Ezekiel 38:22
With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The text depicts God as a judge and avenger, not just sending natural disasters, but actively "pleading" His case against the enemy. This imagery draws from a powerful legacy of divine judgment, recalling Sodom's fiery destruction and Egypt's plagues, to assure readers that God's intervention will be so overwhelming it will be undeniable proof of His unique power.
This passage follows God's dramatic promise to fight against Gog and his vast invading army, which has just been described in vivid detail. God declares He will bring a devastating judgment upon this enemy, using imagery drawn from ancient catastrophes like Sodom's destruction and the plagues of Egypt to show the sheer scale of His wrath. The verses after this will explain that this divine intervention will reveal God's power and holiness to all nations.
When God's enemies gather, the Lord doesn't just stand by. He steps in with a powerful, decisive intervention.
The language here, 'I will plead against him,' uses a forensic term. It signifies that God acts as both judge and avenger. His actions are not arbitrary but rooted in His justice. He doesn't inflict judgment out of impulse, but based on immutable principles. This divine 'pleading' involves unleashing severe calamities – pestilence, bloodshed, and a terrifying, unnatural storm of rain, hailstones, fire, and sulfur. This imagery is powerful, painting a picture of overwhelming destruction that leaves no room for escape.
The imagery God uses to describe Gog's destruction isn't new. It echoes past divine acts, making His judgment all the more profound.
The description of 'overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone' deliberately calls to mind God's judgments on infamous wickednesses in the past. Think of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and sulfur (Genesis 19), the plagues poured out on Egypt (Exodus 7-10), and the hailstones that fell on the enemies of Israel in Joshua's time (Joshua 10:11). By employing this familiar, terrifying imagery, God emphasizes that the destruction of Gog will be a judgment of similar magnitude and divine authority, serving as a stark reminder of His power and His opposition to those who threaten His people.
This isn't just about one enemy's downfall; it's a cosmic event meant to showcase God's sovereignty to the entire world.
The verse mentions not only Gog and his hordes but also 'the many peoples who are with him.' This signifies that the scope of this judgment extends beyond a single leader or army. The dramatic and overwhelming nature of God's intervention is designed to be a public spectacle, a divine declaration to all nations. The goal is to leave no doubt about who is truly in control. By executing such a devastating judgment, God intends to impress upon all peoples the greatness of His power and holiness, ensuring they know that He alone is God.
Understand the original words
deber · Hebrew Noun
A malignant, infectious, and fatal disease; in the Bible, it is frequently depicted as an instrument of divine judgment sent to punish rebellion or disobedience against God.
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
The act of God evaluating human conduct and issuing a verdict, resulting in the punishment of the wicked and the vindication of His righteousness and holiness.
Ezekiel's vivid imagery of divine judgment—pestilence, bloodshed, and fiery storms—draws on a history of God's interventions, from plagues striking invading armies like Sennacherib's to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This prophetic vision assures listeners that God will act decisively to protect His people and judge their enemies, whether in ancient times or in future, ultimate confrontations.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, besieging Jerusalem. While the city is not captured, a devastating plague strikes the Assyrian army, forcing Sennacherib to withdraw.
586 BC
Babylonian Destruction of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquers Jerusalem, destroying the Temple and exiling a large portion of the Jewish population to Babylon.
c. 160s BC
Maccabean Revolt Begins
The Maccabean Revolt breaks out against the Seleucid Empire, sparked by Antiochus IV Epiphanes' attempts to suppress Jewish religious practices.
c. 1st-2nd Century AD
Roman Rule and Jewish Diaspora
Judea comes under Roman control, and many Jews live scattered throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. This period sees increasing tensions and revolts against Roman rule.
This passage describes God raining fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah, mirroring the destructive divine judgment described for Gog in Ezekiel.
Exodus 9:23-24The account of God sending hail and fire upon Egypt during the plagues provides a vivid Old Testament example of destructive celestial judgment, similar to the imagery used for Gog's downfall.
Joshua 10:11This verse records God sending hailstones from heaven upon Israel's enemies, demonstrating a historical precedent for God using natural phenomena as weapons of judgment against His foes.
Revelation 16:21This New Testament passage describes great hailstones falling from heaven as part of God's final judgment, echoing the imagery used in Ezekiel and showing a continuity of God's judgment methods through history.
Isaiah 66:16This verse speaks of the Lord judging by fire and by his sword, and that a number of those slain by the Lord will be great, aligning with the theme of God's direct, overwhelming judgment and slaughter.
clarkeEzekiel 38:22: "And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone."
Great hailstones, fire, and brimstone - These are probably figurative expressions, to signify that the whole tide of the war should be against him, and that his defeat and slaughter should be great. Abp. Newcome supposes all the above prophecy remains yet to be fulfi…
pulpitEzekiel 38:22: "And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone."
Verses 22, 23. - Pestilence and blood (comp. Ezekiel 5:17; Ezekiel 14:19; Ezekiel 28:23)... an overflowing rain and great hailstones - literally, stones of ice (comp. Ezekiel 13:11, 13) - fire, and brimstone, or, pitch (comp. Genesis 19:24). The imagery here brought…
The text depicts God as a judge and avenger, not just sending natural disasters, but actively "pleading" His case against the enemy. This imagery draws from a powerful legacy of divine judgment, recalling Sodom's fiery destruction and Egypt's plagues, to assure readers that God's intervention will be so overwhelming it will be undeniable proof of His unique power.
This passage follows God's dramatic promise to fight against Gog and his vast invading army, which has just been described in vivid detail. God declares He will bring a devastating judgment upon this enemy, using imagery drawn from ancient catastrophes like Sodom's destruction and the plagues of Egypt to show the sheer scale of His wrath. The verses after this will explain that this divine intervention will reveal God's power and holiness to all nations.
This passage follows God's dramatic promise to fight against Gog and his vast invading army, which has just been described in vivid detail. God declares He will bring a devastating judgment upon this enemy, using imagery drawn from ancient catastrophes like Sodom's destruction and the plagues of Egypt to show the sheer scale of His wrath. The verses after this will explain that this divine intervention will reveal God's power and holiness to all nations.
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c. 60s AD— this verse
Apocalyptic Expectations and Unrest
The Jewish world is filled with apocalyptic expectations and growing unrest under Roman occupation, leading up to the First Jewish-Roman War.
"With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur." — The text depicts God as a judge and avenger, not just sending natural disasters, but actively "pleading" His case against the enemy. This imagery draws from a powerful legacy of divine judgment, reca…
