Ezekiel 38:20

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Ezekiel 38:20 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “so that the fishes of the sea, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

so that the fishes of the sea, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
Ezekiel 38:20 — American Standard Version

Context — Ezekiel 38

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
20so that the fishes of the sea, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“So that the fishes of the sea shall shake at my presence, &c.] From whence it appears that this great shaking shall not be on account of the army of Gog, and the devastations that it shall make; but on account of the powerful presence of God, which will be manifest in the destruction of his army: and what is here said of the shaking of the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beast of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the earth, must be understood figuratively and hyperbolically, as Kimchi observes, and in allusion to earthquakes, which both shake and terrify all kind of creatures; the blow given to Gog will be so…”
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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
“fishes--disturbed by the fleets which I will bring. fowls, &c.--frightened at the sight of so many men: an ideal picture. mountains--that is, the fortresses on the mountains. steep places--literally, "stairs" (Sol 2:14); steep terraces for vines on the sides of hills, to prevent the earth being washed down by the rains. every wall--of towns.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“the fishes: Jer 4:23-26; Hos 4:3; Nah 1:4-6; Zac 14:4, Zac 14:5; Rev 6:12, Rev 6:13 steep places: or, towers, or stairs, Isa 30:25; Co2 10:4 Ezekiel 38:21”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification