Ezekiel 38:2

Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

Ver. 2. Set thy face against Gog,] i.e., Against those last enemies of the Church, before Shiloh come; the kings of the lesser Asia and Syria before his first coming (see the books of Maccabees), the Pope and Turk before his second coming. See Revelation 20:8. See Trapp on " Rev 20:8 " Against these Ezekiel is commanded to "set his face," that is, to prophesy with utmost intention of spirit and contention of speech. a

The land of Magog.] Or, In the land of Magog, which some make to be Gog's country, and especially Hierapolis (for which they allege Pliny, lib. v. cap. 23), a chief city of Syria. This Hierapolis had its name from the multitude of religious houses or idol temples there erected. b May not Rome, the metropolis of idolatry, be rightly so called?

The chief princes of Meshech and Tubal.] People neighbouring upon the Syrians, and subject unto them, great enemies to Israel. See on Ezekiel 27:13. In Meshech, or Cappadocia, the Turks began to grow great and formidable. As for Tubal, Jerome and Josephus among the ancients, Bellarmine and Gretserus among the Jesuits, understand it to be the Spaniards; Rabbi David and Aben Ezra take Meshech for the Italians.

a Virtute opus est contra Antichristum dicturo. - Polan.

b Ptolom, In quarta Asiae tabula.