Ezekiel – Chapter 38

Old Testament23 Verses

Chapter Summary

Ezekiel 38 opens with the words: "And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" Gomer stands at the center of this chapter. Across its 23 verses, two threads run through the text: family and covenant relationships and sin and divine judgment. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

2Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Mosoch and Thubal: and prophesy of him,

3And say to him: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I come against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Mosoch and Thubal.

4And I will turn thee about, and I will put a bit in thy jaws: and I will bring thee forth, and all thy army, horses and horsemen all clothed with coats of mail, a great multitude, armed with spears and shields and swords.

5The Persians, Ethiopians, and Libyans with them, all with shields and helmets.

6Gomer, and all his bands, the house of Thogorma, the northern parts and all his strength, and many peoples with thee.

7Prepare and make thyself ready, and all thy multitude that is assembled about thee, and be thou commander over them.

8After many days thou shalt be visited: at the end of years thou shalt come to the land that is returned from the sword, and is gathered out of many nations, to the mountains of Israel which have been continually waste: but it hath been brought forth out of the nations, and they shall all of them dwell securely in it.

9And thou shalt go up and come like a storm, and like a cloud to cover the land, thou and all thy bands and many people with thee.

10Thus saith the Lord God: In that day projects shall enter into thy heart, and thou shalt conceive a mischievous design.

11And thou shalt say: I will go up to the land which is without a wall, I will come to them that are at rest, and dwell securely: all these dwell without a wall, they have no bars nor gates:

12To take spoils, and lay hold on the prey, to lay thy hand upon them that had been wasted, and afterwards restored, and upon the people that is gathered together out of the nations, which hath begun to possess and to dwell in the midst of the earth.

13Saba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tharsis, and all the lions thereof shall say to thee: Art thou come to take spoils? behold, thou hast gathered thy multitude to take a prey, to take silver, and gold, and to carry away goods and substance, and to take rich spoils.

14Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: Thus saith the Lord God: Shalt thou not know, in that day, when my people of Israel shall dwell securely?

15And thou shalt come out of thy place from the northern parts, thou and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company and a mighty army.

16And thou shalt come upon my people of Israel like a cloud, to cover the earth. Thou shalt be in the latter days, and I will bring thee upon my land: that the nations may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.

17Thus saith the Lord God: Thou then art he, of whom I have spoken in the days of old, by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in the days of those times that I would bring thee upon them.

18And it shall come to pass in that day, in the day of the coming of Gog upon the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that my indignation shall come up in my wrath.

19And I have spoken in my zeal, and in the fire of my anger, that in that day there shall be a great commotion upon the land of Israel:

20So that the fishes of the sea, and the birds of the air, and the beasts of the field, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the ground, and all men that are upon the face of the earth, shall be moved at my presence: and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the hedges shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

21And I will call in the sword against him in all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every man's sword shall be pointed against his brother.

22And I will judge him with pestilence, and with blood, and with violent rain, and vast hailstones: I will rain fire and brimstone upon him, and upon his army, and upon the many nations that are with him.

23And I will be magnified, and I will be sanctified: and I will be known in the eyes of many nations and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Important Verses in Ezekiel 38

And say to him: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I come against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Mosoch and Thubal.

Ezekiel 38:3

Thus saith the Lord God: In that day projects shall enter into thy heart, and thou shalt conceive a mischievous design.

Ezekiel 38:10

Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: Thus saith the Lord God: Shalt thou not know, in that day, when my people of Israel shall dwell securely?

Ezekiel 38:14

Thus saith the Lord God: Thou then art he, of whom I have spoken in the days of old, by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in the days of those times that I would bring thee upon them.

Ezekiel 38:17

Historical Context

Ezekiel addresses the exiles in Babylon, moved from despair to hope of restoration within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 38 of 48 moves toward the climax of the book as earlier promises and conflicts converge. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 23 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Historical attention falls on Gomer, the principal figures named in this chapter. The passage starts with these words: "And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" It concludes: "And I will be magnified, and I will be sanctified: and I will be known in the eyes of many nations and they shall know…" Read against its original backdrop, Ezekiel was deported to Babylon in 597 BC and prophesied among the exiles through astonishing visions: God's throne-chariot, the departure of His glory from the Temple, the valley of dry bones brought to life, and a new… The book's material reflects the era summarized as follows: About 593-571 BC, in Babylon.

Who Wrote It

The prophet Ezekiel, priest and exile

When It Was Written

About 593-571 BC, in Babylon

Catholic Commentary

At the literal level, this oracle names the sins, judgments, or promises relevant to its original hearers. A pivotal line is verse 3: "And say to him: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I come against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Mosoch and Thubal." The passage repeatedly touches on family and covenant relationships.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 1604). Here, Ezekiel's visions inform Catholic understanding of heaven and liturgy (CIC 1137). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize family and covenant relationships as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

Applied to the life of faith, the passage supports the Church's conviction that God will give His people a new heart. Whether read privately or heard in the liturgy, Ezekiel 38 calls for a response of faith, repentance, and charity.

Main Teachings

  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.
  • 'Be holy, for I am holy': God calls His people to be set apart for Him in every area of life.

People in This Chapter

Gomer1 mention

Reflection for Today

Ezekiel Chapter 38 belongs to the Old Testament and forms part of the Catholic canon proclaimed in the liturgy of the Word.

Through typology, the Church often reads Old Testament passages as preparing for Christ, while New Testament passages reveal Him explicitly. Ezekiel's visions inform Catholic understanding of heaven and liturgy (CIC 1137). Here the believer is invited to ponder perseverance through trial.

Consider praying with this chapter again at day's end, offering God gratitude for one insight received. The Church encourages daily contact with Scripture (CIC 113) so that Christ's mind may be formed in us.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ezekiel Chapter 38 about?

Ezekiel 38 contains 23 verses. It opens with "And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" and closes with "And I will be magnified, and I will be sanctified: and I will be known in the eyes of many nations and they shall know…". The book as a whole is prophetic visions and oracles.

What is a key verse in Ezekiel 38?

One of the most significant verses is verse 3: "And say to him: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I come against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Mosoch and Thubal." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Ezekiel Chapter 38?

This chapter mentions Gomer.

Who wrote Ezekiel and when?

The prophet Ezekiel, priest and exile. About 593-571 BC, in Babylon.

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