Gog

The name Gog is borne by an obscure Reubenite in the chronicled genealogies and, more prominently, by the great northern prince whose massed assault on a restored Israel forms the Ezekiel oracle and reappears at the close of the Apocalypse.

A Reubenite of Joel's Line

A figure named Gog stands in the Reubenite descent: "The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son" (1Ch 5:4). The name surfaces here only and is otherwise unconnected to the prophetic Gog.

The Northern Prince

The bulk of what is said about Gog is set in two long oracles delivered through the prophet at Tel-abib. He is identified by title and territory: "Son of Man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him" (Eze 38:2). Yahweh's posture is announced directly: "Look, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal" (Eze 38:3).

Gog's coalition is drawn from the far north and the corners of the known world. Persia, Cush, and Put march with him, "all of them with shield and helmet"; Gomer and "the house of Togarmah in the uttermost parts of the north" bring their hordes; "even many peoples with you" (Eze 38:5-6). The whole assembly is summoned for a campaign in "the latter years," directed against a land "brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, on the mountains of Israel" — a people "dwelling securely, all of them" (Eze 38:8).

The Evil Device

Gog's intent is described as devised inwardly: "It will come to pass in that day, that things will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil device: and you will say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to those who are at rest, who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates; to take the spoil and to take the prey" (Eze 38:10-12). The watching merchant peoples — Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish — see the move and challenge his motive: "Have you come to take the spoil? Have you assembled your company to take the prey?" (Eze 38:13).

Yahweh Brings Him Up

The summons is reframed as Yahweh's own act: "I will turn you about, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you forth, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them handling swords" (Eze 38:4). The same point closes the first oracle: "I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when I will be sanctified in you, O Gog, before their eyes" (Eze 38:16). Gog's invasion is announced as the occasion through which Yahweh's own holiness will be made manifest to the watching nations.

The Overthrow

The judgment falls on the mountains of Israel. The sword, plague, blood, "an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone" are poured on Gog and his hordes (Eze 38:22). The bow is struck out of his left hand and the arrows from his right (Eze 39:3). "You will fall on the mountains of Israel, you, and all your hordes, and the peoples who are with you: I will give you to the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured" (Eze 39:4). Fire is sent "on Magog, and on those who dwell securely in the isles" (Eze 39:6).

Burial in the Valley of Hamon-gog

A long aftermath details the cleansing of the land. "I will give to Gog a place of renown for burial in Israel, the valley of those who pass through on the east of the sea... and there they will bury Gog and all his multitude; and they will call it The valley of Hamon-gog" (Eze 39:11). For seven months the house of Israel buries the dead "that they may cleanse the land" (Eze 39:12); markers are set wherever a bone is found until the buriers complete their work (Eze 39:15). The city itself takes the name Hamonah (Eze 39:16). The weapons left on the field provide fuel for seven years, so that "they will take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests" (Eze 39:9-10).

A concluding image summons the birds and beasts to the slaughter as Yahweh's own sacrifice: "Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I sacrifice for you⁺, even a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, that you⁺ may eat flesh and drink blood. You⁺ will eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth" (Eze 39:17-18).

Vindication of the Holy Name

The whole sequence is framed as the public vindication of Yahweh's holiness. "I will magnify myself, and sanctify myself, and I will make myself known in the eyes of many nations; and they will know that I am Yahweh" (Eze 38:23). The holy name, profaned through Israel's exile, will not be profaned again (Eze 39:7). The nations will see that the captivity was for iniquity, and the house of Israel will know Yahweh "from that day and forward" (Eze 39:22-23). The pouring out of Yahweh's Spirit on the house of Israel closes the oracle (Eze 39:29).

Gog and Magog at the End

The names return in the final apocalyptic vision. After the thousand years, Satan is loosed and goes out "to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea" (Re 20:8). The pair from Ezekiel's oracle is reused as the comprehensive figure for the assembled hostile nations at the end.