Ezekiel 39:3

And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. I WILL SMITE THY BOW - in which the Scythians were most expert....

1-10 The Lord will make the most careless and hardened transgressors know his holy name, either by his righteous anger, or by the riches of his mercy and grace. The weapons formed against Zion shall not prosper. Though this prophecy is to be fulfilled in the latter days, it is certain. From the language used, it seems that the army of Gog will be destroyed by miracle....

Verse Ezekiel 39:3. _I WILL SMITE THY BOW OUT OF THY LEFT HAND_] The _Persians_ whom Antiochus had in his army, Ezekiel 38:5, were famous as _archers_, and they may be intended here. The _bow_ is held by the _left hand_; the _arrow_ is pulled and discharged by the _right_....

EXPOSITION Of the two main divisions of this chapter, the first (Ezekiel 39:1) depicts the greatness of the overthrow of Gog; the second (Ezekiel 39:21) records the impression made by it upon Both Israel and the heathen, and adds a closing promise to the former. EZEKIEL 39:1 In the first main division Ezekiel repeats the substance of what has already been advanced concerning the defeat of Gog (verses 1-8), after which he strives to represent its completeness (verses 9-20), by setting forth (1) the immense quantity of spoil Israel should obtain from the fallen foe (verses 9, 10). (2) the length of time it should take Israel t

AND I WILL SMITE THY BOW OUT OF THY LEFT HAND,.... In which it is usually held, to have the arrow fitted to it: AND I WILL CAUSE THINE ARROWS TO FALL OUT OF THY RIGHT HAND; where they are commonly held when put into the bow, and then the bow is drawn with it; signifying hereby, that though he should come into the land of Israel, he should not succeed; he would be stripped of his armour, and it would be useless to him: bows and arrows are put for all kind of warlike instruments; and are particularly mentioned because they were chiefly used in war when this prophecy was delivered....

Ezekiel 38:1; Ezekiel 39:1. There will be at that time of restoration a great and final invasion of the land of Israel. Gog and Magog will invade the land “that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people.” The invaders come “against the mountains of Israel which have always been waste; but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely, all of them.” In Ezekiel 38:11, the evil purpose of the invader is made known. From all this we learn that the invasion takes place at the time when the Lord has brought back His people and resumed His relationship with the remnant of Israel. The invasion will happen some time after the beastly empire with its beast head, the revived Roman e

GOG'S DESTRUCTION AND BURIAL. This chapter does little more than repeat, with variations, the message of the last. The slain hordes lie thick upon Israel's mountains and fields, to be devoured by beasts and birds. Yahweh, whose power is not limited to His own land, will send His destructive fire upon the enemy's land and his islands in the Black (or Mediterranean?) Sea. This is the great day (Ezekiel 39:8) of which the prophets have spoken, and its doings will convince the world of the uniqueness of Israel's God. So great would be the destruction that Israel, which was poor in wood, would find weapons enough of the invaders to burn as fuel for seven years. Thus the spoilers would be spoiled a precious thought to later Judaism, as we see from the sanguinary and vindictive temper of the Book of Esther....

The northern warriors were bowmen....

III. THE DESTRUCTION OF GOD 39:1-20 In the first main division of chapter 39 Ezekiel emphasizes the certainty of the overthrow of God by repeating the substance of what he has already said about that defeat (Ezekiel 39:1-8). He then stresses the completeness of the destruction (Ezekiel 39:9-20). A. The Certainty of Cog's Destruction 39:1-8 TRANSLATION (1) And as for you, son of man, prophesy against God, and say. Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O God, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal; (2) and I will turn you about, and lead you on, and bring you up from the uttermost parts of the north; and I will bring you against the mountains of Israel; (3) and I will smite your bow from your left hand, and I will cause your arrows to fall from your right hand. (4)

2. LEAVE BUT THE SIXTH PART OF THEE] RV 'lead thee on.'...