Ezekiel 38:4-7
Context38:4 I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and bring you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them fully armed, a great company with shields of different types, 1 all of them armed with swords. 38:5 Persia, 2 Ethiopia, and Put 3 are with them, all of them with shields and helmets. 38:6 They are joined by 4 Gomer with all its troops, and by Beth Togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops – many peoples are with you. 5
38:7 “‘Be ready and stay ready, you and all your companies assembled around you, and be a guard for them. 6
[38:4] 1 sn The Hebrew text mentions two different types of shields here.
[38:5] 2 tn D. I. Block prefers to see the Hebrew word as referring here to a western ally of Egypt or as an alternative spelling for Pathros, that is, Upper Egypt. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:439-40.
[38:6] 3 tn The words “they are joined by” are added in the translation for purposes of English style.
[38:6] 4 sn The seven-nation coalition represents the north (Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, Beth-Togarmah), the south/west (Ethiopia, Put) and the east (Persia). The use of the sevenfold list suggests completeness. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:441.
[38:7] 4 tn The second person singular verbal and pronominal forms in the Hebrew text indicate that Gog is addressed here.