Bible Strands
Ezekiel 38:5
Persia, Cush, and Put will accompany them, all with shields and helmets,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The prophet Ezekiel delivers a vision of Gog’s coalition army mobilizing for an invasion. The narrative moment captures the exact point where allied nations are drawn into the conflict.
The words — The Hebrew פָּרַס (pa.Ras) identifies Persia, while כּוּשׁ (kush) and פּוּט (Put) name Cush and Put as allied contingents. The phrase מָגֵן וְכוֹבֵעַ (ma.Gen ve.kho.Ve') literally denotes "shield and helmet," specifying the standard armor of these forces.
The thread — Ezekiel 27:10 records Persia, Lydia, and Put supplying shields and helmets for Tyre, while Genesis 10:6 traces Cush and Put to the sons of Ham. Ezekiel 30:5 later groups Cush and Put with Egypt in a judgment oracle against southern powers.
Why it lands — The verse catalogs specific geopolitical allies to demonstrate the scale and certainty of the coming conflict. It requires the reader to acknowledge the historical reality of these named nations and the inevitability of the described mobilization.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
Cross-references
- Ezekiel 27:10 Men of Persia, Lydia, and Put served as warriors in your army. They hung their shields and helmets on your walls; they gave you splendor.
- Genesis 10:6 The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
- Ezekiel 30:5 Cush, Put, and Lud, and all the various peoples, as well as Libya and the men of the covenant land, will fall with Egypt by the sword.
- Genesis 10:8 Cush was the father of Nimrod, who began to be a mighty one on the earth.
- 1 Chronicles 1:8 The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
- Nahum 3:9 Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; Put and Libya were her allies.