiel 39:18 continues the vivid prophetic vision of the complete annihilation of God's enemies, particularly Gog and his invading army, following their defeat on the mountains of Israel. It describes a macabre, yet divinely ordained, feast where scavenger birds and wild beasts are invited to devour the fallen warriors and their leaders. This imagery powerfully communicates the utter degradation and decisive judgment upon those who oppose God and His people, depicting them as mere food for the earth's creatures, reversing their previous status of might and dominion.
Ezekiel 39 18 Context
Ezekiel 39:18 is part of the extensive prophecy concerning Gog of Magog (chapters 38-39). This prophetic segment describes a massive, future invasion of Israel by a vast coalition of nations led by Gog. This invasion is permitted by God not to destroy His people, but to showcase His supreme power and glory to both Israel and the nations. Verse 18 is found within the aftermath of Gog's catastrophic defeat, detailing the horrific cleanup of the fallen armies. Chapters 38 and 39 describe Gog's coming, God's fiery judgment upon them (hailstones, pestilence, fire and brimstone), and then the subsequent seven-month burial of the dead and seven-year burning of their weapons. The context portrays God as the sovereign orchestrator of events, using this ultimate judgment to reveal His holiness and to ensure His people recognize His presence among them, leading into themes of Israel's restoration in subsequent chapters. Historically, this prophecy offered exiled Israelites hope for God's decisive intervention against their oppressors and His ultimate faithfulness to His covenant promises.
Ezekiel 39 18 Word analysis
- You shall eat: וַאֲכַלְתֶּם (va'akhaltem). The verb "eat" ('akal) is in the Piel imperfect, indicating an intensive or durative action, or, in this case, a strong imperative (addressed to the birds/beasts previously mentioned). It conveys complete consumption, leaving nothing. This command highlights divine authority orchestrating the event.
- the flesh: בְּשַׂר (b'sar). Hebrew basar means flesh, body. It emphasizes the physical reality of the bodies that were once strong warriors.
- of the mighty: גִּבֹּורִים (gibborim). Refers to powerful, valiant warriors or heroes. This term contrasts their former status as strong, awe-inspiring figures with their current fate as mere carrion. Their "might" is rendered utterly useless before God's judgment.
- and drink: וְשָׁתִיתֶם (v'shatitem). From shatah, "to drink." Paired with "eat," it completes the imagery of total consumption and signifies that even the blood (symbol of life/essence) is consumed, leaving no vitality.
- the blood: דַּם (dam). Blood, representing life. Drinking blood was forbidden in the Mosaic Law (Lev 17:10-14, Deut 12:23), as blood belonged to God. Here, its consumption by unclean animals emphasizes the defilement of the battlefield and the depth of the enemy's unholiness, portraying the full, graphic horror of divine judgment where normal order is overturned.
- of the princes of the earth: נְשִׂיאֵי אֶרֶץ (nesiy'ey eretz). "Princes" (nesiy'im) denotes leaders, chieftains, or exalted ones. "Of the earth" (eretz) contrasts their earthly dominion and perceived greatness with God's ultimate heavenly sovereignty. These were figures of authority and prestige who are now reduced to the lowest status.
- of rams: אֵילִים (eylim). Rams (male sheep) are often symbols of leadership, strength, or principal figures (Exo 15:15; Isa 14:9 where leaders are described).
- of lambs: כָּרִים (karim). Lit. "fat rams" or "lambs," sometimes denoting rich, well-fed animals.
- and of goats: עַתּוּדִים ('attudim). He-goats, also associated with leadership or the powerful (Isa 14:9; Zech 10:3, often negative).
- of bulls: פָּרִים (parim). Young bulls, sturdy and valuable animals.
- fatlings all of them: מְרִיאֵי כֻלָּם (meri'ey khullam). Meri'im refers to fatted animals, often kept for special sacrifices or feasts, signifying prime condition or abundance. "All of them" emphasizes that this applies universally to all these categories of leaders/warriors. The irony is poignant: these fatted, valuable figures become food themselves, embodying the ultimate reversal of fortune and status.
Words-group analysis:
- "You shall eat the flesh... and drink the blood...": This forms a macabre "supper," a divine sacrificial banquet where the defeated enemies serve as the main course. It's an inverse sacrifice: instead of animals sacrificed to God, humans are "sacrificed" to scavenging creatures, powerfully demonstrating God's complete triumph and the utter debasement of His adversaries.
- "the flesh of the mighty... and the blood of the princes of the earth...": This parallelism distinguishes between the rank-and-file warriors (mighty) and their leadership (princes), ensuring no one is exempt from this humiliating fate. It highlights that no earthly power, however exalted, can withstand divine judgment.
- "of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bulls, fatlings all of them.": This list of various categories of well-fed livestock acts as a simile. It dehumanizes the fallen warriors, equating them with animals designated for slaughter. The emphasis on "fatlings" underscores their former abundance, prosperity, or perceived prime status, making their current condition as carrion even more demeaning and illustrating the thoroughness of God's provision for the scavengers. This is also a subtle polemic against any pagan notion of human power, depicting humans themselves as consumable animals when facing divine wrath.
Ezekiel 39 18 Bonus section
The imagery in Ezekiel 39:17-20 is referred to by some scholars as "The Great Supper of God," echoing a similar prophetic theme found in the Book of Revelation (Rev 19:17-18). This continuity across testaments highlights the enduring biblical truth that those who array themselves against the Lord and His Anointed will ultimately face a devastating, publicly displayed judgment. The reference to "fatlings" carries a dual significance: it suggests both the large number of well-nourished, strong warriors, and also implies that they were like animals bred for consumption, highlighting their intended fate. The sheer scale described (mountains covered, seven months for burial, seven years for burning weapons) reinforces that this is not merely a battle, but a divinely orchestrated, definitive cleansing and display of power designed to demonstrate God's glory and His presence among His people, confirming His ultimate victory over evil.
Ezekiel 39 18 Commentary
Ezekiel 39:18 graphically portrays the aftermath of God's decisive judgment on Gog's forces, transforming the battlefield into a vast, gruesome feast for carrion creatures. The meticulous detail of consumption – eating flesh and drinking blood – underscores the complete and irreversible destruction of the enemy. The identification of mighty warriors and powerful princes with sacrificial animals like "rams, lambs, goats, and bulls, fatlings all of them" serves several purposes. It first strips them of their human dignity and power, reducing them to mere sustenance for lower creatures, thereby showcasing God's absolute sovereignty and their utter impotence before Him. Secondly, it is a reversal of ancient sacrificial practices where valuable animals were offered to deities; here, God orchestrates the "sacrifice" of His enemies to "unclean" birds and beasts, turning pagan rites on their head and demonstrating that true power resides solely with Him. This powerful imagery communicates divine justice and vengeance, serving as a terrifying warning to all who oppose the Creator and a comforting assurance of deliverance for His faithful people.