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Selected Verse: Revelation 20:8 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Re 20:8	Strong Concordance	And [2532] shall go out [1831] to deceive [4105] the nations [1484] which [3588] are in [1722] the four [5064] quarters [1137] of the earth [1093], Gog [1136] and [2532] Magog [3098], to gather [4863] them [846] together [4863] to [1519] battle [4171]: the number [706] of whom [3739] is as [5613] the sand [285] of the sea [2281].
	King James	And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Gog and Magog-- (Eze. 38:1-39:29; see on Eze 38:2). Magog is a general name for northern nations of Japheth's posterity, whose ideal head is Gog (Gen 10:2). A has but one Greek article to "Gog and Magog," whereby the two, namely, the prince and the people, are marked as having the closest connection. B reads the second article before Magog wrongly. HILLER [Onomasticon] explains both words as signifying "lofty," "elevated." For "quarters" the Greek is "corners." to battle--Greek, "to the war," in A and B. But ANDREAS omits "the."

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Gog and Magog-- (Eze. 38:1-39:29; see on Eze 38:2). Magog is a general name for northern nations of Japheth's posterity, whose ideal head is Gog (Gen 10:2). A has but one Greek article to "Gog and Magog," whereby the two, namely, the prince and the people, are marked as having the closest connection. B reads the second article before Magog wrongly. HILLER [Onomasticon] explains both words as signifying "lofty," "elevated." For "quarters" the Greek is "corners."

to battle--Greek, "to the war," in A and B. But ANDREAS omits "the."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And shall go out to deceive the nations - See the notes on Rev 12:9. The meaning here is, that he would again, for a time, act in his true character, and in some way delude the nations once more. In what way this would be done is not stated. It would be, however, clearly an appeal to the wicked passions of mankind, exciting a hope that they might yet overthrow the kingdom of God on the earth. Which are in the four quarters of the earth - Literally, corners of the earth, as if the earth were one extended square plain. The earth is usually spoken of as divided into four parts or quarters - the eastern, the western, the northern, and the southern. It is implied here that the deception or apostasy referred to would not be confined to one spot or portion of the world, but would extend afar. The idea seems to be, that during that period, though there would be a "general" prevalence of the gospel, and a "general" diffusion of its blessings, yet that the earth would not be entirely under its influence, and especially that the native character of the human heart would not be changed. Man, under powerful temptations, would be liable to be deluded by the great master spirit that has so often corrupted the race. Once more he would be permitted to make the trial, and then his power would forever come to an end. Gog and Magog - The name "Gog" occurs as the name of a prince in Eze 38:2-3, Eze 38:16, Eze 38:18; Eze 39:1, Eze 39:11. "He is an invader of the land of Israel, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal," Eze 38:2. "Magog" is also mentioned in Eze 38:2, "the land of Magog"; and in Eze 39:6, "I will send a fire on Magog." As the terms are used in the Old Testament, the representation would seem to be that "Gog" was the king of a people called "Magog." The signification of the names is unknown, and consequently nothing can be determined about the meaning of this passage from that source. Nor is there much known about the "people" who are referred to by Ezekiel. His representation would seem to be, that a great and powerful people, dwelling in the extreme recesses of the north Eze 38:15; Eze 39:2, would invade the Holy Land after the return from the exile, Eze 38:8-12. It is commonly supposed that they were Scythians, residing between the Caspian and Euxine Seas, or in the region of Mount Caucasus. Thus Josephus (Ant Eze 1:6, Eze 1:3) has dropped the Hebrew word Magog, and rendered it by Σκύθαι Skuthai - "Scythians"; and so does Jerome. Suidas renders it Persai - Persians; but this does not materially vary the view, since the word "Scythians," among the ancient writers, is a collective word, to denote all the northeastern, unknown, barbarous tribes. Among the Hebrews, the name "Magog" also would seem to denote all the unknown barbarous tribes about the Caucasian mountains. The fact that the names Gog and Magog are, in Ezekiel, associated with Meshech and Tubal, seems to determine the locality of these people, for those two countries lie between the Euxine and Caspian Seas, or at the southeast extremity of the Euxine Sea (Rosenmuller, Bib. Geog. vol. 1, p. 240). The people of that region were, it seems, a terror to Middle Asia, in the same manner as the Scythians were to the Greeks and Romans. Intercourse with such distant and savage nations was scarcely possible in ancient times; and hence, from their numbers and strength, they were regarded with great terror, just as the Scythians were regarded by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and as the Tartars were in the middle ages. In this manner they became an appropriate symbol of rude and savage people; of enemies fierce and warlike; of foes to be dreaded; and as such they were referred to by both Ezekiel and John. It has been made a question whether Ezekiel and John do not refer to the same period, but it is not necessary to consider that question here. All that is needful to be understood is, that John means to say that at the time referred to there would be formidable enemies of the church who might be compared with the dreaded dwellers in the land of Magog; or, that after this long period of millennial tranquility and peace, there would be a state of things which might be properly compared with the invasion of the Holy Land by the dreaded barbarians of Magog or Scythia. It is not necessary to suppose that any particular "country" is referred to, or that there would be any one portion of the earth which the gospel would not reach, and which would be still barbarous, pagan, and savage; all that is necessary to be supposed is, that though religion would generally prevail, human nature would remain essentially corrupt and unchanged; and that, therefore, from causes which are not stated, there might yet be a fearful apostasy, and a somewhat general prevalence of iniquity. This would be nothing more than has occurred after the most favored times in the church, and nothing more than human nature would exhibit at any time, if all restraints were withdrawn, and people were suffered to act out their native feelings. "Why" this will be permitted; what causes will bring it about; what subordinate agencies will be employed, is not said, and conjecture would be vain. The reader who wishes more information in regard to Gog and Magog may consult Prof. Stuart on this book, vol. 2, pp. 364-368, and the authorities there referred to. Compare especially Rosenmuller on Eze 38:2. See also Sale's "Koran," Pre. Dis. section 4, and the "Koran" itself, Sura 18:94 and 21:95. To gather them together to battle - As if to assemble them for war; that is, a state of things would exist in regard to the kingdom of God and the prevalence of the true religion as if distant and barbarous nations should be aroused to make war on the church of God. The meaning is, that there would be an awakened hostility against the kingdom of Christ in the earth. See the notes on Rev 16:14. The number of whom is as the sand of the sea - A common comparison in the Scriptures to denote a great multitude, Gen 22:17; Gen 32:12; Gen 41:49; Sa1 13:5; Kg1 4:20, et al. Section c. - Condition of things in the period referred to in Rev 20:7-8; (1) This will occur "at the close" of the millennial period - the period of the thousand years. It is not said, indeed, that it would be "immediately" after that; but the statement is explicit that it will be "after" that, or "when the thousand years are expired." There may be an interval before it shall be accomplished of an indefinite time; the alienation and corruption may be gradual; a considerable period may elapse before the apostasy shall assume an organized form, or, in the language of John, before the hosts shall "be gathered to battle," but it is to be the "next" marked and prominent event in the history of the world, and is to precede the final consummation of all things. (2) this will be a "brief period." Compared with the long period of prosperity that preceded it, and "perhaps" compared with the long period that shall follow it before the final judgment, it will be short. Thus, in Rev 20:3, it is said that Satan "must be loosed a little season." See the notes on that verse. There is no way of determining the time with exactness; but we are assured that it will not be long. (3) what will be the exact state of things then can be only a matter of conjecture. We may say, however, that it will not be: (a) necessarily "war." The language is figurative and symbolical, and it is not necessary to suppose that an actual and bloody warfare will be literally waged against the church. Nor, (b) will there be a literal invasion of the land of Palestine as the residence of the saints and the capital of the Redeemer's visible empire, for there is not a hint of this - not a word to justify such an interpretation. Nor, (c) is it necessary to suppose that there will be literally such nations as will be then called "Gog and Magog," for this language is figurative, and designed to characterize the foes of the church - as being in some respects formidable and terrible as were those ancient nations. We may thus suppose that at that time, from causes which are unexplained, there will be: (a) a revived opposition to the truths of religion; (b) the prevalence, to a greater or less extent, of infidelity; (c) a great spiritual declension; (d) a combination of interests opposed to the gospel; (e) possibly some new form of error and delusion that shall extensively prevail. Satan may set up some new form of religion, or he may breathe into those that may already exist: a spirit of worldliness and vanity - some new manifestation of the religion of forms - that shall for a limited period produce a general decline and apostasy. As there is, however, no distinct specification of what will characterize the world at that time it is impossible to determine what is referred to anymore than in this general manner. (4) A few remarks may, however, be made on the "probability" of what is here affirmed, for it seems contrary to what we should suppose would be the characteristics of the closing period of the world. The following remarks, then, may show that this anticipated state of things is not improbable: (a) We are to remember that human nature will then be essentially the same as now. There is no intimation that man, as born into the world, will be then different from what he is now, or that any of the natural corrupt tendencies of the human heart will be changed. People will be "liable" to the same outbreaks of passion, to be influenced by the same forms of temptation, to fall into the same degeneracy and corruption, to feel the same unhappy influences of success and prosperity as now, for all this pertains to a fallen "nature," except as it is checked and controlled by grace. We often mistake much in regard to the millennial state by supposing that all the evils of the apostasy will be arrested and that the nature of man will be as wholly changed as it will be in the heavenly world. (b) The whole history of the church has shown that there is a liability to "declension" even in the best state and in the condition of the highest spiritual prosperity. To see this we have only to remember the example of the Hebrews, and how readily they apostatized after the most striking manifestation of the divine mercies; the early Christian church, and how soon it declined; the seven churches of Asia Minor, and how soon their spirituality departed; the various revivals of religion that have occurred from time to time, and how soon they have been succeeded by coldness, worldliness, and error; the fact that great religious denominations, which have begun their career with zeal and love, have so soon degenerated in spirit, and fallen into the same formality and worldliness which they have evinced who have gone before them; and the case of the individual Christian, who from the most exalted state of love and joy so soon often declines into a state of conformity to the world. These are sad views of human nature, even under the influence of true religion; but the past history of man has given but too much occasion for such reflections, and too much reason to apprehend that the same things may occur, for a time, even under the best forms in which religion may manifest itself in a fallen world. Man's nature will be better in heaven, and religion there, in its purest and best form, will be permanent; here we are not to be surprised at any outbreak of sin or any form of declension in religion. What has often occurred in the world on a small scale we may suppose may then occur on a larger scale. "Just as on a small scale, in some little community like that of Northampton, as described by President Edwards, after the remarkable sense of God's presence over the whole town had begun to wax feeble, the still unconverted persons of it, though subdued and seemingly won over to Christ, would by little and little recover themselves, and at length venture forth in their true character; so it will be, in all probability, on a vast scale, at the close of the latter day. The unconverted portion of the world - long constrained by the religious influences everywhere surrounding them to fall in with the spirit of the day, catching apparently its holy impulses, but never coming savingly under its power - this portion of mankind, which we have reason to fear will not be small, will now be freed from these irksome restraints, no longer obliged to breathe an atmosphere uncongenial to their nature" (Brown on the Seceded Coming of Christ, p. 442). "No oppression is so grievous to an unsanctified heart as that which arises from the purity of Christianity. A desire to shake off this yoke is the true cause of the opposition which Christianity has met with in the world in every period, and will, it is most likely, be the chief motive to influence the followers of Gog in his time" (Frazer's Key, p. 455). (c) The representations of the New Testament elsewhere confirm this view in regard to the latter state of the world - the state when the Lord Jesus shall come to judgment. "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Luk 18:8. "There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?" Pe2 3:3-4. "The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape," Th1 5:2-3. See especially Luk 17:26-30; "As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day wheat the Son of man is revealed."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

And shall go out to deceive the nations - See the notes on Rev 12:9. The meaning here is, that he would again, for a time, act in his true character, and in some way delude the nations once more. In what way this would be done is not stated. It would be, however, clearly an appeal to the wicked passions of mankind, exciting a hope that they might yet overthrow the kingdom of God on the earth.

Which are in the four quarters of the earth - Literally, corners of the earth, as if the earth were one extended square plain. The earth is usually spoken of as divided into four parts or quarters - the eastern, the western, the northern, and the southern. It is implied here that the deception or apostasy referred to would not be confined to one spot or portion of the world, but would extend afar. The idea seems to be, that during that period, though there would be a "general" prevalence of the gospel, and a "general" diffusion of its blessings, yet that the earth would not be entirely under its influence, and especially that the native character of the human heart would not be changed. Man, under powerful temptations, would be liable to be deluded by the great master spirit that has so often corrupted the race. Once more he would be permitted to make the trial, and then his power would forever come to an end.

Gog and Magog - The name "Gog" occurs as the name of a prince in Eze 38:2-3, Eze 38:16, Eze 38:18; Eze 39:1, Eze 39:11. "He is an invader of the land of Israel, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal," Eze 38:2. "Magog" is also mentioned in Eze 38:2, "the land of Magog"; and in Eze 39:6, "I will send a fire on Magog." As the terms are used in the Old Testament, the representation would seem to be that "Gog" was the king of a people called "Magog." The signification of the names is unknown, and consequently nothing can be determined about the meaning of this passage from that source. Nor is there much known about the "people" who are referred to by Ezekiel. His representation would seem to be, that a great and powerful people, dwelling in the extreme recesses of the north Eze 38:15; Eze 39:2, would invade the Holy Land after the return from the exile, Eze 38:8-12. It is commonly supposed that they were Scythians, residing between the Caspian and Euxine Seas, or in the region of Mount Caucasus. Thus Josephus (Ant Eze 1:6, Eze 1:3) has dropped the Hebrew word Magog, and rendered it by Σκύθαι Skuthai - "Scythians"; and so does Jerome. Suidas renders it Persai - Persians; but this does not materially vary the view, since the word "Scythians," among the ancient writers, is a collective word, to denote all the northeastern, unknown, barbarous tribes.

Among the Hebrews, the name "Magog" also would seem to denote all the unknown barbarous tribes about the Caucasian mountains. The fact that the names Gog and Magog are, in Ezekiel, associated with Meshech and Tubal, seems to determine the locality of these people, for those two countries lie between the Euxine and Caspian Seas, or at the southeast extremity of the Euxine Sea (Rosenmuller, Bib. Geog. vol. 1, p. 240). The people of that region were, it seems, a terror to Middle Asia, in the same manner as the Scythians were to the Greeks and Romans. Intercourse with such distant and savage nations was scarcely possible in ancient times; and hence, from their numbers and strength, they were regarded with great terror, just as the Scythians were regarded by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and as the Tartars were in the middle ages. In this manner they became an appropriate symbol of rude and savage people; of enemies fierce and warlike; of foes to be dreaded; and as such they were referred to by both Ezekiel and John. It has been made a question whether Ezekiel and John do not refer to the same period, but it is not necessary to consider that question here.

All that is needful to be understood is, that John means to say that at the time referred to there would be formidable enemies of the church who might be compared with the dreaded dwellers in the land of Magog; or, that after this long period of millennial tranquility and peace, there would be a state of things which might be properly compared with the invasion of the Holy Land by the dreaded barbarians of Magog or Scythia. It is not necessary to suppose that any particular "country" is referred to, or that there would be any one portion of the earth which the gospel would not reach, and which would be still barbarous, pagan, and savage; all that is necessary to be supposed is, that though religion would generally prevail, human nature would remain essentially corrupt and unchanged; and that, therefore, from causes which are not stated, there might yet be a fearful apostasy, and a somewhat general prevalence of iniquity. This would be nothing more than has occurred after the most favored times in the church, and nothing more than human nature would exhibit at any time, if all restraints were withdrawn, and people were suffered to act out their native feelings. "Why" this will be permitted; what causes will bring it about; what subordinate agencies will be employed, is not said, and conjecture would be vain. The reader who wishes more information in regard to Gog and Magog may consult Prof. Stuart on this book, vol. 2, pp. 364-368, and the authorities there referred to. Compare especially Rosenmuller on Eze 38:2. See also Sale's "Koran," Pre. Dis. section 4, and the "Koran" itself, Sura 18:94 and 21:95.

To gather them together to battle - As if to assemble them for war; that is, a state of things would exist in regard to the kingdom of God and the prevalence of the true religion as if distant and barbarous nations should be aroused to make war on the church of God. The meaning is, that there would be an awakened hostility against the kingdom of Christ in the earth. See the notes on Rev 16:14.

The number of whom is as the sand of the sea - A common comparison in the Scriptures to denote a great multitude, Gen 22:17; Gen 32:12; Gen 41:49; Sa1 13:5; Kg1 4:20, et al.

Section c. - Condition of things in the period referred to in Rev 20:7-8;

(1) This will occur "at the close" of the millennial period - the period of the thousand years. It is not said, indeed, that it would be "immediately" after that; but the statement is explicit that it will be "after" that, or "when the thousand years are expired." There may be an interval before it shall be accomplished of an indefinite time; the alienation and corruption may be gradual; a considerable period may elapse before the apostasy shall assume an organized form, or, in the language of John, before the hosts shall "be gathered to battle," but it is to be the "next" marked and prominent event in the history of the world, and is to precede the final consummation of all things.

(2) this will be a "brief period." Compared with the long period of prosperity that preceded it, and "perhaps" compared with the long period that shall follow it before the final judgment, it will be short. Thus, in Rev 20:3, it is said that Satan "must be loosed a little season." See the notes on that verse. There is no way of determining the time with exactness; but we are assured that it will not be long.

(3) what will be the exact state of things then can be only a matter of conjecture. We may say, however, that it will not be:

(a) necessarily "war." The language is figurative and symbolical, and it is not necessary to suppose that an actual and bloody warfare will be literally waged against the church. Nor,

(b) will there be a literal invasion of the land of Palestine as the residence of the saints and the capital of the Redeemer's visible empire, for there is not a hint of this - not a word to justify such an interpretation. Nor,

(c) is it necessary to suppose that there will be literally such nations as will be then called "Gog and Magog," for this language is figurative, and designed to characterize the foes of the church - as being in some respects formidable and terrible as were those ancient nations.

We may thus suppose that at that time, from causes which are unexplained, there will be:

(a) a revived opposition to the truths of religion;

(b) the prevalence, to a greater or less extent, of infidelity;

(c) a great spiritual declension;

(d) a combination of interests opposed to the gospel;

(e) possibly some new form of error and delusion that shall extensively prevail.

Satan may set up some new form of religion, or he may breathe into those that may already exist: a spirit of worldliness and vanity - some new manifestation of the religion of forms - that shall for a limited period produce a general decline and apostasy. As there is, however, no distinct specification of what will characterize the world at that time it is impossible to determine what is referred to anymore than in this general manner.

(4) A few remarks may, however, be made on the "probability" of what is here affirmed, for it seems contrary to what we should suppose would be the characteristics of the closing period of the world. The following remarks, then, may show that this anticipated state of things is not improbable:

(a) We are to remember that human nature will then be essentially the same as now. There is no intimation that man, as born into the world, will be then different from what he is now, or that any of the natural corrupt tendencies of the human heart will be changed. People will be "liable" to the same outbreaks of passion, to be influenced by the same forms of temptation, to fall into the same degeneracy and corruption, to feel the same unhappy influences of success and prosperity as now, for all this pertains to a fallen "nature," except as it is checked and controlled by grace. We often mistake much in regard to the millennial state by supposing that all the evils of the apostasy will be arrested and that the nature of man will be as wholly changed as it will be in the heavenly world.

(b) The whole history of the church has shown that there is a liability to "declension" even in the best state and in the condition of the highest spiritual prosperity. To see this we have only to remember the example of the Hebrews, and how readily they apostatized after the most striking manifestation of the divine mercies; the early Christian church, and how soon it declined; the seven churches of Asia Minor, and how soon their spirituality departed; the various revivals of religion that have occurred from time to time, and how soon they have been succeeded by coldness, worldliness, and error; the fact that great religious denominations, which have begun their career with zeal and love, have so soon degenerated in spirit, and fallen into the same formality and worldliness which they have evinced who have gone before them; and the case of the individual Christian, who from the most exalted state of love and joy so soon often declines into a state of conformity to the world.

These are sad views of human nature, even under the influence of true religion; but the past history of man has given but too much occasion for such reflections, and too much reason to apprehend that the same things may occur, for a time, even under the best forms in which religion may manifest itself in a fallen world. Man's nature will be better in heaven, and religion there, in its purest and best form, will be permanent; here we are not to be surprised at any outbreak of sin or any form of declension in religion. What has often occurred in the world on a small scale we may suppose may then occur on a larger scale. "Just as on a small scale, in some little community like that of Northampton, as described by President Edwards, after the remarkable sense of God's presence over the whole town had begun to wax feeble, the still unconverted persons of it, though subdued and seemingly won over to Christ, would by little and little recover themselves, and at length venture forth in their true character; so it will be, in all probability, on a vast scale, at the close of the latter day. The unconverted portion of the world - long constrained by the religious influences everywhere surrounding them to fall in with the spirit of the day, catching apparently its holy impulses, but never coming savingly under its power - this portion of mankind, which we have reason to fear will not be small, will now be freed from these irksome restraints, no longer obliged to breathe an atmosphere uncongenial to their nature" (Brown on the Seceded Coming of Christ, p. 442). "No oppression is so grievous to an unsanctified heart as that which arises from the purity of Christianity. A desire to shake off this yoke is the true cause of the opposition which Christianity has met with in the world in every period, and will, it is most likely, be the chief motive to influence the followers of Gog in his time" (Frazer's Key, p. 455).

(c) The representations of the New Testament elsewhere confirm this view in regard to the latter state of the world - the state when the Lord Jesus shall come to judgment. "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Luk 18:8. "There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?" Pe2 3:3-4. "The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape," Th1 5:2-3. See especially Luk 17:26-30; "As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day wheat the Son of man is revealed."

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
Gog (See Scofield) - (Eze 38:2).

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Gog and Magog See Ezekiel 38, 39. Compare Gen 10:2. where Magog appears as a son of Japhet. Magog is a general name for the northern nations, and, according to Ezekiel, Gog is their prince. Josephus says that the descendants of Magog were the Scythians.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
And shall go forth to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth - (That is, in all the earth) - the more diligently, as he hath been so long restrained, and knoweth he hath but a small time. Gog and Magog - Magog, the second son of Japhet, is the father of the innumerable northern nations toward the east. The prince of these nations, of which the bulk of that army will consist, is termed Gog by Ezekiel also, Eze 38:2. Both Gog and Magog signify high or lifted up; a name well suiting both the prince and people. When that fierce leader of many nations shall appear, then will his own name be known. To gather them - Both Gog and his armies. Of Gog, little more is said, as being soon mingled with the rest in the common slaughter. The Revelation speaks of this the more briefly, because it had been so particularly described by Ezekiel. Whose number is as the sand of the sea - Immensely numerous: a proverbial expression.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Gog and Magog - This seems to be almost literally taken from the Jerusalem Targum, and that of Jonathan ben Uzziel, on Num 11:26. I shall give the words at length: "And there were two men left in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, the name of the other was Medad, and on them the spirit of prophecy rested. Eldad prophesied and said, 'Behold, Moses the prophet, the scribe of Israel, shall be taken from this world; and Joshua the son of Nun, captain of the host, shall succeed him.' Medad prophesied and said, 'Behold quails shall arise out of the sea, and be a stumbling block to Israel.' Then they both prophesied together, and said, 'In the very end of time Gog and Magog and their army shall come up against Jerusalem, and they shall fall by the hand of the King Messiah; and for seven whole years shall the children of Israel light their fires with the wood of their warlike engines, and they shall not go to the wood nor cut down any tree.'" In the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, on the same place, the same account is given; only the latter part, that is, the conjoint prophecy of Eldad and Medad, is given more circumstantially, thus: "And they both prophesied together, and said, 'Behold, a king shall come up from the land of Magog in the last days, and shall gather the kings together, and leaders clothed with armor, and all people shall obey them; and they shall wage war in the land of Israel against the children of the captivity, but the hour of lamentation has been long prepared for them, for they shall be slain by the flame of fire which shall proceed from under the throne of glory, and their dead carcasses shall fall on the mountains of the land of Israel; and all the wild beasts of the field, and the wild fowl of heaven, shall come and devour their carcasses; and afterwards all the dead of Israel shall rise again to life, and shall enjoy the delights prepared for them from the beginning, and shall receive the reward of their worlds.'" This account seems most evidently to have been copied by St. John, but how he intended it to be applied is a question too difficult to be solved by the skill of man; yet both the account in the rabbins and in St. John is founded on Ezekiel, Ezekiel 38:1-39:29. The rabbinical writings are full of accounts concerning Gog and Magog, of which Wetstein has made a pretty large collection in his notes on this place. Under these names the enemies of God's truth are generally intended.

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² The sons [01121] of Japheth [03315]; Gomer [01586], and Magog [04031], and Madai [04074], and Javan [03120], and Tubal [08422], and Meshech [04902], and Tiras [08494].

²⁶ And [2532] as [2531] it was [1096] in [1722] the days [2250] of Noe [3575], so [3779] shall it be [2071] also [2532] in [1722] the days [2250] of the Son [5207] of man [444].
²⁷ They did eat [2068], they drank [4095], they married wives [1060], they were given in marriage [1547], until [891] the day [2250] that [3739] Noe [3575] entered [1525] into [1519] the ark [2787], and [2532] the flood [2627] came [2064], and [2532] destroyed [622] them all [537].
²⁸ Likewise [3668] also [2532] as [5613] it was [1096] in [1722] the days [2250] of Lot [3091]; they did eat [2068], they drank [4095], they bought [59], they sold [4453], they planted [5452], they builded [3618];
²⁹ But [3739] [1161] the same day [2250] that Lot [3091] went [1831] out of [575] Sodom [4670] it rained [1026] fire [4442] and [2532] brimstone [2303] from [575] heaven [3772], and [2532] destroyed [622] them all [537].
³⁰ Even [2596] thus [5024] shall it be [2071] in the day [3739] [2250] when the Son [5207] of man [444] is revealed [601].

² For [1063] yourselves [846] know [1492] perfectly [199] that [3754] the day [2250] of the Lord [2962] so [3779] cometh [2064] as [5613] a thief [2812] in [1722] the night [3571].
³ For [1063] when [3752] they shall say [3004], Peace [1515] and [2532] safety [803]; then [5119] sudden [160] destruction [3639] cometh upon [2186] them [846], as [5618] travail [5604] upon [1722] a woman with child [1064] [2192]; and [2532] they shall [1628] not [3364] escape [1628].

³ Knowing [1097] this [5124] first [4412], that [3754] there shall come [2064] in [1909] the last [2078] days [2250] scoffers [1703], walking [4198] after [2596] their [846] own [2398] lusts [1939],
⁴ And [2532] saying [3004], Where [4226] is [2076] the promise [1860] of his [846] coming [3952]? for [1063] since [575] [3739] the fathers [3962] fell asleep [2837], all things [3956] continue [3779] [1265] as they were from [575] the beginning [746] of the creation [2937].

⁸ I tell [3004] you [5213] that [3754] he will [4160] avenge [1557] them [846] speedily [5034] [1722]. Nevertheless [4133] when [687] the Son [5207] of man [444] cometh [2064], shall he find [2147] faith [4102] on [1909] the earth [1093]?

³ And [2532] cast [906] him [846] into [1519] the bottomless pit [12], and [2532] shut [2808] him [846] up [2808], and [2532] set a seal [4972] upon [1883] him [846], that [3363] he should deceive [4105] the nations [1484] no [3363] more [2089], till [891] the thousand [5507] years [2094] should be fulfilled [5055]: and [2532] after [3326] that [5023] he [846] must [1163] be loosed [3089] a little [3398] season [5550].

⁷ And [2532] when [3752] the thousand [5507] years [2094] are expired [5055], Satan [4567] shall be loosed [3089] out of [1537] his [846] prison [5438],
⁸ And [2532] shall go out [1831] to deceive [4105] the nations [1484] which [3588] are in [1722] the four [5064] quarters [1137] of the earth [1093], Gog [1136] and [2532] Magog [3098], to gather [4863] them [846] together [4863] to [1519] battle [4171]: the number [706] of whom [3739] is as [5613] the sand [285] of the sea [2281].

²⁰ Judah [03063] and Israel [03478] were many [07227], as the sand [02344] which is by the sea [03220] in multitude [07230], eating [0398] and drinking [08354], and making merry [08056].

⁵ And the Philistines [06430] gathered themselves together [0622] to fight [03898] with Israel [03478], thirty [07970] thousand [0505] chariots [07393], and six [08337] thousand [0505] horsemen [06571], and people [05971] as the sand [02344] which is on the sea [03220] shore [08193] in multitude [07230]: and they came up [05927], and pitched [02583] in Michmash [04363], eastward [06926] from Bethaven [01007].

⁴⁹ And Joseph [03130] gathered [06651] corn [01250] as the sand [02344] of the sea [03220], very [03966] much [07235], until he left [02308] numbering [05608]; for it was without [0369] number [04557].

¹² And thou saidst [0559], I will surely [03190] do thee good [03190], and make [07760] thy seed [02233] as the sand [02344] of the sea [03220], which cannot be numbered [05608] for multitude [07230].

¹⁷ That in blessing [01288] I will bless [01288] thee, and in multiplying [07235] I will multiply [07235] thy seed [02233] as the stars [03556] of the heaven [08064], and as the sand [02344] which is upon the sea [03220] shore [08193]; and thy seed [02233] shall possess [03423] the gate [08179] of his enemies [0341];

¹⁴ For [1063] they are [1526] the spirits [4151] of devils [1142], working [4160] miracles [4592], which go forth [1607] [3739] [1607] unto [1909] the kings [935] of the earth [1093] and [2532] of the whole [3650] world [3625], to gather [4863] them [846] to [1519] the battle [4171] of that [1565] great [3173] day [2250] of God [2316] Almighty [3841].

³ The word [01697] of the LORD [03068] came expressly unto Ezekiel [03168] the priest [03548], the son [01121] of Buzi [0941], in the land [0776] of the Chaldeans [03778] by the river [05104] Chebar [03529]; and the hand [03027] of the LORD [03068] was there upon him.

⁶ And every one [0259] had four [0702] faces [06440], and every one [0259] had four [0702] wings [03671].

⁸ After many [07227] days [03117] thou shalt be visited [06485]: in the latter [0319] years [08141] thou shalt come [0935] into the land [0776] that is brought back [07725] from the sword [02719], and is gathered [06908] out of many [07227] people [05971], against the mountains [02022] of Israel [03478], which have been always [08548] waste [02723]: but it is brought forth [03318] out of the nations [05971], and they shall dwell [03427] safely [0983] all of them.
⁹ Thou shalt ascend [05927] and come [0935] like a storm [07722], thou shalt be like a cloud [06051] to cover [03680] the land [0776], thou, and all thy bands [0102], and many [07227] people [05971] with thee.
¹⁰ Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time [03117] shall things [01697] come [05927] into thy mind [03824], and thou shalt think [02803] an evil [07451] thought [04284]:
¹¹ And thou shalt say [0559], I will go up [05927] to the land [0776] of unwalled villages [06519]; I will go [0935] to them that are at rest [08252], that dwell [03427] safely [0983], all of them dwelling [03427] without walls [02346], and having neither bars [01280] nor gates [01817],
¹² To take [07997] a spoil [07998], and to take [0962] a prey [0957]; to turn [07725] thine hand [03027] upon the desolate places [02723] that are now inhabited [03427], and upon the people [05971] that are gathered [0622] out of the nations [01471], which have gotten [06213] cattle [04735] and goods [07075], that dwell [03427] in the midst [02872] of the land [0776].

² And I will turn thee back [07725], and leave but the sixth part [08338] of thee, and will cause thee to come up [05927] from the north [06828] parts [03411], and will bring [0935] thee upon the mountains [02022] of Israel [03478]:

¹⁵ And thou shalt come [0935] from thy place [04725] out of the north [06828] parts [03411], thou, and many [07227] people [05971] with thee, all of them riding [07392] upon horses [05483], a great [01419] company [06951], and a mighty [07227] army [02428]:

⁶ And I will send [07971] a fire [0784] on Magog [04031], and among them that dwell [03427] carelessly [0983] in the isles [0339]: and they shall know [03045] that I am the LORD [03068].

¹¹ And it shall come to pass in that day [03117], that I will give [05414] unto Gog [01463] a place [04725] there of graves [06913] in Israel [03478], the valley [01516] of the passengers [05674] on the east [06926] of the sea [03220]: and it shall stop [02629] the noses of the passengers [05674]: and there shall they bury [06912] Gog [01463] and all his multitude [01995]: and they shall call [07121] it The valley [01516] of Hamongog [01996].

¹ Therefore, thou son [01121] of man [0120], prophesy [05012] against Gog [01463], and say [0559], Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog [01463], the chief [07218] prince [05387] of Meshech [04902] and Tubal [08422]:

¹⁸ And it shall come to pass at the same time [03117] when [03117] Gog [01463] shall come [0935] against the land [0127] of Israel [03478], saith [05002] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069], that my fury [02534] shall come up [05927] in my face [0639].

¹⁶ And thou shalt come up [05927] against my people [05971] of Israel [03478], as a cloud [06051] to cover [03680] the land [0776]; it shall be in the latter [0319] days [03117], and I will bring [0935] thee against my land [0776], that the heathen [01471] may know [03045] me, when I shall be sanctified [06942] in thee, O Gog [01463], before their eyes [05869].

² Son [01121] of man [0120], set [07760] thy face [06440] against Gog [01463], the land [0776] of Magog [04031], the chief [07218] prince [05387] of Meshech [04902] and Tubal [08422], and prophesy [05012] against him,
³ And say [0559], Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog [01463], the chief [07218] prince [05387] of Meshech [04902] and Tubal [08422]:

⁹ And [2532] the great [3173] dragon [1404] was cast out [906], that old [744] serpent [3789], called [2564] the Devil [1228], and [2532] Satan [4567], which [3588] deceiveth [4105] the whole [3650] world [3625]: he was cast out [906] into [1519] the earth [1093], and [2532] his [846] angels [32] were cast out [906] with [3326] him [846].

² The sons [01121] of Japheth [03315]; Gomer [01586], and Magog [04031], and Madai [04074], and Javan [03120], and Tubal [08422], and Meshech [04902], and Tiras [08494].

²⁶ But there remained [07604] two [08147] of the men [0582] in the camp [04264], the name [08034] of the one [0259] was Eldad [0419], and the name [08034] of the other [08145] Medad [04312]: and the spirit [07307] rested [05117] upon them; and they were of them that were written [03789], but went not out [03318] unto the tabernacle [0168]: and they prophesied [05012] in the camp [04264].