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Ezekiel 38:11

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Ezekiel 38:11 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “and thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates;” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

and thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates;
Ezekiel 38:11 — American Standard Version

Context — Ezekiel 38

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
8After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, upon the mountains of Israel, which have been a continual waste; but it is brought forth out of the peoples, and they shall dwell securely, all of them.
9And thou shalt ascend, thou shalt come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy hordes, and many peoples with thee.
10Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: It shall come to pass in that day, that things shall come into thy mind, and thou shalt devise an evil device:
11and thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates;
12to take the spoil and to take the prey; to turn thy hand against the waste places that are [now] inhabited, and against the people that are gathered out of the nations, that have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the middle of the earth.
13Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take the spoil? hast thou assembled thy company to take the prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take great spoil?
14Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: In that day when my people Israel dwelleth securely, shalt thou not know it?
← Ezekiel 38:10Ezekiel 38:12 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And thou shall say, &c.] What came into his mind, and what he thought of; this he shall say to his privy counsellors and ministers of state; or to the generals and officers of his army; or to his confederates and allies, and even to them all, to have their opinion and approbation of it; and to encourage them to join him, and go with him: I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; a land which has nothing but villages in it, and those no walls about them to protect them: this he said by way of contempt; and the Septuagint and Arabic versions render it “the abject land”; and to observe how easily he could conquer it, there being nothing in his way to hinder him, or give him trouble: I will…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“dwell safely--that is, securely, without fear of danger (compare Est 9:19). Antiochus, the type of Antichrist, took Jerusalem without a blow.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Unwalled villages - Compare Zechariah 2:4-5. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Unwalled - Weak, and without any considerable defences. Ezekiel 38:13”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“go up: Exo 15:9; Psa 10:9; Pro 1:11-16; Isa 37:24, Isa 37:25; Rom 3:15 go to: Jdg 18:7, Jdg 18:27; Jer 49:31, Jer 49:32; Zac 2:4, Zac 2:5 safely: or, confidently, Eze 38:8; Pro 3:29, Pro 3:30 Ezekiel 38:12”
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Related study paths

Read Ezekiel 38 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification