Yechezkel 38–39 | The War of Gog and Magog

Chapters 38–39 describe the war of Gog and Magog — a global conflict in which many nations will gather to wage war against Israel. The prophecy depicts this battle in dramatic terms: “You will come like a devastating storm, and you will be like a cloud covering the land” (38:9). The role and purpose of this prophecy are somewhat surprising. In the preceding chapters, we have already seen prophecies concerning the ingathering of exiles (קיבוץ גלויות) and even the restoration of Israel’s relationship with God. Why, then, does the narrative seem to rewind — why is there another approaching war? Abarbanel formulates this question clearly: “Why would God need to bring this calamity upon Israel after they have already been redeemed and settled in their land? … And how, after refining them, would He subject them to this final suffering, unless there were an essential necessity for it?”

Malbim (Devarim 29) suggests that one purpose of this great war is to refine and bring internal repentance to the people of Israel: “This will be God’s judgment upon the sinners of Israel… And when they witness God’s justice, they will further repent and fulfill His commandments after they have already returned to the land.” However, this explanation seems to align more closely with Zekharya’s prophecy (14:2), where Israel’s sins and punishment are explicitly mentioned. In Yechezkel’s prophecy of Gog and Magog, there is no reference to Israel’s sins or any punishment directed at them in this war. Abarbanel further sharpens this point, noting that previous chapters have already described a thorough process of judgment and purification of Israel’s sinners before their ingathering (20:38), as well as the granting of a pure and renewed heart to those who remain (36:25–26). Abarbanel himself proposes that Gog and Magog do not actually attack Israel, but rather that this war takes place before Israel’s return to its land, with the Christian nations controlling Israel and Gog and Magog rising against them. However, this interpretation is also difficult, as the verses suggest that the battle indeed targets a fully gathered Israel (38:8).

So what is the purpose of this war. The verses presents an apparent contradiction regarding who initiates the war: on the one hand, it seems that Gog himself desires to attack (38:10–12), while on the other, the verses state that God is the one who brings Gog to battle (38:4). How can this be understood? We find a similar concept in the Exodus story — there, too, Pharaoh enslaves Israel of his own will, yet at the same time, God hardens his heart: “I will toughen Pharaoh’s heart… * I will be glorified over Pharaoh and all his force, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord”* (Shemot 14:4). The goal was to bring Egypt to recognize God. Likewise, in our chapter, a similar, yet broader, objective is explicitly stated: “I will bring you to My land so that the nations will know Me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, Gog” (38:16). The purpose is for all nations — including Gog himself — to recognize God.

Earlier, we questioned the placement of a great war within a time period already described as an era of redemption and after the ingathering of exiles. The prophet himself acknowledges this issue, presenting it as a critique of Gog: “You will say, ‘I will advance against the land of open villages; I will come upon those who are tranquil, living securely’” (38:11). Gog attacks a nation that has already been redeemed and is living in peace, leaving it unprepared for war. God’s response is that He Himself will fight Gog and even cause fighting among Gog’s own allies between themselves (38:19–22).

The Relationship Between the Two Chapters: The war of Gog and Magog is described twice in these chapters, each time in a separate depiction. There are two main distinctions: Chapter 39 uniquely details the extensive effort required by the people of Israel to remove the remnants of the war — gathering the spoils and purging the land from the war’s aftermath. Additionally, in Chapter 39, a new purpose is introduced — beyond the nations recognizing God, the war also serves to deepen Israel’s own recognition of God: “The House of Israel will know that I the Lord am their God – from that day on” (39:22). The exiles and past calamities were not due to God abandoning Israel, but rather as a response to their sins and impurity. The motif of impurity and purification is central to this chapter, and the detailed cleansing of the land may symbolize the completion of Israel’s own purification, as mentioned in previous chapters. In response to their purification, God’s presence returns to dwell among Israel: “I will make My holy name known among My people Israel; I will no longer allow My holy name to be desecrated” (39:7).