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)
God uses the term "plead" here, which sounds like a legal or courtroom term, showing that His judgment isn't arbitrary but rooted in justice. The vivid imagery of "rain," "hailstones," "fire," and "sulfur" echoes past judgments like Sodom and Gomorrah, signaling a terrifying and complete destruction designed to reveal His sovereign power to all nations.
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)
This passage comes after God describes a massive, hostile invasion of Israel by a coalition of nations led by "Gog." God declares that He will directly intervene not just with human armies, but with supernatural judgment, bringing pestilence, bloodshed, and a devastating storm of fire and brimstone to obliterate the invaders. This dramatic, divinely orchestrated destruction serves to reveal God's power and holiness to all nations.
When God "pleads" against someone, it's not a gentle negotiation. It's a powerful declaration of justice, bringing swift and severe consequences.
The Hebrew word for "plead" here carries the weight of a legal dispute, but on a divine scale. God isn't just reacting; He is acting as the ultimate Judge and Avenger, bringing His case against those who oppose Him and His people.
This isn't arbitrary anger. God's judgments are rooted in His "immutable justice." He upholds His own righteousness, and His "pleadings" are demonstrations of that justice. When we see this language, it reminds us that God's actions, even those that seem overwhelming, are always aligned with His perfect character.
What if the very elements of nature – rain, hail, fire, and sulfur – weren't just weather, but God's chosen instruments of destruction?
Ezekiel paints a vivid picture of God unleashing natural disasters as a direct attack on Gog and his massive army. This imagery is not merely poetic; it's a theological statement about God's sovereignty over creation.
The specific elements mentioned – "torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur" – echo historical and primeval judgments of God:
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By using these familiar, devastating forces, God signifies that His judgment will be total and undeniable, a reminder to all nations of His supreme power and authority.
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 pestilence, bloodshed, and supernatural storms draws heavily on past divine judgments recorded in Scripture, such as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the plagues of Egypt. This connection would have resonated deeply with his audience, reminding them of God's power to judge His enemies and protect His people, while also pointing forward to a future, ultimate deliverance.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem. His army is mysteriously decimated overnight by a plague, preventing the city's fall.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquers Jerusalem, destroying the Temple and exiling a significant portion of the population to Babylon. This marks a major turning point for the Judean people.
c. 550-539 BC
Rise of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great founds the Achaemenid Persian Empire, conquering the Neo-Babylonian Empire. His reign ushers in an era where exiled peoples, including the Jews, are allowed to return to their homelands.
c. 167-164 BC
Maccabean Revolt
The Jewish people revolt against the Seleucid Empire under the leadership of the Maccabees. This period of conflict involved significant battles and divine intervention for the Jewish cause.
c. 150 BC - AD 100— this verse
Prophetic Visions of Ezekiel
The prophet Ezekiel delivers visions during the Babylonian exile and possibly after. His prophecies include accounts of judgment against nations and future restoration for Israel.
c. AD 70
Destruction of the Second Temple
The Roman Empire destroys Jerusalem and its Second Temple in response to a Jewish revolt, marking another catastrophic loss for the Jewish people.
Revelation 20:7-10
Final Battle Against Gog and Magog
The Book of Revelation describes a final eschatological battle where Gog and Magog are ultimately defeated by fire from heaven, echoing the imagery used in Ezekiel's prophecy.
This passage describes God raining fire and sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah, directly mirroring the imagery used in Ezekiel to depict the judgment on Gog's invading forces.
Exodus 9:23-24The description of God sending hail and fire mingled with lightning upon Egypt shows a precedent for God using terrifying meteorological events as instruments of judgment against His enemies.
Joshua 10:11This account of God casting hailstones from heaven upon the Amorites during battle parallels Ezekiel's prophecy, illustrating God's power to intervene supernaturally in warfare to defeat His people's foes.
Revelation 16:21This New Testament passage describes great hailstones falling from the sky during the final judgments, echoing the imagery in Ezekiel and suggesting a consistent theme of divine, destructive wrath against overwhelming forces.
Isaiah 66:16This verse states that God will contend with all flesh by fire and by His sword, and His slain shall be multiplied, providing a broader prophetic context for God's judgment against all opposition.
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…
God uses the term "plead" here, which sounds like a legal or courtroom term, showing that His judgment isn't arbitrary but rooted in justice. The vivid imagery of "rain," "hailstones," "fire," and "sulfur" echoes past judgments like Sodom and Gomorrah, signaling a terrifying and complete destruction designed to reveal His sovereign power to all nations.
This passage comes after God describes a massive, hostile invasion of Israel by a coalition of nations led by "Gog." God declares that He will directly intervene not just with human armies, but with supernatural judgment, bringing pestilence, bloodshed, and a devastating storm of fire and brimstone to obliterate the invaders. This dramatic, divinely orchestrated destruction serves to reveal God's power and holiness to all nations.
This passage comes after God describes a massive, hostile invasion of Israel by a coalition of nations led by "Gog." God declares that He will directly intervene not just with human armies, but with supernatural judgment, bringing pestilence, bloodshed, and a devastating storm of fire and brimstone to obliterate the invaders. This dramatic, divinely orchestrated destruction serves to reveal God's power and holiness to all nations.
"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." — God uses the term "plead" here, which sounds like a legal or courtroom term, showing that His judgment isn't arbitrary but rooted in justice. The vivid imagery of "rain," "hailstones," "fire," and "s…
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Last reviewed October 2026