Ezekiel 39:2

I will turn you around, drive you along, bring you up from the far north, and send you against the mountains of Israel.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The Lord GOD speaks through Ezekiel against Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, at the moment of prophetic judgment preceding Gog's invasion.

The words — The Hebrew verb שֹׁבַבְתִּי (shoavati) means "I will turn around," and הַעֲלִיתִי (ha'aliti) means "I will bring up," emphasizing divine control over the enemy's movement.

The thread — The text says God will force the enemy's reversal and direct him toward Israel, a pattern that runs in Isaiah 37:29 with the hook and bit imagery and echoes Ezekiel 38:15's description of the northern horde.

Why it lands — The passage states that God will reverse the enemy's path and send him against Israel's mountains, requiring the reader to acknowledge that human military campaigns operate under sovereign direction.

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

וְשֹׁבַבְתִּ֙יךָ֙ve./shoav.Ti./khaand/ I will turn around/ you וְשִׁשֵּׁאתִ֔יךָve./shi.she.Ti./khaand/ I will lead on/ you וְהַעֲלִיתִ֖יךָve./ha.'a.li.Ti./khaand/ I will bring up/ you מִיַּרְכְּתֵ֣יmi./yar.ke.Teifrom/ [the] remotest parts of צָפ֑וֹןtza.Fon[the] north וַהֲבִאוֹתִ֖ךָva./ha.vi.'o.Ti./khaand/ I will bring/ you עַל־'al-on הָרֵ֥יha.Rei[the] mountains of יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Yis.ra.'ElIsrael

King James Version

And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:

Cross-references

Psalms 40:14 May those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded; may those who wish me harm be repelled and humiliated.
Isaiah 37:29 Because your rage and arrogance against Me have reached My ears, I will put My hook in your nose and My bit in your mouth; I will send you back the way you came.’
Ezekiel 38:15 And you will come from your place out of the far north—you and many peoples with you, all riding horses—a mighty horde, a huge army.
Psalms 68:2 As smoke is blown away, You will drive them out; as wax melts before the fire, the wicked will perish in the presence of God.
Daniel 11:40 At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships, invading many countries and sweeping through them like a flood.