Ezekiel 39:13
All the people of the land will bury them, and it will bring them renown on the day that I show my glory, declares the Lord GOD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's easy to see this as just a job for Israel, but notice that the "renown" comes to them on the day God is glorified. This isn't just about cleaning up; it's about the people of Israel being recognized and honored because of God's magnificent display of power and justice in saving them.
This passage comes after God describes the utter destruction of Gog and his vast invading army on the mountains of Israel. The immense task of burying the sheer number of dead will fall to all the people of the land, a job that will take months and bring a unique, albeit grim, kind of recognition. This communal act of burial is not just about sanitation; it will become a testament to God's powerful deliverance and a source of honor for Israel on the day God displays His ultimate glory.
Imagine the aftermath of a colossal battle – an unimaginable number of fallen enemies. This verse highlights the immense, practical task of burying them, a task not just for soldiers, but for 'all the people of the land.'
Ezekiel 39 describes a future, cataclysmic defeat of Gog and his armies. The sheer scale of the fallen is staggering, requiring a widespread effort to cleanse the land.
A Land in Need of Healing
The act of burying enemies might seem grim, but this verse connects it to something incredible: 'renown' – a deep sense of honor and recognition.
The 'renown' or 'glory' mentioned here isn't about Israel earning prestige through their own might or efficiency in burying the dead. Instead, it’s a reflection of God’s glory.
A Divine Display
Understand the original words
kabod · Hebrew Noun
The specific manifestation of God's character and presence in human history. It refers to God's holiness, power, and sovereign rule being vindicated and recognized by all nations.
Adonai Yahweh · Hebrew Noun phrase
The Hebrew title Adonai Yahweh. It highlights God's authority as both Master (Adonai) and the self-existent, covenant-keeping God (Yahweh).
The prophecy of Ezekiel 39 unfolds within the context of the Babylonian exile and the subsequent return of the people. It assures them that even after immense suffering and national trauma, God will dramatically intervene to protect His people and vindicate His name, bringing ultimate glory to Himself and renown to Israel.
c. 597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Jehoiachin and many of Judah's elite, including the prophet Ezekiel, are exiled to Babylon. This marks a significant shift in power and a period of deep national crisis for the people of Judah.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroying the city and Solomon's Temple. A further wave of exiles are taken to Babylon, leaving a remnant in Judah.
c. 580-570 BC
Ezekiel's Prophecies of Restoration
During the exile, Ezekiel delivers powerful prophecies of judgment against foreign nations and future restoration for Israel, including visions of a rebuilt Temple and a restored land.
c. 570 BC— this verse
Prophecy of Gog and Magog
Ezekiel delivers prophecies, including chapters 38-39, which describe a future, massive invasion of Israel by a coalition of nations led by Gog from the land of Magog. This invasion is ultimately thwarted by God's direct intervention.
This passage describes a similar scene of massive enemy destruction where birds of prey feast on their flesh, highlighting the completeness of God's judgment and the resulting 'renown' of His power, echoing Ezekiel's theme of God's ultimate victory.
Exodus 14:13Moses tells the Israelites to 'stand still and see the salvation of the LORD' as God defeats the Egyptians. This speaks to the 'renown' Israel receives when God gloriously intervenes on their behalf, just as the people of the land will experience in Ezekiel.
Psalm 79:10The psalmist asks, 'Why should the nations say, 'Where is their God?'' This echoes the desire for God's glory to be displayed and known. The burying of Gog's army in Ezekiel makes God's power undeniable, bringing Him renown.
Isaiah 43:25God declares, 'I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and will not remember your sins.' This shows God acting for His own name's sake and glory, a theme present in Ezekiel where the defeat of Gog serves to glorify God and vindicate His people.
jfbEzekiel 39:13: "Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD."
- I … glorified—in destroying the foe (Eze 28:22).
ellicottEzekiel 39:13: "Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD."
(13) All the people of the land. —“It would be but a very moderate allowance, on the literal supposition, to say that a million of men would be thus engaged, and that on an average each would consign to the tomb two corpses in one day; which, for the 180 working days of the seven months, would make an aggregate of 360,000,000 of corpses !” (Fa…
It's easy to see this as just a job for Israel, but notice that the "renown" comes to them on the day God is glorified. This isn't just about cleaning up; it's about the people of Israel being recognized and honored because of God's magnificent display of power and justice in saving them.
This passage comes after God describes the utter destruction of Gog and his vast invading army on the mountains of Israel. The immense task of burying the sheer number of dead will fall to all the people of the land, a job that will take months and bring a unique, albeit grim, kind of recognition. This communal act of burial is not just about sanitation; it will become a testament to God's powerful deliverance and a source of honor for Israel on the day God displays His ultimate glory.
This passage comes after God describes the utter destruction of Gog and his vast invading army on the mountains of Israel. The immense task of burying the sheer number of dead will fall to all the people of the land, a job that will take months and bring a unique, albeit grim, kind of recognition. This communal act of burial is not just about sanitation; it will become a testament to God's powerful deliverance and a source of honor for Israel on the day God displays His ultimate glory.
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c. 539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, ushering in the Persian Empire. This political shift eventually leads to the decree allowing Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem.
c. 538 BC onwards
Return of Exiles to Jerusalem
Many Jewish exiles begin returning to Jerusalem and Judah, with the ambitious task of rebuilding the Temple and their community amidst significant challenges.
"All the people of the land will bury them, and it will bring them renown on the day that I show my glory, declares the Lord GOD." — It's easy to see this as just a job for Israel, but notice that the "renown" comes to them on the day God is glorified. This isn't just about cleaning up; it's about the people of Israel being reco…
