Magog — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Term found only five times in the Bible but significant because of its use in the well-known prophetic passages of Ezekiel 38–39 OET EZE 38:1–23 · OET EZE 39:1–29 and Revelation 20. In the register of nations in Genesis 10:2 (see also 1 Chr 1:5), Magog was listed among the sons of Japheth, identifying both an individual and the nation that came forth from him. In Ezekiel and Revelation, Magog came to refer either to a land, a people, or both.

Show passage in OET: GEN 10:2

OET-RV GEN 10:2

2 Yefet’s (Japheth’s) sons were Gomer, Magog, Maday, Yavan, Tuval, Meshek, and Tiras.

OET-LV GEN 10:2

2 The _sons _of Yefet were_Gomer and_Māgōg and_Māday and_Yāvān/(Javan) and_Tūⱱal and_Meshek and_Tirāş.

Show passage in OET: CH1 1:5

OET-RV CH1 1:5

5 Yefet’s sons were Gomer, Magog, Maday, Yavan, Tuval, Meshek, and Tiras.

OET-LV CH1 1:5

5 The _sons _of Yefet/(Japheth) were_Gomer and_Māgōg and_Māday and_Yāvān/(Javan) and_Tūⱱal and_Meshek and_Tirāş.

Jump to OET GEN 10:2 section.

Jump to OET CH1 1:5 section.

Magog is not mentioned in the contemporary literature of biblical times. Therefore, a definition must come primarily from the witness of Scripture, though writers from later times have given additional clues for the identification of the word. Magog was first identified biblically as a son of Japheth (Gn 10:2; 1 Chr 1:5), along with Tubal and Meshech (cf. Ez 38:2). Ezekiel 38:2 associates Magog with the person Gog, indicating that Magog was the land (along with Tubal and Meshech) over which Gog ruled. Ezekiel 39:6 uses the term Magog to speak of the people from the land of Magog. Together, Ezekiel 38 and 39 present an invasion of Israel in the latter days (cf. Ez 38:8-16) by Gog and his people from the land of Magog, along with peoples from every corner of the known world (cf. vv 5-6).

Show passage in OET: EZE 38:2

OET-RV EZE 38:2

2 “Son of humanity, look toward the land of Magog where King Gog is the main leader of Meshek and Tuval, and prophesy against him.

OET-LV EZE 38:2

2 Oh _son _of humankind set face _of_your against Gōg the _land _of (the)_Māgōg the _prince _of the _head _of Meshek and_Tūⱱal and_prophesy on/upon/above_him/it.

Show passage in OET: EZE 39:6

OET-RV EZE 39:6

6 Then I’ll send fire out onto Magog and on those living in safety in the coastal regions, and then they’ll know that I am Yahweh.

OET-LV EZE 39:6

6 And_I _will _send fire on_Māgōg and_on_those _who_dwell _of the _islands to_security and_they _will _know if/because _that I am_YHWH.

Show passage in OET: EZE 38:8–16

OET-RV EZE 38:8

8 You’ll be summoned many days later, then after some years you’ll go to a land that’s recovered from war and where the people have come back from many nations—gathered back to Yisrael’s (Israel’s) mountains that had continuously been a ruin. But the land’s people will indeed be brought out of the nations, and they’ll all live there safely again.

OET-RV EZE 38:9

9 Then you’ll go in like a storm with your large army—you’ll all be like a cloud covering the land.

OET-RV EZE 38:10

10 The master Yahweh says this: But plans will start to form in your heart on that day and you’ll devise wicked schemes.

OET-RV EZE 38:11

11 Then you’ll think, ‘I’ll take my army up onto the open ground—we’ll attack the people living quietly and peacefully—all of them living where there are no walls or barriers, and no city gates.

OET-RV EZE 38:12

12 I’ll capture booty and steal plunder and use my forces against those ruins that have been newly inhabited, and against those people who’ve returned from the nations—people who are gaining livestock and property, and who are living at the centre of the world.’

OET-RV EZE 38:13

13 People from Sheva and Dedan, and traders from Tarshish and its villages will ask you, ‘Have you come to plunder? Have you assembled your armies to take away spoil, to carry off gold and silver, to take their livestock and property and to haul away plenty of plunder?’

OET-RV EZE 38:14

14 Therefore, son of humanity, prophesy and tell Gog that the master Yahweh says this: On that day, when my people Yisrael are living securely—but you won’t take notice of that—

OET-RV EZE 38:15

15 you’ll come from your place far away in the north with a large army—all of them riding on horses, yes, a very numerous force.

OET-RV EZE 38:16

16 Then you’ll attack my Israeli people like a cloud that covers the land. I’ll send you against my land near the end of the era, so that the nations might know me when I show myself through you, Gog—they’ll see with their own eyes that I always demand what’s right.

OET-LV EZE 38:8

8 From_days many you _will _be _mustered in_end/latter of_the _years you _will _go into a _land restored from_the_sword gathered _together from_peoples many on the _mountains _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) which they _had _become (into)_a_desolation continually and_she from_peoples it _had _been _brought _out and_they _will _be _dwelling to_security of _them _of_all.

OET-LV EZE 38:9

9 And_you _will _go _up like_storm you _will _go like_cloud about_to_cover the_earth/land you _are you and_all troops _of_your and_peoples many with_you.

OET-LV EZE 38:10

10 Thus my_master YHWH he _says and_it _was in _the_day (the)_that words/messages they _will _come _up on heart _of_your and_you _will _plan a _plan _of evil.

OET-LV EZE 38:11

11 And_you _will _say I _will _go _up on a _land _of unwalled _villages I _will _go those_who _are_at _peace who_dwell _of to_security of _them _of_all are_dwelling with_not a _wall and_bar[s] and_gates there_belonged_not to/for_them.

OET-LV EZE 38:12

12 To_plunder plunder and_to_take _as _spoil spoil to_turn hand _of_your on waste _places inhabited and_near/to a _people which _has _been_gathered from_nations which _has_acquired livestock and_property who_dwell _of at the _center _of the_earth/land.

OET-LV EZE 38:13

13 Shəⱱāʼ and_Dədān and_the _traders _of Tarshiysh and_all lions _of_its _young they _will _say to/for_yourself(m) to_plunder plunder are_you coming to_take_as _spoil spoil have _you _assembled company _of_your to_carry _away silver and_gold to_take/accept/receive livestock and_property to_plunder plunder great.

OET-LV EZE 38:14

14 For_so/thus/hence prophesy Oh _son _of humankind and_you _will _say to_Gōg thus my_master YHWH he _says am_not in _the_day (the)_that when_ people _of_my Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _dwell to_security will _you _know.

OET-LV EZE 38:15

15 And_you _will _come from_place _of_your from_the_remotest _parts _of the_north you and_peoples many with_you are_riders _of horses of _them _of_all a _company great and_an _army great.

OET-LV EZE 38:16

16 And_you _will _go _up on people _of_my Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) like_cloud to_cover the_earth/land in_end/latter the_days it _will _happen and_I_will _bring _you on land _of_my so _as the_nations to _know DOM_me when_I_show _myself _holy in_you(ms) to_eyes _of_their Oh _Gōg.

Show passage in OET: EZE 38:5–6

OET-RV EZE 38:5

5 Paras (Persia), Kush (Ethiopia) (Kush), and Libya are with them, all of them with shields and helmets,

OET-RV EZE 38:6

6 as well as Gomer and all its troops, and Beyt-Togarmah, from the far parts of the north, and all its troops. Many people groups are with you.

OET-LV EZE 38:5

5 Pāraş Kūsh/(Cush) and_Pūţ with_them of _them _of_all shield and_helmet.

OET-LV EZE 38:6

6 Gomer and_all troops _of_its the _house _of Tōgarmāh the_remotest _parts _of the_north and_DOM all _of troops _of_its peoples many will_be_with _you.

Jump to OET EZE 38:2 section.

Jump to OET EZE 39:6 section.

Jump to OET EZE 38:8–16 section.

Jump to OET EZE 38:5–6 section.

Revelation 20:8 depicts Gog and Magog as invading the land of Israel with a great company of nations from every part of the world. It certainly appears that Ezekiel and Revelation had the same event of the latter days in mind. Revelation 20:8 can be understood to identify Gog as Satan and to see Magog as invading peoples who come with Satan. Some see “Gog and Magog” in Revelation 20:8 as a symbol of a future great battle at the end of the millennium that is similar to the invasion in Ezekiel 38–39 OET EZE 38:1–23 · OET EZE 39:1–29, but the terms themselves are not identified specifically. Some see Magog in Revelation 20 as another person along with Gog.

Show passage in OET: REV 20:8

OET-RV REV 20:8

8 and he’ll go out to deceive the nations right around the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them together to battle. They’ll be too many to count like the sand on the beach.

OET-LV REV 20:8

8 and he _will _be _coming _out to _deceive the nations which in the four corners of _the earth, the Gōg/(Gōg) and Magōg/(Māgōg), to _gather _together them to the war, of _whom the number of _them is like the sand of _the sea.

Jump to OET REV 20:8 section.

Extrabiblical writings give additional clues. Josephus’s Antiquities 1.6.1 equates Magog with the Scythians of the north who lived in the area of present-day Turkey and south-central Russia. Jubilees 7:19 and 9:8 refer to Magog as the “northern barbarians.” In the OT, Magog is associated with Tubal and Meshech, geographical areas normally believed to lie in the mountainous region between, and south of, the Caspian and Black Seas.

The available data argue for the identification of Magog in Ezekiel and Revelation with the northern barbarian hordes (perhaps the area of the Scythians) from the modern geographical region of Turkey and south-central Russia who will invade Israel under the leadership of Gog in the latter days. However, there is no warrant in the Scripture or elsewhere to conjecture that these modern nations are the identification of these terms.