Ezekiel 38:2-3

Context
38:2 “Son of man, turn toward¹ Gog,² of the land of Magog,³ the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.⁴ Prophesy against him 38:3 and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look,⁵ I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.

[38:2] ¹tn Heb “set your face against.”

[38:2] ²sn This may refer to a Lydian king in western Asia Minor in the seventh century b.c. Apart from Ezek 38-39, the only other biblical reference to this king/nation is in Rev 20:8. For a study of the names appearing in this verse, see E. Yamauchi, Foes From the Northern Frontier, 19-27.

[38:2] ³sn One of the sons of Japheth according to Gen 10:2; 1 Chr 1:5.

[38:2] ⁴tn Heb “the prince, the chief of Meshech and Tubal.” Some translate “the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal,” but it is more likely that the Hebrew noun in question is a common noun in apposition to “prince,” rather than a proper name. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:434-35. As Block demonstrates, attempts by some popular writers to identify these proper names with later geographical sites in Russia are anachronistic. See as well E. Yamauchi, Foes From the Northern Frontier, 19-27.

[38:3] ⁵tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘h!nn#n' ?l?K>,’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.